Answers
KMC PCS answers — straight, verified, English
The real questions American military families type into Google when they're moving to or living in the Kaiserslautern Military Community. Every answer is checked against official sources and dated, so you know it's current. These pages are the open-web half of the Boris app, held to the same rule: if we can't source it, we don't publish it.
Want the full deep dive instead of a quick answer? Check the KMC guides.
Legal & status
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Legal & status
Do US military families need to register (Anmeldung) in Germany?
No. Under Article 6 of the NATO SOFA Supplementary Agreement (Zusatzabkommen), US military members, DoD civilians, contractors, and their command-sponsored dependents are exempt from German residence registration (Anmeldung) at the Rathaus. Registering by mistake can pull you into the German tax and broadcasting-fee system unnecessarily.
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Legal & status
Do US military families need to Abmelden (deregister) when leaving Germany?
Probably not. Most SOFA families never register in Germany in the first place, so there is nothing to Abmelden when they leave. Deregistration only applies if you actually signed up at a German Rathaus, which SOFA status lets you skip.
Money & entitlements
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Money & entitlements
TLA vs TQSA: what's the difference for a PCS to Germany?
Active-duty service members get **TLA** — up to 60 days of temporary lodging on arrival at the KMC, reviewed in roughly 15-day increments. GS civilians get **TQSA** instead — an initial 90 days, extendable to 150 with agency approval. They're different programs with different day limits and different filing offices. Contractors and NAF employees usually get neither unless their contract or appointment letter says otherwise — check yours directly.
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Money & entitlements
What do military families get in Germany? Active duty vs GS civilian vs contractor vs NAF
What you're entitled to during a Germany PCS depends heavily on your status. Active-duty families get the full DoD package — TLA, the OHA housing allowance, TRICARE healthcare. GS civilians get TQSA on arrival and, where authorized, LQA as their housing allowance, with FEHB healthcare. Contractors get only what their contract grants — no DoD entitlements by default. NAF employees get SOFA privileges like base access and VAT relief but usually none of the government allowances. Your orders or appointment letter are the final word.
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Money & entitlements
OHA vs LQA: what's the difference for a PCS to Germany?
OHA is the **active-duty** overseas housing allowance; LQA is the **GS civilian** equivalent for authorized positions. Both kick in once you sign a lease — before that you're on TLA or TQSA — and both backdate to your lease start date, but they run on different regulations, different forms, and different offices. Contractors and NAF employees get neither by default.
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Money & entitlements
How do I stop paying German tax on my utilities at Ramstein or in the KMC?
The program is called UTAP, and it takes the German tax off your utility bills — **19% off electricity and natural gas, 7% off water**, plus a further cut of the electricity and eco taxes with some providers. The KMC has **two** UTAP offices and they work differently: Ramstein (86 FSS) is **walk-in only**, the Army office at Kleber Kaserne is **by appointment**. You bring a typed application, a start form for each utility company, your orders, a German IBAN, a copy of your lease signed by the housing office, and **$99** — which is reimbursable through the miscellaneous expense allowance. The meters have to be in the sponsor's name.
Getting settled
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