Allowances Explained: TDY Per Diem, TLA, TQSA and OHA in Stuttgart

Tax avoidance program / VAT information

Housing money works differently once you are stationed in Germany. This guide explains per diem on TDY, TLA, TQSA, OHA and LQA in plain words and shows where to look up current rates. We only show figures that we took from the official Department of Defense (DoD) page, with the month we checked them.

Your orders, your sponsor and the finance office always have the final word on what applies to you. Every rule on this page shows the official page it comes from and the month we checked it. We recheck these pages every three months.

Per diem on TDY

On temporary duty, per diem pays for authorized lodging up to a lodging maximum, plus a fixed amount for meals and incidental expenses. These are separate parts, not one daily budget, and your orders can reduce them. For foreign locations such as Stuttgart, the U.S. Department of State sets the rates. They change, so we do not list them here.

The rule

Look up the current Stuttgart rate

  • DTMO says the Department of State sets the per diem rates for foreign locations and updates them at the beginning of each month. You look them up through the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO).
  • Look up the current Stuttgart rate for your exact travel dates in the official DTMO per diem tool. In the tool, Patch Barracks, Kelley Barracks, Panzer Kaserne, Vaihingen, Moehringen and Echterdingen (Stuttgart Army Airfield) are listed as their own locations next to Stuttgart. Pick the one your orders name.
  • Check with your approving official what your orders allow.

Sources: DTMO: Per Diem Rate Lookup, U.S. Department of State: 14 FAM 576.2-2 Checked: Nov 2026

For the order of questions to settle in your first week on TDY, see TDY to Stuttgart: Your First Week.

Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA)

TLA helps with the cost of a hotel or other temporary lodging while you look for a home. In Stuttgart it comes with strict local rules, and most of them start on your first days.

The rule

What TLA is

  • TLA partially pays a service member for higher than normal costs while the member or dependents stay in temporary lodging overseas, on arrival at or just before leaving a permanent duty station.
  • Garrison commanders publish the local guidelines for TLA.

Source: DTMO: Temporary Lodging Allowance Checked: Nov 2026

The rule

Local TLA rules in Stuttgart

  • Report to the Housing Office right away. The USAG Stuttgart Housing page says to in-process with a housing counselor (virtually or in person) within 2 calendar days of arriving at USAG Stuttgart, and that missing this makes you ineligible for TLA. The regional TLA regulation of November 14, 2024 (AEA Regulation 37-4, para. 5f(1)) says to report within 2 workdays after arrival, and that failing to report may jeopardize TLA eligibility. Confirm the deadline that applies to you with the Housing Office immediately on arrival.
  • TLA is reimbursed in 15-day increments. Give your hotel bill to the Housing Office to receive the TLA document for finance.
  • For an off-post hotel stay, the Housing page says you need a statement of non-availability (SNA) number from the on-post hotel, issued for your dates. For any other off-post temporary lodging, confirm the property and how it is reimbursed with the Housing Office and your finance office before you book.
  • If you are required to live on post, check in with the Housing Office every week about your place on the waiting list.
  • If you are authorized to live off post, you must show an active search once your certificate of non-availability (CNA) is issued: 3 homes viewed within the first 15 days of arrival, then 6 homes in each 15-day period after that.
  • If after 30 days you have no rental contract with a move-in date before day 60 of TLA, you will need a temporary month-to-month lease while you keep searching.

Sources: USAG Stuttgart Housing, AEA Regulation 37-4: Temporary Lodging Allowance (Nov 14, 2024) Checked: Nov 2026

For the full order of steps on a permanent move, see PCS to Stuttgart: Step by Step.

DoD civilians: TQSA

The rule

Temporary allowance for civilians

  • Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) helps with temporary lodging, meals, laundry and dry cleaning when an employee first arrives, or before leaving post.
  • The civilian personnel office (CPAC) is the point of contact for TQSA and housing allowances.

Source: USAG Stuttgart Housing Checked: Nov 2026

Step by step, with the SF-1190 and the documents to keep: TQSA in Stuttgart: A Guide for DoD Civilians.

Need a furnished place for your TDY or your time on TLA or TQSA? See our furnished apartments in Stuttgart. Before you book, confirm the lodging and how it is reimbursed with your travel, housing or civilian personnel office.

BAH and OHA: what changes overseas

In the U.S. you are used to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). Once you live off post in Germany, a different allowance takes over, and it is tied to the rent you actually pay.

The rule

OHA replaces BAH off post

  • While stationed overseas and living off post, military personnel receive Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) instead of BAH.
  • Rent caps are set by rank. You receive OHA based on your rent or the rent cap, whichever is less.
  • Where it applies, you also receive a monthly utility allowance to help offset utility costs. DTMO says members whose utilities are paid by the landlord do not receive this separate allowance; it is added to the rental allowance instead.

Sources: USAG Stuttgart Housing, DTMO: Overseas Housing Allowance Checked: Nov 2026

In plain words: with OHA, a cheaper rental does not leave money over, and a rental above your cap means you pay the difference yourself. Ask your finance office for your cap before you sign a lease.

Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA)

The rule

How OHA works

  • OHA is a cost-reimbursement allowance for service members on permanent duty overseas who lease private housing.
  • It has three parts: rent, utilities and recurring maintenance, and a move-in housing allowance (MIHA).
  • You apply with DD Form 2367 (Individual OHA Report), returned with a copy of your lease. If you qualify for MIHA/Rent, MIHA/Security or MIHA/Infectious Disease, you also submit DD Form 2556 (MIHA Claim Form).
  • OHA is paid in U.S. dollars, while rent, utilities and move-in costs are usually paid in local currency, so exchange rates matter.

Source: DTMO: Overseas Housing Allowance Checked: Nov 2026

The rule

Where to look up OHA rates

  • Current OHA rates are in the DoD OHA calculator. Stuttgart is listed as “GERMANY - STUTTGART (BW) - DE055”.
  • We do not show OHA amounts here, because they depend on your rank, your family and your rent.

Source: DTMO: OHA Rate Lookup Checked: Nov 2026

The rule

Advance Housing Allowance (Army only)

  • Take a signed copy of your rental contract to your unit personnel administration (S1) to request an advance for the first month’s rent and the security deposit.
  • Your unit finance office has the details.

Source: USAG Stuttgart Housing Checked: Nov 2026

DoD civilians: LQA

The rule

Housing allowance for civilians

  • Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) helps cover rent, utilities and related costs where government housing is not provided. Rates depend on grade and family size.

Source: USAG Stuttgart Housing Checked: Nov 2026

What often goes wrong

Common pitfalls

Money surprises

This is editorial advice, not a rule:

  • Booking TDY lodging first and checking what the orders allow later.
  • The switch from BAH to OHA, and the timing of the first payments, catches people off guard.
  • The first month is expensive: deposit, first rent, a car and temporary lodging can all come due before allowances settle.
  • Missing paperwork, like a hotel bill or a lease copy, delays reimbursements.
  • Exchange rate swings make a euro rent feel different from month to month.

Practical tips

  • Ask your finance office about OHA, MIHA and advance payments at in-processing, before you sign a lease.
  • Keep itemized hotel bills and copies of every form you hand in.
  • Set aside a cash buffer for the first weeks, so a delayed payment does not become a problem.
  • Read our housing guide for the Housing Office steps that TLA depends on.

Who to ask

  • Your approving officialWhat your TDY orders cover, before you book lodging.
  • Housing Services OfficeTLA documents, CNA and SNA questions. Contacts on the USAG Stuttgart Housing page.
  • CPAC (civilian personnel office)TQSA and LQA for DoD civilians.
  • Unit finance office or S1OHA, the utility allowance, MIHA and advance housing payments.
  • DTMOOfficial rates: per diem lookup and OHA calculator.

Not sure which office answers your question? See Who to Ask: Offices for Military, DoD Civilians, Contractors and Families.

Back to TDY & PCS in Stuttgart

Moving to Stuttgart is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense or USAG Stuttgart. Spotted something outdated? Tell us: info@movingtostuttgart.com