BAH calculator: choose the correct rate inputs
This site is unofficial and not legal advice. A published BAH rate is not an official finding of your housing entitlement.
Rule overview
- Rule version
- 2026 rate lookup
- Effective date
- 2026
- Last checked
- November 8, 2026 (CET)
- Source
- DTMO BAH rate lookup
- Status
- BAH rates not verified
Source details
DTMO 2026 BAH rate lookup. 2026 rates, including the Abilene/Dyess temporary increase effective May 16, 2026. That increase is not applied here.
BAH rates not verified. No rate file is loaded. An unmatched ZIP is not zero. 2027 rates are not verified.
Result
This site is unofficial and not legal advice. A published BAH rate is not an official finding of your housing entitlement.
No result yet. Calculate after the fields are valid. Empty fields are not treated as zero.
Key takeaways
- Use the permanent-duty-station ZIP code, not automatically your home ZIP code. 1
- BAH depends on pay grade, location, year and with/without-dependent status. 12
- The number of dependents does not create additional published BAH tiers. 2
- A move or other status change can affect individual rate protection. 2
Which ZIP code should I enter for BAH?
Use the permanent-duty-station ZIP code for the ordinary locality-based BAH lookup. 1
DTMO describes this lookup for members assigned permanent duty within the 50 states who are not provided government housing. A home ZIP code is not automatically the correct rate location. Special situations, government quarters and non-locality allowances require separate guidance. 12
Scroll sideways inside this table if needed. The page itself does not scroll sideways.
| Input | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Calendar year | The official rate year; check temporary updates too. |
| Permanent-duty ZIP code | The location used for the applicable ordinary BAH rate. |
| Pay grade | The member’s actual grade. |
| Dependency category | With dependents or without dependents, as officially determined. |
Does having more children increase the BAH rate?
The published BAH categories distinguish with dependents from without dependents, not the number of dependents. 2
For example, entering two children instead of one should not create a new locality-rate tier. Whether the member is entitled to the with-dependent rate is a separate determination; the calculator should not decide it solely from a household-size field.
How can a PCS move affect BAH?
A Permanent Change of Station can end the individual rate protection associated with the prior assignment. 2
DTMO says rate protection generally prevents a reduction while the member’s eligibility status remains unchanged. PCS, reduction in pay grade and a dependency-status change are listed events that end protection. The member then needs the rate applicable to the new circumstances. 2
A useful move comparison shows the old and new duty locations and statuses separately. Do not promise that a previous station’s protected amount follows the member to a different station.
Can the standard annual rate file miss an update?
Yes; DTMO’s lookup also identifies temporary increases that have their own effective dates. 1
At this review, the 2026 selector separately lists an Abilene/Dyess AFB temporary increase effective May 16, 2026. A tool using only a January snapshot must either account for a verified later change or send the reader to the official lookup. Do not apply a temporary increase to dates or locations outside its official scope. 1
What does an unavailable BAH result mean?
It means the selected rate or entitlement has not been confirmed—not that BAH is zero.
Check the five-digit duty ZIP code and selected year, then use the official DTMO lookup (leaves this site). Contact finance for rate protection, government housing, BAH-DIFF, reserve/transient or other special cases. BAH is not designed to reimburse every actual housing expense. 12
Which sources support this page?
The cited documents support this page’s treatment of BAH calculator: choose the correct rate inputs; government sources do not endorse this website. Last checked: 2026-11-08 (CET, Europe/Stockholm).