DD Form 1617 at a glance
What it is: DD FORM 1617 is the Department of War (DOW) Transportation Agreement: Transfer of Civilian Employees Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS).
Who signs: Sign Box 9, EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE, and enter the date in Box 10 as YYYYMMDD.
An employee (including new appointees and student trainees) appointed to a position OCONUS must complete a transportation agreement for the employee and the employee's authorized dependent(s) to be eligible for payment of travel and transportation allowances.
A filled-in DD Form 1617 example: a new appointee signs an initial agreement
How to fill out DD Form 1617, box by box
Type (Box 2) and new appointee or student trainee (Box 4)
In Box 2, check one: Initial, Renewal with PCS, Renewal without PCS or PCS only.
In Box 4, NEW APPOINTEE OR STUDENT TRAINEE, check YES or NO.
Name, appointment date, residence and duty station locations
Enter the name in Box 1 as Last, First, Middle Initial.
Enter the appointment date in Box 3 as YYYYMMDD. The tour of duty begins on the appointment date.
Enter the new assigned permanent duty station (PDS) location in Box 5 as City, State/Territory/Country.
Enter the actual residence when appointed or transferred in Box 6.
Enter the previous PDS location in Box 7 as City, State/Territory/Country.
The tour of duty, actual residence, and PDS location(s) specified are used for the purpose of establishing eligibility for travel and transportation allowances. After you sign this agreement, you may not change the actual residence for personal reasons.
Tour of duty in months
At a., enter the prescribed number of months of the tour of duty (minimum 12). After you complete it, you will be eligible for travel and transportation allowances to return to your actual residence.
If you do not complete at least 12 months of your tour of duty or you are removed for cause before completing 12 months, you are obligated to repay to the Government, upon demand, a sum of money equivalent to what the Government paid for travel and transportation and related allowances associated with the transfer of you and your dependents.
Your employing agency may withhold any final pay due to you to satisfy any debt related to a violation of this agreement.
If you complete at least 12 months, but do not complete your tour of duty or you are removed for cause before completing your tour of duty, you are responsible for the expense of returning to your actual residence.
If you cannot complete the tour of duty for reasons beyond your control that are acceptable to your agency, you remain eligible for travel and transportation allowances and are not required to repay your agency for prior travel and transportation expenses.
To be eligible for renewal agreement travel, enter at h. the months of a full renewal tour. You also agree to complete a minimum period of service of 12 months upon return to the OCONUS PDS after the completion of renewal agreement travel.
Remarks and signatures
Sign Box 9, EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE, and enter the date in Box 10 as YYYYMMDD.
Signature on this form constitutes your certification that you and/or your authorized dependent(s) have not accepted, and will not accept, duplicate reimbursement for your relocation expenses. In addition, to the best of your knowledge, no third party has accepted duplicate reimbursement for your relocation expenses.
Box 11 is the signature of the designated civilian personnel officer/human resources officer or designee. Enter the date in Box 12 as YYYYMMDD.
Box 8, OTHER REMARKS, is to be completed by personnel office or employing agency officials only.
More rules for DD Form 1617
The form is used to establish Government time in service requirements for employee (including appointees and student trainees) travel and transportation allowance eligibility when transferred to a position OCONUS.
Completion of the form is necessary before a transfer can be authorized and expenses paid.
Under the law, allowances shall not be authorized unless the employee agrees in writing to remain in the Government service for a prescribed period of time.
An employee's travel and transportation allowances may include movement of household goods, storage of household goods, and certain other allowances incident to employment at a location OCONUS. Movement and storage of household goods is not authorized for round-trip renewal agreement travel.
You may be directed to use commercial aircraft, Government aircraft, or both for travel to or from the OCONUS PDS.
You are not eligible to receive travel and transportation allowances for another transfer within DoW within 12 months of this transfer unless you meet the criteria for an exception under JTR, par. 053706, “PCS Limitation Policy.”
If you satisfactorily complete the specified period of service and sign a new service agreement, then you will be eligible for renewal agreement travel to your actual residence.
Sources
[1] DD Form 1617 (SEP 2026), Department of War (DOW) Transportation Agreement: Transfer of Civilian Employees Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) (the Official source link on this page).