OHA Frequently Asked Questions

OHA is a tax-free monthly payment for U.S. military servicemembers stationed outside the 50 states who live off-base in private housing. It reimburses your actual rent up to a maximum ceiling, plus provides a separate flat utility/recurring maintenance allowance. Over $1.8 billion is paid in OHA annually, benefiting approximately 61,000 members.

The key differences are: BAH is a fixed amount you keep regardless of what you actually pay — if your rent is less than your BAH, you pocket the difference. OHA is a reimbursement — you only receive up to your actual rent, capped at a ceiling. You can't pocket the difference with OHA. Additionally, OHA fluctuates monthly with currency exchange rates, while BAH stays the same all year.

Rental Ceiling: The maximum monthly rent the military will reimburse. You're paid your actual rent up to this cap.

Utility/Recurring Maintenance Allowance: A flat monthly amount to cover electricity, gas, water, and minor home repairs. This is paid regardless of actual utility costs.

Move-In Housing Allowance (MIHA): A one-time payment when you first move into private housing overseas, covering move-in costs like appliance purchases, utility hookups, and realtor fees.

No. OHA is completely tax-free, just like BAH. It does not count as taxable income on your federal, state, or local returns.

OHA rental ceilings are reviewed and updated periodically based on housing surveys and reported rents. However, because OHA is paid in local currency and converted to USD, your actual dollar amount can change every pay period based on the exchange rate. This means your take-home OHA in dollars may vary month to month even if nothing else changes.

No. Unlike BAH, OHA is a cost-reimbursement allowance. You receive the lower of your actual rent or the rental ceiling. If your rent is $1,200 and your ceiling is $1,500, you receive $1,200 — not $1,500. This is one of the biggest differences between OHA and BAH.

Any active-duty servicemember assigned to a permanent duty station outside the 50 U.S. states who is authorized to live off-base in private housing. This includes stations in Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy, the UK, Spain, and other overseas locations. Note: Alaska and Hawaii receive BAH, not OHA, even though they're considered OCONUS moves.

The with-dependents rate gives you a higher rental ceiling (approximately 10% more) and a higher utility allowance (approximately 25% more) than the without-dependents rate. The logic is that a family needs a larger home and uses more utilities than a single servicemember. The number of dependents doesn't matter — it's binary: you either have dependents or you don't.

It depends on where your family is. If your spouse lives overseas with you (accompanied tour), you get OHA at the with-dependents rate. If your spouse stays in the US (unaccompanied tour), you get BAH at the with-dependents rate based on your spouse's US ZIP code, plus OHA at the without-dependents rate for your overseas station. Either way, getting married means more housing allowance.

Both servicemembers receive OHA. If you have dependents, one member (usually the senior) claims the with-dependents rate and the other claims without-dependents. The combined total cannot exceed your actual rent. Each member receives half the utility allowance.

Yes. Marriage qualifies you for the with-dependents rate — roughly 10% higher rental ceiling and 25% higher utility allowance. For a typical E-5 in Germany, that's an extra $300–$400/month. If you're currently in the barracks getting $0, the jump is even more dramatic. Use our OHA Calculator and toggle to "Without Dependents" to see the exact difference for your situation.

Yes. This is one of the most common use cases for proxy marriage. Through WeddingProxy.com, you can be legally married same business day under Montana law without leaving your overseas duty station. Neither you nor your partner needs to be physically present. The marriage is recognized by every branch and all 50 states.

Once you update DEERS with your marriage certificate and submit a new DD Form 2367 to your finance office, the change takes effect from the date of the marriage. Most servicemembers see the updated rate within one to two pay periods. You may also need to submit a new lease if your rental situation changes.

Financially, both options unlock significant benefits. If your spouse comes overseas, you get OHA at the with-dependents rate. If they stay stateside, you get BAH (based on their ZIP) plus OHA without-dependents. The "best" option depends on your personal situation, tour length, and where your spouse wants to live. Use both our OHA Calculator and BAH Calculator to compare.

OHA rental ceilings are set in local currency (euros, yen, won, pounds) but paid in US dollars. As the exchange rate fluctuates, your dollar amount changes — sometimes significantly. A strong dollar means you get fewer dollars for the same local-currency amount, and vice versa. This can make budgeting challenging, but it's normal.

MIHA (Move-In Housing Allowance) is a one-time payment to offset costs when you first move into private housing overseas. There are several types:

MIHA Miscellaneous: A set lump sum for average move-in expenses (appliances, utility hookups). No receipts required.

MIHA Rent: Dollar-for-dollar reimbursement for realtor/agent fees.

MIHA Security: Reimbursement for security upgrades to your dwelling (only at certain locations).

MIHA Infectious Disease: Reimbursement for disease-prevention upgrades like window screens (only at certain locations).

Complete a DD Form 2367 ("Individual Overseas Housing Allowance Report") and submit it with a copy of your signed lease to your finance office. If you qualify for MIHA, you'll also need DD Form 2556. A new DD Form 2367 must be submitted any time your housing information changes (new lease, rent change, etc.).

Yes. Multiple single servicemembers can split a rental, and each receives OHA up to their share of the actual rent. The total OHA paid to all roommates cannot exceed the total rent. Each member receives half the utility allowance. You can split the rent in any proportion as long as it doesn't exceed what you actually pay.

No. This is an independent estimation tool provided by 406 Proxy, LLC. OHA rates shown are approximate USD estimates based on DOD data and average exchange rates. For official, up-to-date rates use the DTMO OHA Rate Lookup.

OHA ceilings are set in local currency, and exchange rates change constantly. Our calculator uses approximate USD conversions based on early-2025 exchange rates. Your actual dollar amount will differ based on the exchange rate at time of payment. These estimates are meant for planning purposes.

No. All calculations run locally in your browser. We don't collect, store, or transmit your rank, location, or any calculator inputs.