What is a temporary BAH increase?

A temporary BAH increase is a short-term raise to the Basic Allowance for Housing in a specific Military Housing Area, approved by the Defense Travel Management Office when local housing costs spike well above the published rate or after a disaster. It is separate from the annual BAH change.

What triggers a temporary BAH increase?

DoD can issue a temporary increase when actual housing costs in an area differ from the current BAH rate by more than 20 percent, or when a disaster disrupts the local housing market. Congress extended this authority for 2026.

How do I request a temporary BAH increase?

Requests are submitted through your installation's housing or finance office to the Defense Travel Management Office, with local rental-market data showing costs exceed the current rate by more than 20 percent. DTMO reviews the data and decides.

Basic Allowance for Housing

Temporary BAH Increase (2026)

When rents in one area jump far above the published BAH rate, or a disaster upends the local housing market, the Defense Department can approve a temporary BAH increase for that Military Housing Area. Here is what triggers one, how to check your base, and how to request it.

What it is

A temporary increase is a short-term bump to BAH in a specific location, approved outside the normal yearly cycle. It is not the same as the annual adjustment (BAH rose 4.2% nationally for 2026). A temporary increase targets one MHA where the published rate has fallen out of step with what people are actually paying for housing.

What triggers one

›Costs more than 20% off. When measured local housing costs differ from the current BAH rate by more than 20 percent, the area can qualify for a temporary increase.
›A disaster. A hurricane, wildfire, or flood that disrupts the rental market can prompt a temporary increase for the affected MHA.
›The authority is active for 2026. Congress extended DoD's authority to issue these temporary increases for another year.

Temporary increase vs. rate protection

These get confused. A temporary increase raises the rate for everyone in an MHA for a set period. Individual rate protection is different: it keeps your BAH from dropping while you stay at the same location and paygrade, even if the published rate falls the next year. You can be covered by rate protection without your area ever getting a temporary increase.

Under rate protection, once a rate is set for you it will not drop. Your BAH can only go down in three situations:

1.You PCS to a new duty station - you get that location's rate on your report date.
2.You are demoted - you move to the lower paygrade's rate. A promotion never lowers your BAH; you keep whichever rate is higher.
3.Your dependency status changes (with-dependents to without, or back).

If the published rate rises on Jan 1, you get the increase. If it falls, you normally keep your protected (higher) amount.

How to check or request one

DoD does not publish a standing public list of areas with temporary increases, so the place to confirm is your installation. Steps:

Check your current published rate first - look up your base on the BAH calculator and compare it to what local rentals actually cost.
If local costs run more than 20% above the published rate, gather rental-market evidence (listings, lease quotes).
Take it to your installation housing office or finance/comptroller (DFAS) office. They forward qualifying requests to the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO).
DTMO reviews the local data and decides whether to approve a temporary increase for the MHA.

Check your current BAH first

See your published 2026 rate by base and paygrade, then compare it to local rents. If it is more than 20% low, you may have a case.

Open BAH Calculator

See also: how 2026 BAH changed by base. Source: DoD Defense Travel Management Office; FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act.