PCS to San Diego checklist: what California actually requires

This checklist is for service members and families with PCS (permanent change of station) orders to San Diego. California has a reputation for heavy DMV fees and paperwork, but much of it does not apply to you if you keep your legal residence in another state. Everything below comes from the California DMV, the state tax agency that handles vehicle use tax (CDTFA), Navy Region Southwest and Military OneSource, checked October 5, 2026.

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Navy Lodge

1. 1Navy Lodge San Diego — On Naval Base San Diego, pet friendly
2. 2Navy Lodge North Island — On NAS North Island in Coronado

Inns of the Corps

1. 3Inns of the Corps Miramar — No pets
2. 4Inns of the Corps Pendleton Ward Lodge — Pet friendly

Pass & ID

1. 5Naval Base San Diego Visitor Control Center — Mon-Fri 0630-1530
2. 6Naval Base Coronado Pass & ID — Mon-Fri 0630-1530
3. 7Naval Base Point Loma Pass & ID — Mon-Fri 0630-1445

Pins are approximate and use building addresses on base. Source: Navy Lodge, Inns of the Corps and Navy Region Southwest websites, checked October 5, 2026.

See these on the full San Diego map

1. Your car: plates, fees and smog

The California DMV lets a nonresident service member drive here on valid plates from your home state, or from the state where you were stationed when the plates were issued. The registration has to be current and in your or your spouse's name, the car must be insured, and it cannot be a commercial vehicle. When the registration expires, you can renew in that state or switch to California.

If you register in California, the big savings is the Vehicle License Fee (VLF), the value-based part of the bill. File the Nonresident Military Exemption Statement, REG 5045 and the VLF is waived as long as your duty station is in California and the car is not used for business. Other registration fees still apply. The catch is smog: per the DMV, a car registered in California needs a California smog certificate, and nonresident military get no exemption.

2. Driver licenses for you and your spouse

A nonresident on active duty needs either a current California license or a valid license from their home state, according to the California Highway Patrol. A guidance sheet from the Army's Presidio of Monterey adds that a spouse who lives in California to be with the service member, and holds a valid out-of-state license, is not required to get a California license. California residents serving outside the state can get an extension card (DL 236); it stays good for 30 days after you return to California.

3. Base access for family and visitors

Navy Region Southwest issues DBIDS (Defense Biometric Identification System) cards to people who need regular unescorted access but do not hold another approved credential. Active duty members, CAC holders and family members 18 and older can sponsor visitors. A visitor who fails the background check can ask for a waiver through Pass & ID. All three Navy Pass & ID offices on the map are closed weekends and federal holidays, so plan a weekday stop before relatives fly in.

4. Pets: no quarantine, but bring paperwork

California does not quarantine dogs or cats arriving from other U.S. states. The California Department of Food and Agriculture requires dogs 4 months and older to have proof of a current rabies vaccination; cats have no rabies or health certificate requirement. A health certificate is required for dogs coming in to be sold, adopted or change owners, and your airline may require one anyway. Dogs coming from another country follow CDC rules, including a microchip and a minimum age of 6 months.

Once here, San Diego Humane Society licenses dogs for the city of San Diego and 13 other cities, including Oceanside, Escondido, Imperial Beach and La Mesa. New arrivals have 30 days after moving in to license a dog, and you will need a valid rabies certificate.

5. TRICARE and schools

California is in the TRICARE West Region, which TriWest Healthcare Alliance has run since January 1, 2025. Update your address in DEERS and choose a new primary care manager after you arrive. For school, all 50 states and D.C. follow the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. Hand-carry copies of your kids' records so they can enroll before the official transcript arrives, and you get 30 days from enrollment to catch up on required immunizations. Students in advanced programs can continue in equivalent courses, and seniors who move during senior year can graduate on time through the old district. Every installation has a school liaison who helps with picking schools and moving credits.

6. Temporary lodging and moving the car

Navy Lodge San Diego sits on Naval Base San Diego at 28th and Main streets and advertises pet-friendly rooms. Navy Lodge North Island is in Building 1401-A on NAS North Island. Marines and anyone headed north have Inns of the Corps: Miramar (Building 2515, no pets), and two pet-friendly options on Camp Pendleton, Ward Lodge (Building 1310) and Pacific Views (Building 202870). Book early in the summer PCS season.

Within the continental U.S., the government usually pays you to drive your car rather than ship it. The Joint Travel Regulations' examples show mileage reimbursement (MALT, mileage allowance in lieu of transportation) for driving one car, and only partial reimbursement if you ship a second one. If you hire a shipper, expect to pay the difference yourself.

Next steps: check San Diego BAH rates for 2026, compare where military families live, and read California taxes for service members. If you are weighing a second car, see Do I need a car in San Diego?