CAF Posting Move: Authorization, Household Goods and Final Documentation

Current authority

Start with the posting instruction and the policy version governing the file

A Canadian Armed Forces posting move should begin from the member’s actual posting or relocation instruction, not a social-media checklist or a previous posting. Record the authority date, new place of duty, report date, move restrictions, dependant information and any special status. The current Canadian Armed Forces Relocation Directive must be read with the file-specific instruction and authorized relocation provider resources. Benefits, limits and procedures can change between active posting seasons.

As of 6 January 2026, the Office of the DND/CAF Ombudsman directs members with relocation files authorized on or after that date to SIRVA, while files authorized before that date remain with BGRS. Use the authorization date, not the day a member happens to register or read this article. The CAFRD effective 1 April 2026 is currently published, but members must confirm the directive and provider applicable to their own file.

Create a version page in the move file containing the posting instruction date, provider, directive effective date, account number, relocation adviser contact and any written clarification. Save the source URL and access date for policy extracts. This guide is independent household-planning information; it cannot authorize CAF benefits, alter a posting, replace a contracted relocation service provider or promise that ProMove Ottawa is an approved supplier for a CAF-funded shipment.

• Record the posting or relocation instruction and authorization date.
• Identify SIRVA or BGRS from the file’s authorization timing.
• Save the CAFRD version and written file-specific clarifications.
• Do not spend against an assumed entitlement or vendor status.

Secure registration

Register through the correct provider channel and verify every contact

Use the official DND relocation page or another authenticated CAF channel to reach the applicable provider portal. Avoid links from unsolicited messages, search ads or informal groups when the page will collect service number, banking or household information. Verify an unexpected request through a known relocation contact before supplying documents. A provider transition is exactly when outdated bookmarks and convincing impersonation can cause confusion.

Complete the profile from the posting instruction and review dependant, contact and address details carefully. If the file cannot be found or a date conflicts, contact the authorized provider or CAF relocation staff rather than creating a duplicate registration. Record case numbers and call notes. Keep screenshots only when permitted and store them securely; a general family move board should not display service information, financial details or other protected data.

Ask which portal section contains approved benefits, tasks, advances, claims and correspondence. Download or retain important confirmations because travel, remote postings or account changes can interrupt access. Give a spouse or representative only the authority recognized by the programme. Informal help with packing does not create authority to accept benefits, change banking information or sign household-goods documents for the member.

• Enter the portal from an official Government of Canada source.
• Resolve conflicting file data before creating another account.
• Keep case numbers and written answers in the protected move file.
• Confirm the authority required for a spouse or representative.

Roles and boundaries

Know which relocation participant can answer each question

The member, chain of command, relocation coordinator, contracted relocation service provider, Base or Wing movement staff, carrier and third-party service providers do not perform the same role. A provider adviser can explain the relocation programme but may not change the posting or grant a benefit outside delegated authority. A carrier can discuss physical packing and delivery but should not interpret the member’s eligibility. Direct each question to the role that can make the decision.

Build a contact map with purpose and escalation route. Include losing and gaining unit contacts for report-date or duty questions, the relocation adviser for benefit administration, the CAF Movement Coordinator for applicable household-goods movement issues, and the carrier contact for survey, pack and delivery operations. Add after-hours numbers only when officially provided. This map prevents the family from treating the first person who answers as authority for every problem.

Confirm important advice in writing, especially where it changes travel, housing, shipment or personal spending. Note the policy provision, facts provided and response. If two answers conflict, ask the designated authority to reconcile them before committing. Do not ask an independent local mover to validate CAF reimbursement; a mover can describe work details and price, while programme administrators determine whether and how that service may be authorized.

Benefit plan

Map Core, Custom and personal costs without inventing entitlements

Review the CAFRD structure and the member’s portal benefit information before budgeting. Create a matrix for travel, interim lodging, meals and miscellaneous expenses, house hunting, residence transactions, household goods and effects, storage, vehicles, pets, cleaning and sundry items. Record the applicable account, limit, approval, receipt rule and deadline. The matrix is a working summary; the directive and authorized decisions remain controlling.

Separate what the programme arranges, what it reimburses after the member pays, and what remains a personal choice. Shipment of household goods and effects is generally arranged through the contracted system under Chapter 9, subject to the directive and contract. Do not book a commercial mover independently and assume the invoice can be submitted later. Obtain written authorization and vendor instructions before incurring any cost intended for public reimbursement.

Build a personal contingency for expenses that are optional, above limits or created by the household’s date choices. Never conceal a personal add-on inside another invoice or ask a supplier to misdescribe work. If the member disagrees with a benefit decision, use the formal clarification or adjudication path within deadline. Transparent records protect the member better than relying on a colleague’s result from a different file.

• List the policy provision and account beside every expected benefit.
• Distinguish programme-arranged services from member-paid claims.
• Obtain written authority before buying a service for reimbursement.
• Budget personal choices and policy-limited costs separately.

Housing and dates

Coordinate report, house-hunting, possession and shipment dates

A report date, house-hunting trip, origin dispossession, destination possession and household-goods delivery are separate events. Map them on one calendar with the authority that can change each. Avoid signing or selling from an assumed amendment. If housing dates cannot align, discuss authorized options with the relocation adviser, losing and gaining units, and movement staff before deciding on storage or extra travel.

Use the applicable SIRVA or BGRS relocation assistance resources to prepare a house-hunting or destination inspection request and understand approval timing. Confirm whether travel must be authorized before booking and which people, dates or expenses are supported. Inspect building access as well as the residence: elevator, loading dock, stairs, parking, measurements, pet rules and secure storage all affect the physical shipment.

Do not let a preferred house closing create an unapproved change to duty or shipment. The keys and possession fallback can help document late access, but CAF funding requires the programme’s decision. Where a temporary stay is necessary, record what goods the family needs outside the shipment and how the eventual delivery will be triggered.

Move authority

Complete household-goods authorization before treating dates as booked

Follow the current official process for the Application to Move Household Goods and Effects and any provider or movement-coordinator tasks. Verify origin, destination, requested pack and load dates, family contact, inventory facts and storage requirements. A submitted request is not automatically a confirmed carrier schedule. Keep the acknowledgement, follow-up date and final confirmation in the move file.

Disclose multiple pickup locations, long-term storage, privately arranged storage, service-couple circumstances and goods located away from the residence. Chapter 9 describes sources from which authorized household goods may move, but the member’s facts determine application. Do not consolidate goods at personal expense or move them to a friend’s garage merely to simplify the form without checking how that affects authorized handling.

If an amendment arrives, compare the new instruction with existing housing, travel and shipment commitments immediately. Notify the relevant programme contacts and request written direction on affected costs. Keep old and new versions rather than overwriting the original. A clear chronology helps the authority see which commitments pre-dated the change and which costs could still be mitigated.

• Verify every origin, destination and requested service on the application.
• Treat submission, scheduling and final confirmation as different stages.
• Disclose goods held at another location or in storage.
• Preserve the chronology when a posting instruction changes.

Shipment inventory

Inventory household goods by ownership, condition and shipment stream

Create a room-by-room inventory before the pre-move survey. Record significant items, approximate dimensions, condition, serial numbers, photographs and special handling needs. Separate accompanied baggage, unaccompanied baggage where authorized, main household-goods shipment, long-term storage, private storage and items that will not move. The long-distance inventory method provides a numbered record that can support both planning and delivery checks.

Identify high-value, fragile, oversized, temperature-sensitive, regulated and data-bearing property. Ask the carrier and programme authority how each category must be handled; do not assume ordinary cartons or standard liability meet the need. Keep passports, service documents, medication, keys, small valuables and essential work devices under authorized personal control. Corporate or operational material must follow its own security requirements, not household convenience.

Review belongings against current weight and shipment provisions with the authorized adviser. Do not rely on a scale estimate from an earlier posting or confuse gross packed weight with household inventory guesses. If downsizing is needed, make release decisions before survey and update material changes. A truthful inventory improves equipment planning and prevents a late dispute about what the carrier was asked to collect.

• Separate every shipment and storage stream in the inventory.
• Photograph valuable condition details and record serial numbers.
• Keep identity, medication and security-controlled material outside household cartons.
• Report material inventory changes before pack day.

Pre-move survey

Use the carrier survey to surface access, safety and service exceptions

Read the current CAF Pre-Move Information Booklet alongside the carrier’s instructions. During the survey, show every room, locker, shed, outdoor item and approved storage area. Disclose stairs, elevator windows, long carries, winter access, parking restrictions and renovation hazards. Ask what the carrier will pack, what the member must prepare and which items cannot be accepted. Record unresolved questions and the person assigned to answer them.

Confirm disassembly, appliance preparation, crating, third-party services and items needing specialist attention. If an item was not visible during a virtual survey, add measurements and photographs rather than waiting for pack day. Do not conceal unsafe conditions or prohibited goods. The CAFRD notes that safety conditions within the member’s control can create delay costs, so clear sanitation, snow, ice, pets and access hazards before the crew arrives.

Verify the pack, load and expected delivery communication process after the survey. Ask which date is firm, which is a window and how changes are transmitted. Record carrier identification and after-hours escalation if officially provided. If building management requires proof of insurance or a service reservation, submit it early and confirm acceptance rather than assuming the carrier can resolve reception requirements on arrival.

Member preparation

Prepare the residence for contracted packing and loading responsibilities

Follow the carrier and Pre-Move Information Booklet instructions for cleaning, segregation, appliance preparation and personal items. Create a locked or clearly controlled no-pack zone for travel goods, documents, medication and anything prohibited from the shipment. Label destination rooms while preserving the carrier’s inventory method. If the crew will pack, do not seal uninspected cartons in a way that conflicts with their requirements.

Clear safe walking routes and provide access to all authorized goods. Manage children and pets away from doors, equipment and elevators. Arrange snow and ice control appropriate to Ottawa conditions, and disclose any property hazard. The home-before-movers checklist can support the physical preparation, but carrier instructions take priority where the contracted service specifies a different step.

Be available for packing and loading as required, or establish the recognized representative. Chapter 9 states that members are expected to be available for packing and loading and to receive goods at the earliest possible delivery date. Do not schedule an unchangeable personal appointment over the crew window. Keep food, water, phone power and the move file accessible without entering active work zones.

• Create a controlled no-pack zone before the crew arrives.
• Clear sanitation, snow, ice, pet and access hazards.
• Follow carrier directions for appliances and owner-packed goods.
• Ensure the member or recognized representative is available.

Pack and load records

Review inventories and condition notes before the shipment leaves

Observe the carrier’s tagging and inventory process without obstructing safe work. Review descriptions and pre-existing condition notes for significant property, ask about unclear abbreviations and ensure separately handled items appear in the correct stream. Photograph condition where permitted and useful. Do not sign a document you have not reviewed; note a disagreement through the document’s process rather than altering carrier records privately afterward.

Complete a final sweep of closets, cabinets, utility rooms, outdoor areas, storage and appliance interiors. Compare carton or item number ranges with the household register. Secure keys and handover information separately. If goods remain unexpectedly, contact movement staff and the provider for direction before hiring an extra vehicle and assuming it will be reimbursed.

Retain a readable copy of the signed inventory, bill of lading or equivalent paperwork and carrier contact instructions. Keep it with the family, not inside the shipment. Record departure time and any exception discussed. The member’s own photographs complement official documents but do not replace the carrier inventory or formal notice process.

• Review tags, descriptions and condition notes before signing.
• Confirm each authorized shipment stream is documented separately.
• Sweep all storage and exterior spaces after loading.
• Carry the signed inventory and delivery contacts with the family.

Travel essentials

Build a carry load that works if delivery does not match arrival

Pack identification, posting and relocation contacts, housing access documents, medication, valuables, uniforms or required work clothing, chargers, family records and several days of essentials. Adjust for the authorized travel method, destination season and realistic delivery interval. The long-distance carry kit offers household categories, but the member must also follow CAF security and transportation instructions for service material.

Keep receipts and a travel log according to the applicable benefit rules. Distinguish employer-arranged travel, reimbursable expenses and personal detours. If plans change for safety, obtain and document direction as soon as practical; do not endanger the family to preserve an itinerary. Conversely, a personal route extension should not be represented as an operational necessity.

If dependants travel separately, give each adult the documents and supplies needed for their leg rather than placing everything with the member. Maintain an offline contact sheet and check-in plan. Do not share posting details, an empty-home schedule or live travel location publicly beyond what is necessary. Household security remains part of move preparation.

Storage and delivery

Manage storage in transit and delivery through the authorized chain

Chapter 9 addresses storage in transit and links supported days to applicable relocation circumstances. Do not assume storage continues at public expense until the family feels ready. Discuss delayed possession or delivery with the local CAF Movement Coordinator and provider before the need becomes urgent. Record approved dates, account treatment and what event triggers delivery.

Provide a reliable destination contact and be ready to receive goods at the earliest delivery date required by the directive and carrier process. Confirm building access, elevator and loading arrangements again when the delivery date is offered. If the date conflicts with duty, identify a recognized representative or request direction; silently refusing delivery can create consequences that a later explanation does not erase.

Before delivery, mark room destinations and protect property routes according to building rules. During unloading, check item numbers and visible condition, and isolate exceptions without stopping safe work. Conduct the final truck sweep. If goods will move from programme storage into private storage, obtain written work details and cost responsibility before authorizing another handling stage.

• Confirm who authorizes and pays each storage period.
• Record the event that triggers delivery release.
• Prepare a recognized receiver if duty prevents attendance.
• Verify inventory and visible condition during unloading.

Family-specific plans

Coordinate dependants, service couples, pets and employment continuity

A service couple, unaccompanied posting, dependant with care needs or spouse employment interruption can change the planning questions. The CAFRD contains specific chapters and provisions, including service-couple rules; do not combine two files, count benefits or choose shipment origins without advice tied to the actual posting instructions. Create a household map that shows who moves, when, under which authority and where each goods stream begins.

For children, verify school and care at destination and keep records with the family. For pets, confirm carrier, lodging, health and destination requirements, then review applicable CAFRD expense limits with the adviser. The Ottawa pet-moving guide supports safe local arrival, but it does not decide reimbursability. Keep animals away from pack and load routes.

Spouse or partner employment deserves a dated plan for remote-work approval, leave, licensing or job search. DND publishes a Military Spouse Employment Initiative for eligible military spouses, but participation and outcomes require current programme confirmation. Include income interruption in the personal budget. Public benefits cannot eliminate every career effect of repeated postings, and the family should document what support is actually available.

Ottawa operations

Plan Ottawa building, parking and weather access without assuming CAF authority overrides local rules

For an Ottawa origin or destination, confirm condo or apartment moving hours, elevator padding, loading dock, insurance evidence, deposits and key process. Measure the route and disclose long carries or stairs during the survey. A military posting does not exempt the truck from municipal parking, right-of-way or noise requirements. Building and City contacts need the actual truck window and service details.

Check official Ottawa weather and winter-parking information close to the move. Clear snow and ice under the property’s responsibility, maintain lighting and provide a safe alternate if the carrier cannot access the route. Do not pressure a crew to continue through an unsafe condition to protect a report date. Contact the authorized chain about the operational consequence and document the advice.

Arrange Hydro Ottawa or the applicable utility, municipal water where relevant, mail and provincial address changes from confirmed possession dates. The ServiceOntario address checklist helps distinguish provincial products, while federal and CAF records require their own updates. Keep an address register with confirmation rather than assuming provider portals synchronize.

• Reserve building access and submit certificates before arrival.
• Confirm legal loading arrangements for the actual truck window.
• Monitor official weather and winter parking notices.
• Update CAF, federal, provincial and utility records separately.

Financial evidence

Keep relocation, payroll and personal expense records distinct

Create an expense register with policy provision, account, authorization, vendor, date, amount, tax, payment proof, claim number and status. Reconcile advances and directly billed services so the same cost is not submitted twice. Scan receipts promptly while preserving originals if the programme requires them. A bank statement can show payment but may not explain what was purchased, so keep itemized evidence.

CAF relocation benefits can have taxable and non-taxable treatment depending on the item and applicable rules. Use the official tax information and payroll records, and obtain qualified advice for uncertainty. Do not merge a personal CRA moving-expense claim with a CAF reimbursement claim. If an amount was reimbursed, preserve the evidence needed to apply the current tax rules and avoid duplicate treatment.

Submit claims within the applicable deadline and record denials or requests for more information. Use formal escalation or adjudication where authorized. A concise evidence package should show the instruction, approval, expense and payment without unrelated personal material. Keep passwords, banking credentials and service identifiers out of documents sent to vendors.

• Match each cost to policy, approval, receipt and payment proof.
• Reconcile advances and direct billing before submitting.
• Keep CAF claims separate from personal tax analysis.
• Use the formal review route for disputed benefit decisions.

Loss or damage

Document shipment exceptions through the carrier process immediately

At delivery, compare the carrier inventory and household register. Note missing item numbers, visible carton damage and property damage through the required paperwork before the crew leaves where possible. Take clear overview and detail photographs without discarding packaging that may help show handling. Avoid repairing or disposing of an item until the claim process or urgent safety need is understood.

Follow the carrier and programme instructions for notice, claim forms, evidence and deadlines. The moving-claim evidence guide can help organize photographs and chronology, but the contracted shipment documents control. Distinguish damage to household goods from damage to a condo common element or rental property, because contacts, evidence and liability pathways can differ.

Keep communication factual and identify the item number, observed condition, discovery time and requested next step. Do not exaggerate value or remove pre-existing condition context. If an urgent hazard requires mitigation, document before and after, preserve invoices and notify the responsible contact. Track settlement, repair and unresolved items until written closure.

Closeout

Close the posting move only after delivery, claims and records reconcile

Complete destination setup, final inventory review, address changes, expense claims, advances, storage and outstanding damage issues. Confirm that temporary lodging or storage has ended or has a written ongoing authority. Reconcile the relocation portal with household records and save final statements. A delivered truck does not prove every programme obligation or financial item is complete.

Review the move file at 30 and 90 days. Check spouse employment, school or care, medical continuity, property handover and any tax documents expected from payroll. If a benefit or claim remains open, record the next deadline and responsible contact. Keep only the sensitive data needed for a legitimate retention purpose and dispose of duplicates securely under applicable policy.

Before a future posting, recheck every official source. Provider, directive, form, account and time-limit information can change, as the 2026 transition itself demonstrates. Preserve lessons about property access and household needs, but never copy old entitlements into a new file. The most reliable CAF posting checklist is dated, source-linked and rebuilt around the new instruction.

• Reconcile final delivery, storage, claims and advances.
• Save written closure and upcoming payroll or tax records.
• Review unresolved household continuity issues after 30 and 90 days.
• Rebuild the policy checklist for every new posting.