By MyArmyBenefits staff     April 2026

Spouses, as you begin to think about life after the uniform, there are some benefits to use now that will not be available to you after your Soldier’s retirement date. One of these is the reimbursement for eligible spouse relicensing and business expenses.

The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes each service branch to reimburse up to $1,000 for a military spouse’s relicensing, certification, or business costs during a PCS move. Army Directive 2024-04 expands the benefit by allowing up to $1,000 for relicensing and certification fees and an additional $1,000 for business-related expenses tied to the move.

The Army considers “qualified relicensing costs” to be the fees required to obtain the same or a similar license in a new state that a military spouse previously held. This can include exam fees, registration fees, and other required licensing expenses. “Qualified business costs” can include expenses such as moving equipment, equipment removal or replacement, purchasing new equipment, information technology costs, and inspection fees. To qualify, the spouse must have owned the business at any of the Soldier’s previous duty stations, and the expenses must be directly related to relocating the business due to the PCS move.

The spouse does not need to have had the license or certification, or owned the business, at the Soldier’s most recent duty station. If the spouse held the license, certification, or owned the business at any previous duty station while married to the Soldier, they may meet eligibility requirements for reimbursement upon PCS to the new duty station.

Documents needed for reimbursement include:

• Standard Form 1034, “Public Voucher for Purchases and Services Other Than Personal”
• Copy of PCS orders
• Copy of spouse’s previous state license or certification that was valid at a previous station
• Copy of new state license or certification
• Proof of fee payment
• Copy of marriage certificate

Spouses can apply for reimbursement after getting their new license or certification. Commanders will assign local officers to approve documents and eligibility status. Once approved, the reimbursement will transfer to a Soldier’s direct deposit account. To learn more about this benefit, visit the MyArmyBenefits fact sheet.