BAH rate lookup

Choose the annual table before the other inputs

The active dataset’s annual effective date is January 1, 2026, while its download date is November 13, 2026. Those labels describe different events. An effective date identifies the period the publication establishes; a download date records the website’s retrieval. A replacement notice may provide a later effective date for a particular area. Do not assume that the latest download began every rate on that retrieval day.

Use a historical table for a historical source comparison and the active table for its stated year. A current calculator result does not reconstruct a prior entitlement period automatically. The permanent 2026 page preserves the November 2026 snapshot with its own adjustment history. Choosing a page with another year in the title is also insufficient when that year is explicitly marked pending and the displayed figures remain references.

Know what the 27 published grade columns represent

The retained 2026 rate file has 28 comma separated fields per area: the MHA code followed by 27 grade amounts. The order is E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-5, O-1E through O-3E, then O-1 through O-10. The with dependents and without dependents schedules are separate source tables. Reading a column by position requires the official order; alphabetically sorting the labels would change the mapping.

The official 2026 O-7, O-8, O-9, and O-10 entries have equal amounts within each MHA. That is an expected source property, not proof that the import accidentally duplicated rows. Likewise, the O-1E through O-3E labels are distinct columns rather than a spelling variation of O-1 through O-3. Select the authorized grade classification instead of substituting whichever column gives a more favorable result.

Resolve the area and category before reading the amount

The duty station ZIP mapping supplies the MHA code. Confirm the source label after that match, especially when a city based area name does not contain the installation name from the orders. The examples on this page show selected actual source areas, including CA038, CA024, TX270, and VA298. They are comparison entries rather than an invitation to choose a nearby area for an unmatched ZIP.

Within the correct area, choose the grade and one dependent category. Compare with dependents and without dependents only while keeping the other conditions unchanged. The two columns are not additive payments, and the difference is not an amount paid separately for a particular child. A lookup identifies a published entry; dependency eligibility and unusual location arrangements still require the applicable official review.

Check replacements as well as the year in a filename

An annual package can contain a replacement or multiple aliases. In the retained 2026 source, the TX270 Abilene and Dyess adjustment became effective May 16, 2026. Some aliases retained earlier values, while members marked old represented replaced releases. The correct selection therefore depended on source contents and validation, not simply a familiar extension or the number 2026 in a filename.

The data source page records the original publication, retrieval, and comparison check. For the retained 2026 snapshot, all 18,252 area, grade, and dependent category amounts matched the specified comparison CSV. That comparison supports the import and does not replace the official source. If two websites disagree, compare their actual source release and dates before deciding that one has selected the same annual record as the other.

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Compare annual amounts without assuming a uniform increase

A change calculation requires two actual published entries for the same MHA, grade, and dependent category. An announcement about a national average does not supply the missing local entry, and changing a grade or duty location at the same time answers a different question. Check the mappings as well as the dollars when comparing a ZIP across annual releases.

The simple annual equivalent multiplies the selected monthly rate by twelve. It assumes that one amount applies for all twelve months. It does not incorporate a midyear source replacement, a move, a partial month, or a change in personal status. Keep a yearly arithmetic comparison separate from a claim about total deposits, back pay, or the amount a household will actually receive over a service year.

Account for individual rate protection separately

A newly published entry can be lower than a continuing eligible member’s protected amount. The applicable duty station, grade, dependency circumstances, and continued eligibility determine how the protection rules apply. A PCS, reduction in grade, dependency change, or loss of eligibility can change that position. A promotion does not itself reduce protected BAH. The calculator cannot determine the protected personal amount without the relevant history and facts.

Use the lookup to prepare a precise finance question rather than treating a table difference as a pay error. Record the selected year, MHA, grade, dependent category, source download date, and monthly amount. The Military Compensation BAH explanation and Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 26 provide the policy framework. The servicing office can apply it to the member’s complete circumstances and official records.

Record the active status when reproducing the lookup

The active source is 2026, with 338 MHA entries and 40,745 usable ZIP codes. The 2027 release remains pending here, with a December 2026 publication expected from the usual pattern. The calculator does not use a projected percentage, estimate a missing entry, or show an unavailable year comparison as zero change. Keep the actual reference year with every result.

To verify a source or inspect a new annual publication, use https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/BAH-Rate-Lookup/. Check that the amount, location, grade, category, and effective period match the question being asked. A government source is the rate authority; this independent website is a separately prepared interface. It cannot authorize benefits or amend a military pay account when a discrepancy is reported.