The Department of the Army has updated the filing instructions for spouse state re-licensure and re-certification costs reimbursement.
Military spouses can request reimbursement for licensure and certification costs (up to $1,000) arising from a permanent change of station (PCS).
Costs include “exam and registration fees, imposed by the State of the new duty station to secure a license or certification to engage in the same profession the Soldier’s spouse engaged in while at [any previous] duty station; and…costs paid or incurred by the Soldier or spouse to secure the license or certification from the State of the new duty station after the date on which the orders directing the reassignment are issued.” Army Directive 2020-01.
To be eligible:
- The Soldier is reassigned as either a PCS or permanent change of assignment;
- The PCS orders reflect the movement of the Soldier’s dependents is authorized at the expense of the United States; and
- The spouse has previously held the license (i.e. a license to practice law) at any duty station.
This reimbursement authority was authorized in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (2018 NDAA).
The Army reimbursement authority is RETROACTIVE. Military spouses can request reimbursement for costs arising from a PCS from 12 December 2017 to the present.
To file a reimbursement claim, the Soldier must submit the following documents to their unit S-1:
- Completed Standard Form (SF) 1034 (Public vouch for purchases and services other than personal) approved by the unit commander.
- Copy of PCS Orders;
- Copy of the spouse’s previous state license and/or certification;
- Copy of the new state license and/or certification (an approval letter from the certifying agency, which must include license number and date is acceptable); and
- Proof of fees paid for relicensing and/or recertification from current permanent duty station.
The Army Directive may be found here and newly released ALARACT documenting the above may be found here.