ANNUAL NOTICE OF SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT PROTECTIONS TO MILITARY MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS

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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 162011Z MAY 24 MID120001107134U 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
TO ALNAV 
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC 
CNO WASHINGTON DC 
CMC WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
ALNAV 043/24 
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAY// 
 
SUBJ/ANNUAL NOTICE OF SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT PROTECTIONS TO 
MILITARY MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS// 

REF A/50 U.S.C. Section 3916// 
REF B/50 U.S.C. Section 3938a// 
 
NARR/REF A IS 50 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 3916, SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF 
ACT.   
REF B is 50 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 3938a, SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF 
ACT// 
 
RMKS/1.  In accordance with references (a) and (b), this ALNAV serves as an 
annual notice of the protections available to Service Members and their 
dependents under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  Leaders will 
take immediate action to ensure widest dissemination of the information 
contained in this ALNAV. 
 
2.  Congress has made no changes to the SCRA since January 2023. 
 
3.  Rights and protections available to Service Members and their dependents 
under the SCRA include: 
     a.  The maximum amount of interest creditors can charge on certain 
financial obligations incurred prior to military service cannot exceed six 
percent per year. 
     b.  In any civil proceeding where the defendant is aware of the 
proceeding but current military duty requirements materially affect their 
ability to appear in court, the Service Member can request the court delay 
the proceedings. 
     c.  In any civil proceeding the plaintiff must file a court affidavit 
stating the defendant is either: (1) in the military service; (2) not in the 
military service; or (3) the plaintiff is unable to determine the military 
status of the defendant after a good faith search effort. 
     d.  A court is prohibited from making permanent revisions to a custody 
order based solely on a Service Member's pending or potential military 
deployment. 
     e.  Landlords and property managers cannot evict Service Members or 
their dependents during a period of military service without a court order 
when the rent does not exceed a certain limit, the amount of which changes 
every year due to a housing price inflation adjustment.  Applying the most 
recent housing price inflation adjustment, the maximum monthly rental amount 
as of 1 January 2024 is $9,812.12. 
     f.  During a period of military service and for one year after the 
period of military service, creditors cannot foreclose on a Service Member's 
mortgage without first obtaining a court order. 
     g.  If a Service Member paid a deposit on a vehicle or made at least one 
installment payment on a vehicle loan, a creditor cannot repossess the 
vehicle during the Service Member's period of military service without a 
court order. 
     h.  During a period of military service and for 90 days 
thereafter, any lien against the property or the personal effects of 
a Service Member cannot be enforced without a court order. 
     i.  During a period of military service or within 180 days of 
termination of or release from military service, Service Members can apply to 
a court for relief from any obligation or liability incurred before the 
Service Member's military service or from a tax or assessment becoming due 
before or during the military service. 
If the Service Member's ability to comply with the obligation or to pay such 
tax has been materially affected by reason of military service, the court may 
stay enforcement of certain real estate contracts or any other obligations, 
liabilities, taxes, or assessments. 
     j.  Service Members shall neither lose nor acquire residency or domicile 
for tax or voting purposes in a state if their presence in such state is 
solely for compliance with military orders. 
     k.  Installment contracts protections include (a) commercial 
mobile services, (b) telephone exchange services, (c) internet access 
services, (d) multichannel video programing services, (e) gym membership or 
fitness programs, and (f) home security services. 
     l.  For any taxable year of a marriage, a Service Member and their 
spouse may elect to use for taxation purposes, regardless of the date of the 
marriage, any of the following: 
          (1) The residence or domicile of the Service Member; 
          (2) The residence or domicile of the spouse; or 
          (3) The permanent duty station of the Service Member. 
     m.  Service Members and their spouses are authorized to use covered 
professional licenses (not including law licenses) outside of their licensing 
jurisdiction, subject to a number of administrative prerequisites. 
     n.  Services Members who are named lessees on covered residential or 
motor vehicle leases may have options to terminate their leases prior to 
expiration of the lease and subject to a number of administrative 
prerequisites. 
 
4.  Service Members or their dependents who want to know more about their 
SCRA rights and protections should contact their local Legal Assistance 
Office (LAO) for a free legal consultation. Telephone consultations are 
available.  Local Navy LAOs can be located by visiting  
https://www.jag.navy.mil/legal-services/rlso/.  For the Marine Corps, visit 
the website of the nearest Marine Corps installation. 
 
5. Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy. 
 
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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//