What criteria is necessary for me to be eligible for Individual Assistance?

To be eligible for FEMA individual assistance, you must meet the following criteria: 

  • Occupancy: You must have been living in the damaged property as your primary residence at the time of the disaster. 
  • Ownership: You must own the damaged property or rent it. 
  • Disaster Damage: Your home must have sustained disaster-caused damage that is not covered by insurance. 
  • U.S. Citizenship or Legal Residency: You must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien. 

Please note that specific eligibility requirements may vary depending on the type of disaster and federal regulations.  

There are several ways to find out if you are eligible for assistance and apply: 

  • Calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, 7 AM to 10 PM (your time zone), seven days a week. Due to high call volume during a disaster, please expect longer wait times. We recommend calling in the morning or evening to minimize wait times.  
  • During a disaster, the quickest way you can get answers about assistance eligibility is usually by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).  Not only is the wait time usually less, but DRCs also have one-on-one FEMA representatives in person. To find the closest DRC to you, you can use our DRC locator: FEMA.gov/DRC 
  • Download the FEMA app for mobile devices. 
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