Your Right to Appeal a FEMA Decision

If you have received a letter from FEMA saying that you are ineligible for disaster relief or that your application is incomplete, you have the right to appeal the decision within 60 days of receiving mailed notification. An appeal is a written request to review your file again with additional information you provide that may affect the decision. Your ability to appeal is time-sensitive. You must submit your appeal within 60 days of the date of FEMA's decision letter. 

Create Your Appeal Letter to FEMA Using this Free Program

Who can use this program? 

On March 22, 2024, FEMA made updates to its Individual Assistance Program in an effort to reach more survivors and deliver assistance faster. Please read the information below and visit FEMA.gov for information about how this impacts the FEMA appeals process.

If you were affected by a disaster declared before March 22, 2024, you are required to submit a signed appeal letter explaining why you think the decision about the amount or type of assistance you received is incorrect.  You can use the interactive interview program below to create an appeal letter to FEMA and a File Request letter. Your answers to the questions in the interactive interview will be input into a form letter that you can save to your computer and print out for submission to FEMA as an appeal. This is a free and secure service provided by LawHelp Interactive, a program of Pro Bono Net. It is designed for use by people impacted by disasters who cannot afford a lawyer. 

If you were affected by a disaster declared after March 22, 2024, you are not required to send a signed appeal letter with your documentation for the appeal. However, you can still submit a letter to FEMA explaining your situation, the documents you are providing, and why you disagree with FEMA's decision. FEMA has also created an optional appeal request form that you may use to explain your situation when submitting your appeal. A link to the form can be found here.

FEMA's resource,  A ‘No’ Can Become a ‘Yes’ with a Successful FEMA Appeal, has additional tips to consider when when appealing a FEMA decision. 

Important Information Before You Begin:

• This program does not e-file or submit your letters to FEMA. You can can submit your appeal letter in four ways. Remember to keep a complete copy of your appeal letter for your records. If you send it by fax, keep a fax confirmation page to prove you sent it.
  • Upload your documents to your www.disasterassistance.gov account
  • Mail your letter to:
    FEMA - Individuals & Households Program
    National Processing Service Center
    P.O. Box 10055
    Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055
  • Fax it to FEMA at: 1-800-827-8112. (Attention: FEMA - Individuals & Households Program)
  • Bring to a Disaster Recovery Center.  You can find locations and hours at fema.gov/drc
     
• Information to include: regardless of how you submit your appeal, it should include the following details:
  • The applicant's full name 
  • The FEMA application number and the disaster number
  • The address of the applicant's main home before the disaster
  • The applicant's current phone number and address
     
• Ask a lawyer to review your letter, if possible.  If you can’t afford to hire an attorney, you can visit LawHelp.org to learn about free legal help available for disaster survivors from nonprofit legal aid programs and their partners.
   
• Click here to read our Frequently Asked Questions for an overview of the appeals process and other important information to help you prepare your appeal. 

To begin your appeal, click the button below. This will take you directly to our form where you can create your appeal letter. You will have the option to continue as a guest or create an account.