Hurricane Ian relief: FEMA extends deadline for Florida residents to apply for disaster assistance

The deadline for Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Ian to apply for FEMA disaster assistance has been extended to Jan. 12, 2022, FEMA announced Monday.

FEMA said the extension was made "at the request of the State of Florida."

The application deadline has been extended for those who live in the following counties:

  • Brevard
  • Charlotte
  • Collier
  • DeSoto
  • Flagler
  • Glades
  • Hardee
  • Hendry
  • Highlands
  • Hillsborough
  • Lake
  • Lee
  • Manatee
  • Monroe
  • Okeechobee
  • Orange
  • Osceola
  • Palm Beach
  • Pasco
  • Pinellas
  • Polk
  • Putnam
  • Sarasota
  • Seminole
  • St. Johns
  • Volusia 

How to apply for FEMA Hurricane Ian disaster assistance

To apply for diaster assistance, people can apply at a Disaster Recovery Center, online, or via phone.

  • Apply online: Visit www.disasterassistance.gov to apply online. You can also use the website to find additional resources and/or to check on the status of an application
  • Apply via app: People can also download the FEMA app and apply for assistance within the app.
  • Phone: Call 1-800-621-3362 to apply over the phone
  • Disaster Recovery Center: Visit www.floridadisaster.org to find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, as well as other resources.

All Disaster Recovery Centers in Florida will be closed from Nov. 24-27, 2022, due to Thanksgiving. The centers are scheduled to open again on Monday, Nov. 28.

FEMA said people should file a damage claim with their insurance before applying for FEMA assistance as FEMA "cannot duplicate other sources of assistance you may have received."

National Flood Insurance Program deadline

The deadline for some Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Ian to renew their coverage ends on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

In wake of Hurricane Ian, some policyholders with National Flood Insurance Program were given a 90-day grace period to renew their coverage vs. a 30-day grace period. That means for those whose coverage ended between Aug. 25 and Oct. 22, the deadline to renew is Nov. 23.

FEMA said there are more than 11,000 people in Florida who may be eligible to renew.

As of Nov. 21, more than 45,000 people – majority who live in Florida – have submitted damage claims after Hurricane Ian, FEMA said, and that more than $706 million has been paid out.