Covid-19 Burial Assistance | FEMA.gov

Who is eligible?

What is covered?

What is needed?

How does it work?

State-by-state totals for funeral assistance

Additional resources

If you are covering the cost of a Covid-19 funeral, FEMA can help.

You may qualify for up to $9,000 per funeral in expenses.

Who is eligible?

FEMA may provide you with COVID-19 funeral assistance if:

• You are a US citizen, noncitizen, or ineligible citizen.
• The death occurred in the United States, including the US states and the District of Columbia;
• Death was due to covid-19. And
• In the year You will be responsible for eligible funeral expenses on or after January 20, 2020

What is covered?

FEMA may approve COVID-19 funeral assistance for expenses such as:

Call to learn more and start an application 844-684-6333.

What is needed?

US states and the District of Columbia You must provide FEMA with an official death certificate showing that the death occurred in the United States after January 20, 2020 and was caused by COVID-19.

If the death certificate was issued between January 20 and May 16, 2020, either 1) the death was directly or indirectly caused by COVID-19, or 2) a signed statement from the original death certificate, or listing COVID-19 as the cause or cause of death, from the jurisdiction where the death occurred. A medical examiner or investigator in This signed statement must provide additional explanation or causation to link the cause of death listed on the death certificate to COVID-19.

You must provide FEMA with a signed funeral home contract, invoice, receipt, or other document that includes:

• Your name indicates that you are responsible for some or all of the expenses
• The name of the deceased
• Detailed expenses
• Proof that the expenses were incurred on or after January 20, 2020

Call to learn more or start an application 844-684-6333.

How does it work?

1. To apply, call 844-684-6333 toll-free, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. FEMA representatives will take your application, and multilingual services are available. Applications for COVID-19 funeral assistance must be completed with a FEMA representative. You cannot apply online. It takes about 20 minutes to apply and you must provide the following:
   • Your social security number and date of birth
   • The deceased person’s social security number and date of birth
   • Your current postal address and telephone number
   • The address where the person died
   • If the deceased has a funeral or burial insurance policy
   • If you receive other funeral assistance (such as donations, CARES Act assistance, state/territorial assistance, or assistance from voluntary organizations)
   • If you want eligible funds to be sent by direct deposit, your checking or savings account transfer and account number.
2. After you apply, FEMA will give you an application number, and you can create an account on it. DisasterAssistance.gov.
3. You must submit supporting documents (eg, funeral home contract, invoices, receipts, death certificate) by:
   • Upload to you DisasterAssistance.gov Account
   • Fax to 855-261-3452
   • Letter To: PO Box 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
4. Once FEMA receives all necessary documents, it will take approximately 45 days to make an eligibility determination.
5. If FEMA approves your application for COVID-19 funeral assistance, funds will be deposited into your bank account or mailed in the form of a Treasury check, depending on the choice you made during your application. Funds usually arrive within a few days of approval, and you will receive a notification letter.

State-by-state totals for funeral assistance

A total of over 467,630 applications as of May 1, 2023 3.0 billion dollars b 478,071 reduced. Applications may include funeral expenses for more than one person in the same state.

State/Territory	Applications	The amount allowed	Number of awards
Alabama	12,876	$70,384,951.54	10,396
Alaska	535	$1,959,402.19	406
American Samoa	33	85,658.81 dollars	15
Arizona	10,213	$40,233,581.62	8,156
Arkansas	6,069	$30,803,942.41	4,953
California	47,662	$240,264,137.67	37,793
Colorado	5,605	$24,526,309.71	4,544
Connecticut	5,717	$32,224,729.39	4,712
Delaware	1,824	$9,415,783.90	1,475
District of Columbia	859	$4,299,715.43	644
Florida	37,762	$170,551,949.64	30,623
Georgia	23,152	$127,829,288.43	18,680
Guam	34	$159,007.19	22
Hawaii	862	$3,857,329.34	663
Idaho	2,119	$9,670,682.64	1,762
Illinois	22,833	$127,814,719.60	18,598
Indiana	12,019	$67,846,997.85	9,850
Iowa	4,972	$29,388,960.97	4,140
Kansas	5,270	$28,561,243.20	4,400
Kentucky	11,124	$65,241,933.71	9,071
Louisiana	9,561	$51,848,098.17	7,540
Maine	1,374	$5,767,751.07	1,071
Marshall Islands	Under 10	7,148.71 dollars	Under 10
Maryland	10,021	$54,619,081.20	8,138
Massachusetts	10,870	$60,612,005.72	8,890
Michigan	21,023	$106,281,798.33	17,250
Minnesota	6,407	$36,033,071.48	5,313
Mississippi	8,590	$46,086,194.31	6,816
Missouri	11,796	$61,411,517.92	9,877
Montana	1,475	$6,200,244.53	1,226
Nebraska	2,637	$15,120,614.03	2,195
Nevada	5,009	$20,855,075.69	3,971
New Hampshire	1,585	$7,633,208.96	1,279
New Jersey	18,697	$105,458,097.36	15,250
New Mexico	3,774	$15,504,589.43	2,938
new york	40,726	$224,919,296.62	32,745
North Carolina	19,512	$103,678,420.02	15,953
North Dakota	1,308	$8,219,160.64	1,107
Northern Mariana Islands	37	$101,411.99	20
Ohio	25,290	$136,372,172.83	21,060
Oklahoma	9,167	$46,710,273.01	7,491
Oregon	2,991	$10,426,236.78	2,362
Pennsylvania	27,777	$152,782,932.31	23,100
Puerto Rico	3,149	$9,440,875.51	2,376
Rhode Island	1,851	$10,567,729.03	1,548
South Carolina	12,950	$70,967,292.11	10,567
South Dakota	1,315	$7,733,532.08	1,087
Tennessee	16,469	$91,558,378.80	13,643
Texas	51,100	$267,965,827.94	41,445
US Virgin Islands	90	$450,351.82	70
Utah	2,669	$14,833,139.55	2,194
Vermont	379	$1,658,358.89	303
Virginia	13,768	$74,193,460.39	11,245
Washington	5,188	$21,459,264.58	4,073
West Virginia	4,763	$26,183,915.08	3,849
Wisconsin	9,553	$52,607,644.75	7,970
Wyoming	914	$4,149,830.67	763

Questions?

Call 844-684-6333
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Multilingual services are available.
If you use a transfer service, provide FEMA with the unique number assigned to the service so we can follow up with you about your application.

Additional resources

The resources below are for community-based organizations to share information about COVID-19 funeral assistance with community members. These files can be downloaded and shared on public communication sites.