FEMA Home Inspections: What You Need To Know

After Floridians apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance following Hurricanes Milton, Helene, or Debby, a home inspection may be necessary to help determine the extent of damage and whether the home is safe, sanitary, and livable.

Inspectors do not make decisions regarding eligibility for assistance. Information gathered during the inspection is part of several criteria used by FEMA to determine if applicants are eligible for federal assistance.

The inspector will consider:

• The structural soundness of the home, both inside and outside
• Whether the electrical, gas, heat, plumbing, and sewer/septic systems are all in working order
• Whether the home is safe to live in and can be entered and exited safely

Applications for more than one storm may require a separate inspection.

FEMA will contact you prior to home inspection

Inspectors will make an appointment with the applicant before their arrival. They will already have the applicant’s FEMA application number and will carry photo identification. For security reasons, federal identification may not be photographed or recorded.

Inspectors will never ask for, or accept, money. Their service is free.

The inspectors will call or text applicants to arrange to meet at the home. They will leave messages and/or texts on the phone number listed on the FEMA application. These communications may come from unfamiliar phone numbers and it is important that applicants respond so their application can be processed.

A typical home inspection may take up to 45 minutes to complete. After the inspection, applicants should allow seven to 10 days for processing. If they have questions about the status of their application, they can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or lookup their application status on DisasterAssistance.gov or the FEMA mobile App.

Beware of FEMA fraud

If a FEMA inspector comes to a person’s home who did not submit a FEMA application, that information may have been used without their knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, that person should inform the inspector that they did not apply for FEMA assistance so that they can submit a request to stop all further processing on the application.

A fraudulent application could be a sign of identity theft. For information on what to do with suspected identity theft, please visit the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov.

For those wishing to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in their name without their knowledge, the FEMA Helpline (800-621-3362) will need to assist them in creating a new application.

Protect yourself from scams and identity theft

FEMA gives the following tips to avoid scams, protect your identity, and stay informed:

• No fees - FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Small Business Administration and other federal agencies will never charge you for disaster assistance.
• Identification - Always ask to see identification. FEMA personnel will always have an official ID badge. Do not offer any personal information unless you are speaking with a verified FEMA representative.
• Trusted sources - Stay tuned to trusted local media for updates from your local officials on disaster fraud and scams.
• FEMA – If you suspect fraudulent activity involving FEMA, contact FEMA’s Investigations and Inspections Division by email at StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov or call (866) 223-0814 or by mail at 400 C Street SW, Suite 7SW-1009, Mail Stop 3005, Washington, D.C., 20472-3005.
• Report misconduct - Report corruption, fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or misconduct to DHS Office of the Inspector General or file a complaint with the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

• Identity theft - Visit IdentityTheft.gov to report and recover from identify theft.

For more information about deterring fraud following storms, read Residents Warned to Beware of Fraud, Scams in Storm’s Wake.