Documents you need for hurricane recovery assistance (printable checklist)
Short answer
Tampa Bay's hurricane recovery programs ask for the same core documents: photo ID for every adult, proof you owned the home and lived there when the storm hit, income for every adult, proof property taxes and any mortgage are current, and every insurance, FEMA and SBA letter. Reimbursement applicants also need permits and receipts. If a record is missing, the programs list alternatives, such as two utility or bank documents instead of a homestead bill, or a probated will or court order instead of a deed in your name. Start gathering now; most delays are missing paperwork.
On this page
Why paperwork decides your timeline
Recovery grants use federal money, so every household’s identity, ownership, residence, income and other aid must be verified before an award. Pinellas County estimates two months to a year from application to approval, and Hillsborough two to six months to an award; incomplete files are the most common reason a case sits. Print the checklist on this page, collect what you can before you apply, and keep copies of everything you hand over.
What each program asks for
| Category | Pinellas People First | Hillsborough Rebuilding for Tomorrow | Sunrise St. Pete |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID | Driver’s license or state ID for all adults; permanent residency proof for non-citizens; birth certificates under 18 | Unexpired photo ID for all adults; birth certificates for minors; citizenship or qualified-alien proof | Unexpired photo ID; citizenship or immigration status |
| Ownership | Deed, mortgage statement, probated will, court order; landowner consent for leased-land manufactured homes | Deed, mortgage statement, probated will, court order; manufactured-home title or bill of sale plus lot lease and landowner consent | Proof of ownership; landowner consent for leased-land manufactured homes |
| Primary residence | Homestead, or FEMA/SBA award, or two of ID, utility bill, insurance, employer documents | 2024 homestead tax bill, or two items dated within 90 days of the storms | Proof of primary residency on the storm date |
| Income | By source: tax return and pay stubs, benefit letters and bank statements, self-employment return and P&L, or No Income Certification | Prior-year signed return and transcript, or W-2/pay stubs, benefit letters, P&L and bank statements, or No Income Certification | Tax return with certification, or alternatives with self-attestation |
| Taxes and mortgage | Taxes paid or on a plan; current mortgage statement | Same | Taxes and mortgage current |
| Other aid | Insurance, FEMA, SBA, other grants | Insurance claim or No Insurance Certification; FEMA and SBA letters | FEMA, SBA, insurance |
| Reimbursement | Closed permits, receipts, invoices | Receipts, paid invoices, proof work is complete | Permits for completed repairs |
Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota ask for the same core documents, with a few differences: Pasco asks for proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residence for every household member and gives you only 15 days to sign or appeal an award letter; Sarasota prefers a screenshot of your property appraiser record as proof of ownership and residence and asks for an IRS record of account transcript for income; Manatee asks for FEMA and SBA letters for each storm separately. See the Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota guides.
Signatures and certifications
Expect to sign several program forms. Hillsborough’s list includes a release of information, right of entry for inspectors, a truthfulness certification, a subrogation agreement (you repay the program if you later get more aid for the same damage), a construction stop-work certification, a conflict-of-interest disclosure and co-owner consent. Everyone on the deed usually has to sign. Read each form; ask your case manager about anything you do not understand.
When records are missing
| Missing | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Deed | County clerk of court (official records) or property appraiser |
| Homestead or tax bill | County property appraiser and tax collector websites |
| Tax return | IRS transcript, or the program’s alternative income documents |
| Insurance letters | Your insurer’s claim portal or agent |
| FEMA letters | DisasterAssistance.gov account or FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362 |
| Title in a deceased relative’s name | Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline, 833-514-2940 |
Protect your information
Apply only through the official program portal, phone line or help center listed on our Pinellas, St. Petersburg and Hillsborough pages. These programs are free. DisasterServices.com never collects documents or applications. If someone offers to “submit for you” for a fee, decline and report it to the program. More on reimbursement records is in reimbursement for completed repairs, and all topics are on the recovery assistance hub.
Hurricane recovery application checklist
Questions people ask
The house is still in my late parent's name. Can I apply?
Often, yes, but you will need to show your ownership interest. Pinellas says inherited homes without a deed in your name may qualify, and accepts a probated will or court order. Hillsborough gives heirs up to six months from applying to clear probate or heirship. Call the Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline at 833-514-2940 early; title work takes time.
I don't have a homestead exemption. How do I prove I lived there?
Pinellas and Hillsborough accept alternatives: a FEMA or SBA award, or two documents such as a driver's license, utility bill, bank statement, insurance document or pay stubs. Hillsborough asks that these be dated within 90 days of the storms.
I lost my papers in the storm. What now?
Replace what you can: the county property appraiser and clerk of court keep deed and tax records, your insurer and FEMA can resend letters, and the IRS can provide a tax transcript. Tell your case manager what is missing and ask which official alternatives the program accepts.
Do I need a Social Security number?
Programs verify identity, income and, in some cases, citizenship or immigration status through their own secure portals or case managers. Give sensitive numbers only through the official program, never to a website or person offering to apply for you.
Sources
- IHP Document Checklist, Pasco County (November 19, 2025)
- Required Documents Checklist, Sarasota County (Resilient SRQ) (July 14, 2025)
- Homeowner Rehabilitation/Reconstruction Program, Pinellas County (Pinellas Recovers) (August 1, 2026)
- People First Programs FAQs, Pinellas County (Pinellas Recovers) (July 23, 2026)
- Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program Policies and Procedures v2.1, Hillsborough County (August 18, 2026)
- Residential Recovery & Elevation Program Guidelines v1.1, City of St. Petersburg (May 19, 2026)
- Rebuild Florida HRRP Program Guidelines v1.0, FloridaCommerce (October 30, 2025)
- Disaster Legal Helpline, Bay Area Legal Services (accessed 2026-10-19)
About this guide. DisasterServices.com is an independent publisher. We are not a government agency or a program administrator, we do not take applications or documents, and we cannot tell you whether you qualify. Program rules, income limits and intake status change; confirm everything with the official administrator linked on this page before you act, and apply only through their official website, phone line or help center.
How this page was made. Drafted with AI assistance from the public agency, statute and industry sources listed above, then edited and published by Vincent Wallace. An independent expert has not yet reviewed this page; when one does, their name and the review date will appear at the top. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.