VCF deadline: register within 2 years of being notified that your condition is 9/11-related.3Check where you stand
September 11, 2001
We Will Never Forget
Photos: U.S. Marine Corps film still by Sgt. Bill Genaust; FEMA photo by Bri Rodriguez. Both in the public domain.
That morning, and the months after
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9:03 a.m.Flight 175 strikes the South Tower.11 -
Ground ZeroCrews worked the pile until the last steel left on May 30, 2002.11 -
Still standingAcross the harbor, Lady Liberty kept her watch.
Today 145,275 responders and survivors are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program.12 If you were there and later got sick, the fund set up for you is open through 2090.
VCF, Sept. 11, 2026: over $18.56 billion awarded since 2011
Exposed to 9/11 dust and debris? See if you may have a claim.
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund has awarded over $18.56 billion to over 77,000 people since 2011, and its funding is secure through 2090.1 If you or a family member were there and later got sick, answer a few quick questions for a free VCF claim review.
- Free and confidential
- About 2 minutes
- No obligation
Start my free case reviewCall 855-664-8713
TortAdvisor is not a law firm. There is no cost to ask, and no result is promised.
- Free, no obligationAsking costs nothing. You decide what happens next.
- Private and secureYour answers travel over an encrypted connection and stay confidential.
- Every number is sourcedFigures link to the VCF, CDC and Federal Register.
- Checked Oct. 5, 2026Each fact on this page was re-read against its source.
The 9/11 fund by the numbers
2090
October 1, 2090 is the last day to file a claim. Registration deadlines come much sooner
Free case review
Your free VCF claim review, in 3 short steps
Tap your answers. Not sure about something? Choose “Not sure” and keep going.
Don’t miss your registration deadline. You must register within two years of the date a government agency, such as the WTC Health Program, notifies you that your condition is 9/11-related.3 Registering does not commit you to file a claim,14 and the VCF still receives over 750 new claims every month.8
Secure VCF claim review
- 1ExposureWhere you were, your diagnosis, and whether you registered
- 2Your situationYour state, and whether you already have a lawyer
- 3ContactHow a case advisor can reach you
- Your answers are sent over a secure connection and kept confidential
- No cost, and no obligation to go further
- A trained case advisor, who may not be an attorney, reviews every answer
Rather talk it through? Call 855-664-8713 or text 954-933-5065.
Straight answers
A VCF claim review may be worth it if…
Survivors now file most new claims. Of 6,327 claims filed in 2026 through August, 4,004 came from survivors, people who lived, worked or went to school in the area, and 2,290 came from responders.2
You do not need a lawyer to file with the VCF. If you choose to use one, VCF policy caps the fee at 10% of your award.4
- You were in a covered areaLower Manhattan south of Canal Street, the Pentagon, the Shanksville site, or the debris routes and Fresh Kills
- You were there in the covered datesFor Lower Manhattan, September 11, 2001 to May 30, 20029
- A doctor diagnosed a 9/11-related conditionFor you, or for a family member who has died
- You have not registered with the VCF yetRegistration has its own deadline. See the questions below
What happens next
From your answers to a real conversation
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Start your VCF claim review
Where you were, your diagnosis, your state and how to reach you. It takes about 2 minutes.
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A case advisor reviews them
A trained case advisor, who may not be an attorney, looks at your answers and contacts you by phone, text or email.
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You decide what to do
If your situation may fit, a law firm or legal intake provider from our Partner List may contact you. You can also file with the VCF on your own.
Latest from the record
What changed for 9/11 claims recently
Each update links to the official document it comes from.
Sept. 15, 2026
Stroke will not be added to the list
The WTC Health Program found insufficient evidence to add stroke to its list of covered conditions.
Sept. 15, 2026
Peripheral artery disease petition denied
A petition to add peripheral artery disease to the list of covered conditions was denied.
Sept. 11, 2026
Register even if you are not sick
At the 25th anniversary, the Special Master urged everyone who was there to register with the VCF.
Sept. 8, 2026
New York City opens its 9/11 records
The city released about 170,000 pages of records and will help people find records that show they were in the exposure zone.
Sept. 3, 2026
The VCF aims to decide claims within a year
Claims are reviewed first in, first out, and the fund is working toward decisions within one year of a complete claim.
Summaries of the linked documents. They are not legal advice.
Questions
Before you start
Does the VCF claim review cost anything?
No. The VCF claim review is free, and there is no obligation to go further.
Is TortAdvisor a law firm?
No. TortAdvisor is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. A trained case advisor, who may not be an attorney, reviews your answers. If your situation may fit, a law firm or legal intake provider from our Partner List may contact you.
Do I need a lawyer to file with the VCF?
No. You can file with the VCF on your own. If you use a lawyer, VCF policy says attorneys may not charge more than 10% of your award.4
Is there a deadline?
There are two. The last day to file any claim is October 1, 2090. But you must register within two years of the date a government entity, such as the WTC Health Program, tells you that your physical condition is 9/11-related.3
Registering does not obligate you to file a claim.
I am not sick. Should I register?
How much does the VCF pay?
The VCF does not publish a typical award. In 2025 it issued over 9,800 award decisions totaling more than $1.8 billion,8 and each award depends on the condition, its severity and the claimant’s own losses.
Who sees my information?
Your answers go to TortAdvisor. If you agree on the form, the law firms, legal intake providers or marketing partners in our Partner List may contact you about your inquiry. See our Privacy Policy.
Start your free VCF claim review. It takes about 2 minutes.
Free, confidential and no obligation. A trained case advisor reviews every answer.
Start my free VCF claim reviewCall 855-664-8713
Prefer to text? Text 954-933-5065
Background: FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams at Ground Zero, September 16, 2001. FEMA photo by Andrea Booher, public domain.
Sources
- September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Message from Special Master Allison Turkel (September 11, 2026)
- VCF Monthly Statistics Report, August 2026 (data through August 31, 2026)
- VCF, Deadlines
- VCF, Information for Individuals with Attorneys
- Federal Register, WTC Health Program: stroke, finding of insufficient evidence (September 15, 2026)
- NYC Mayor’s Office, release of the city’s 9/11 records (September 8, 2026)
- VCF, FAQ 1.2: when will a decision be made on my claim? (September 3, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Justice, remarks of VCF Special Master Allison Turkel (September 2, 2026)
- VCF, Eligibility Criteria and Deadlines (effective July 10, 2026)
- Federal Register, WTC Health Program: peripheral artery disease, finding of insufficient evidence (September 15, 2026)
- National September 11 Memorial & Museum, 9/11 FAQs
- CDC, World Trade Center Health Program, Quarterly Program Summary (enrollment data through June 30, 2026)
- FDNY, September 11th remembrance (nyc.gov, September 12, 2025)
- VCF, How to Register
