If you are a survivor of the 2023 Maui wildfires, and you are in FEMA’s Direct Housing Program, the following information may help guide you through the rental payment process. 

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Q&A: Rental Payment Options & Instructions

Important Payment Update: Effective September 30, 2025, FEMA no longer accepts
non-electronic payment methods, such as paper checks or money orders. This change aligns with the Executive Order “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account” and supports efforts to improve security, reduce costs and increase efficiency. For detailed payment instructions, please refer to the “How to Pay FEMA” page on FEMA.gov: https://www.fema.gov/about/payment 

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Q. When were Direct Housing participants required to begin paying rent? 

A. As of March 1, 2025, all Direct Housing households were required to begin paying monthly rent to FEMA. 

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Q. How do I receive my rent statement? 

A. Households receive their rent statements at their current mailing address. 

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Q. How can I send in my rent payment? 

A. For details on how to pay your FEMA rent refer to the below information and/or additional details on the process here: https://www.fema.gov/about/payment

• Phone:
  
  • Call 866-804-2469 Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (EST is currently six hours ahead of Hawaiʻi time.)
  • Accepted phone payment methods:
  • Bank account (ACH)
  • Debit or credit card
    
    
• Electronic Payment:  
  
  • Online at www.pay.gov
  • Accepted online payment methods:

• Bank account (ACH)
• PayPal account
• Venmo account
• Debit or credit card

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Q.  Are there any fees assessed by FEMA when paying over the phone or online?

A. No, there are no fees associated with paying FEMA over the phone or online. 

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Q.  Can households pay by paper checks or money orders?

A. No, as of September 30, 2025, FEMA is no longer accepting non-electronic payment methods, such as paper checks or money orders. This update applies to all FEMA payments including rent, penalties and Additional Living Expenses (ALE). 

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Q.  How do I make an electronic rent payment, or e-payment?

1. Go to www.pay.gov
2. Type “FEMA” into the search box (white box located at top right of page)
3. In Search Results, look for FEMA Finance Center – Payment Form 
   
   • Click [Continue] 
   • Click [Continue to the Form] 
4. Complete the Agency Form 

• Notice and Debt Letter (NDL) # is on your letter under the address. This number will change monthly. If you cannot locate your NDL number, you may use your FEMA Registration ID.  

• Click [Continue]

5. Complete Payment Form
   
   • Option to enter email address to receive email confirmation
   • Click [Continue]
   • Process is complete

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Q.  Can I set up automatic electronic rent payments, or auto-pay?

A.  Auto-pay is not an available option at this time.

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Q.  When is the rent payment due?

A.  Rent payment is required within 30 days of the due date.

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Q.  What if I make a payment after 30 days?

A.  After 30 days, the debt is considered delinquent and FEMA will begin collection action as required by the Debt Collection Act of 1982, the Debt Collections Improvement Act (DCIA) of 1996, and the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act).

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Q.  Who do I contact if I have questions on how to pay?

A. Call FEMA Finance at 866-804-2469, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (EST is currently six hours ahead of Hawaiʻi time) or email FEMA-Finance-AccountsReceivable-Deposits@FEMA.dhs.gov. If you use video relay service, captioned service, or other communication services, please provide FEMA with the specific number assigned for that service.