Which PAPPG Version Applies to a Disaster?

FEMA's Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG) has gone through several editions since 2016. As a rule, the edition that applies to a disaster is the one in effect when the disaster was declared — not when the damage happened, when the request was filed or when the work was done. FEMA's guides say this in their own applicability sections, and this page summarizes it in plain language.

The declaration date

Each PAPPG edition states which declarations it covers. Version 5 (now published as Version 5.0 Amended) says it applies to incidents declared on or after January 6, 2025; Version 4 said the same for incidents declared on or after June 1, 2020. Earlier editions covered the years before that, and FEMA keeps them in an archive on FEMA.gov because a disaster ordinarily stays with the edition it started under for its whole life, even when closeout comes years later. One practical consequence: an organization working on several disasters at once may be working under more than one edition. The declaration date selects the edition of the guide; FEMA's standalone policies, its regulations and disaster-specific guidance each carry applicability dates of their own.

The editions, in brief

Declaration date and incident date

The declaration date and the incident period are two different things. The incident period describes when the event itself happened — it is designated with the declaration and shapes what damage is covered — while the declaration date is when the President declared the emergency or major disaster, usually some days or weeks later. Only the declaration date decides which edition of the guide applies, as a rule. A storm in December that is declared the following February would, in the usual case, fall under the edition in effect in February.

Why the edition tends to matter

Editions are not just reformatting. From one to the next, FEMA has changed documentation expectations, removed or added pre-approval steps, broadened some eligibility rules and folded standalone policies into the guide; our page on what changed in Version 5 gives a general picture. Reading the edition that applies tends to avoid relying on a rule that did not yet exist, or one that has since changed. For an older disaster, a standalone FEMA policy may still be the operative reference even though a later edition absorbed it.

Where to check

• The declaration itself. It carries its date, and FEMA lists declarations and their dates on FEMA.gov.
• The guide's own front matter. Each edition states its applicability in its foreword or introduction.
• FEMA's archive. Previous editions are kept on FEMA.gov for disasters that started under them.
• FEMA and the state. For a specific disaster, they can confirm which edition and which declaration terms apply.

If you are new to the program, our introduction to Public Assistance is the place to start.