---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 5189b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "5189b"
heading: "Date of eligibility; expenses incurred before date of disaster"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/5189b"
units:
  - "Chapter 68 — Disaster Relief"
  - "Subchapter IV — Major Disaster Assistance Programs"
---

# §5189b. Date of eligibility; expenses incurred before date of disaster


Eligibility for Federal assistance under this subchapter shall begin on the date of the occurrence of the event which results in a declaration by the President that a [major disaster](/usc/42/5122.md?p=2) exists; except that reasonable expenses which are incurred in anticipation of and immediately preceding such event may be eligible for Federal assistance under this chapter.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–288, title IV, § 424, as added Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 106(l), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4706.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of this title and Tables.