The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF): What It Is and How It Works
What is the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund?
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is a federal program, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, that compensates people who suffered physical harm from the September 11, 2001 attacks or the debris removal that followed, and the families of people who died. It is not a lawsuit or a settlement. Claimants register, establish eligibility, and receive an award decided by the VCF. The claim filing deadline is October 1, 2090.
Key Takeaways
- What It Is: A federal compensation program, not a lawsuit or a settlement.
- Who It Compensates: Responders, survivors, and families of people who died. See who qualifies for the VCF.
- What It Pays: Compensation for economic and non-economic loss. See how VCF awards are calculated.
- Who Runs It: The U.S. Department of Justice, through a Special Master appointed by the Attorney General.
- Deadline: Registration deadlines depend on individual circumstances. The claim filing deadline is October 1, 2090 for everyone. See VCF deadlines.
- No Upfront Cost: Attorney fees are capped at 10% by federal statute.
Is the "World Trade Center Victim Compensation Fund" the same as the 9/11 VCF?
Yes. People searching for the World Trade Center Victim Compensation Fund, the WTC compensation fund, the World Trade Center fund, the WTC VCF, the 9/11 fund or the 9/11 cancer fund usually mean the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). Those are informal names.
Its official name is the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The 2001 law that created it called it the "September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001." The VCF's official website is vcf.gov.
People who use these informal names sometimes mix up the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund with the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, a separate 9/11 program created by the Zadroga Act, the same law that reactivated the VCF. The VCF compensates for 9/11-related physical conditions, while the WTC Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11-related conditions. See how the two programs fit together.
The VCF is not limited to cancer. It compensates for the range of physical conditions certified by the WTC Health Program as 9/11-related.
Who does the 9/11 VCF compensate?
- Responders who took part in rescue, recovery, or cleanup.
- Survivors, including residents, workers, students, and others in the affected areas.
- Families of people who died from 9/11-related conditions.
Where and when someone had to be present is covered on the exposure zones page.
Who runs the 9/11 VCF?
The U.S. Department of Justice administers the VCF, through a Special Master appointed by the Attorney General. The current Special Master is Allison Lee Turkel, who took the role on March 10, 2023.
The WTC Health Program is a separate program, with different eligibility rules, administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is not involved in VCF compensation decisions.
Is the 9/11 VCF still open?
Yes. Congress created the original VCF in 2001, in the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, and it operated from 2001 to 2004. The Zadroga Act reactivated the VCF, which reopened in October 2011, and Congress later extended the claim filing deadline to October 1, 2090.
That deadline is the same for everyone. Registration deadlines are different: they depend on each claimant's circumstances. See VCF registration and filing deadlines.
How many people has the 9/11 VCF served?
According to the VCF's monthly Program Statistics report, as of September 30, 2026:
- The VCF had received 202,909 unique registrations.
- 113,481 claims had been submitted.
- 78,035 claims had received an award decision.
The VCF publishes updated figures every month. For how individual awards are figured, see how VCF awards are calculated.
How does a 9/11 VCF claim work?
- Registration. Claimants register with the VCF by their individual registration deadline. Registering preserves the right to file a claim later. Registration and deadlines
- Certification. The WTC Health Program certifies a physical condition as 9/11-related. In limited cases, the VCF's Private Physician Process is used instead. Enrolling in the WTC Health Program
- Claim. After certification, the claimant files a claim with the VCF, with supporting documentation. How a VCF claim is filed
- Decision. The VCF reviews the claim and decides eligibility and compensation. What happens after a claim is filed
Does filing with the 9/11 VCF affect a lawsuit?
Yes. Submitting a VCF claim waives the right to file or be a party to any 9/11-related lawsuit, and the waiver takes effect when the claim is submitted, before the VCF decides eligibility. The waiver includes lawsuits based on any WTC Health Program covered condition, including product liability and medical malpractice suits, even those filed on the basis of a condition that is not part of the VCF claim.
The exceptions are lawsuits to recover collateral source obligations and lawsuits against knowing participants in the hijacking conspiracy or a terrorist act. Lawsuits under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act can proceed, but any recovery is deducted from the VCF award. More on lawsuits and the VCF.
Whether a particular person qualifies, and which deadline applies, depends on where they were, what has been certified, and when. A free case review looks at those facts.
Get a Free Case Review →Common Questions
No. The VCF and the WTC Health Program are separate programs with different eligibility rules, run by different federal agencies, and the WTC Health Program is not involved in VCF compensation decisions. The VCF pays compensation; the WTC Health Program provides medical monitoring and treatment. See how the two programs are connected.
Yes. The claim filing deadline is October 1, 2090. Registration deadlines depend on individual circumstances. See VCF deadlines.
No. It is a federal compensation program. Submitting a claim waives the right to bring any 9/11-related lawsuit, with narrow exceptions. See lawsuits and the VCF.
vcf.gov.
- VCF Policies & Procedures, Section 1, Eligibility Criteria and Deadlines, including §1.3, 9/11-Related Lawsuits (effective October 20, 2026)
- VCF Policies & Procedures, Section 7, Information for Individuals with Attorneys (effective April 17, 2026)
- Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, Pub. L. 107-42, Title IV (2001)
- James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-347
- Never Forget the Heroes Act, Pub. L. 116-34 (2019)
- 28 C.F.R. Part 104
- CDC/NIOSH, Understanding Different September 11th Assistance Programs (November 2025)
- VCF Program Statistics (as of September 30, 2026)
- VCF, About the Special Master, vcf.gov (as of October 2026)
- vcf.gov (as of October 2026)
October 27, 2026 · Based on the sources above.
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