Understanding Victims Compensation in California: A Comprehensive Guide to Eligibility, Benefits, and the Application Process

What Is Crime Victim Compensation in California?

The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) can reimburse eligible expenses after a qualifying crime. CalVCB describes the help as repayment of crime-related bills. It is for people who suffer physical injury, or a threat of physical injury, as a direct result of a violent crime. The application can be filed online or on paper.

This is a state benefit, not a lawsuit. CalVCB says it does not pay pain and suffering.

If you were injured during a crime — including where property security was inadequate — a civil claim is a separate path. You can request a free case review while you apply with the state, or call 833-236-8253.

Who Can Apply for Crime Victim Compensation in California?

CalVCB’s eligibility page says a person must be a California resident at the time of the crime, or a non-resident who was victimized in California. The crime must involve physical injury, emotional injury from a threat of physical injury, death, or emotional injury in some cases.

The same page says victims must:

• Cooperate with police and court officials to arrest and prosecute the offender. Exceptions may apply.
• Cooperate with CalVCB staff.
• Not have been involved in the events leading to the crime.
• Not have committed a felony at the time of the crime. Exceptions may be considered.
• File within the published time limits.

CalVCB says exceptions to the cooperation rule are considered in cases such as domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, or human trafficking. The published criteria do not list an arrest or a conviction.

Who counts as a victim?

Direct victims are the people harmed by the crime. In some cases a witness can be treated as a direct victim.

Derivative victims are people with a relationship to a direct victim who have expenses because of that person’s injury or death. CalVCB lists a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandchild, grandparent, domestic partner, roommate, and a caretaker of a minor victim after the crime.

A Good Samaritan who prevented a crime or rescued someone in immediate danger uses a separate Application for Good Samaritan Compensation.

Which crimes qualify?

Covered crimes on the eligibility page include, but are not limited to:

• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Battery
• Child abuse
• Domestic violence
• Driving under the influence
• Elder abuse
• Hate crimes
• Homicide
• Human trafficking
• Hit and run
• Robbery
• Sexual assault
• Stalking
• Other crimes that cause physical injury or a threat of physical injury

For child abandonment, child abduction, and neglect, CalVCB says emotional injury alone may qualify.

What is the deadline to apply?

You have seven years from whichever of these dates is latest:

• The date of the crime
• The date the direct victim turns 21
• The date the crime could have been discovered

CalVCB’s FAQ also says victims who are 21 or younger have until their 28th birthday to apply. Some later applications may be considered with a Late Consideration Form, including for good cause described on that FAQ page.

What if the crime happened outside California?

If the crime happened outside California, CalVCB says to file in the state where the crime occurred and also with CalVCB. CalVCB verifies the out-of-state application and may help if that program does not cover the expenses.

What Can Crime Victim Compensation in California Cover?

CalVCB is a payor of last resort. It pays only expenses that another source does not reimburse. Applicants must seek payment first from sources such as:

• Health insurance
• Medi-Cal
• Unemployment or disability benefits
• Auto insurance
• Workers’ compensation
• Court-ordered restitution
• Civil recoveries

If another source pays later, the applicant must repay CalVCB. The FAQ says crowdfunding is not treated as a reimbursement source, but CalVCB will not pay an expense that crowdfunding already paid.

How much can CalVCB pay?

The most CalVCB may pay per approved application is $70,000. For applications filed from January 1, 2001 to January 1, 2017, the limit is $63,000. These are caps, not a promise of what any claim will pay.

Which expenses are covered?

The What Is Covered page lists these eligible expenses:

• Medical and dental treatment
• Mental health treatment or counseling, including counseling for a minor who witnesses a violent crime
• Funeral and burial
• Income loss up to five years if the crime disabled the victim, and longer if the disability is permanent
• Income loss up to two years if the crime is human trafficking
• Support loss for dependents of a victim who is injured or dies
• Up to 30 days of income loss for a parent or legal guardian of a minor victim who is hospitalized or dies
• Job retraining
• Home or vehicle modifications for a victim left permanently disabled
• Home security installation or improvement
• Relocation
• Crime scene clean-up
• Veterinary fees or replacement costs for a guide, signal, or service dog
• Round-trip mileage to medical, dental, or mental health appointments

What are the limits for each type of expense?

The funeral-provider page says CalVCB may pay up to $12,818 for a funeral, burial, or memorial service after other payments are applied.

Source: the May 2026 minors fact sheet lists the same funeral, relocation, and home-security figures.

How are medical bills paid?

Medical bills are not paid at the full charged amount in every case. CalVCB says it reimburses:

• Medicare-covered services and durable medical equipment at the Medicare rate
• Services Medicare does not cover at 75% of the billed amount
• Cosmetic surgery, prosthetics, hearing aids, and eyeglasses at 80%
• Dental at 75% of the billed amount or according to the insurance explanation of benefits

What will CalVCB not pay?

CalVCB says it cannot reimburse:

• Personal property losses, except medically necessary items such as eyeglasses and hearing aids
• Expenses related to prosecuting a suspect
• Pain and suffering
• Expenses submitted more than three years after they were incurred, unless the victim still owes the debt when it is submitted or the victim already paid the expense

Payment also stops for expenses incurred while a person is incarcerated, on parole, probation, or post-release community supervision for a violent felony, or required to register as a sex offender. CalVCB says that limit does not by itself make the person ineligible.

How to Apply for Victims Compensation in California

1. 1Check eligibility: residency or a crime in California, a qualifying injury or death, cooperation, and the filing window.
2. 2Apply online in English or Spanish at CalVCB Online, or complete the paper Application for Crime Victim Compensation. Paper forms are available in 18 languages.
3. 3Mail a paper application to California Victim Compensation Board, P.O. Box 3036, Sacramento, CA 95812-3036. A local victim advocate can file for you.
4. 4If you need help right away, say so in the emergency-award section and include bills. CalVCB says an emergency award is an advance. If the application is later denied, you must repay it.
5. 5After approval, send proof of recovery costs. Upload bills in CalVCB Online, or mail them to the same P.O. Box with your name and application number. You can also fax bills to 866-902-8669 or email them to info@victims.ca.gov.

CalVCB says not to check too early: applications can take 90 days to process, and staff recommendations are usually made within 90 days of receiving the application.

Questions: 800-777-9229 or info@victims.ca.gov. Start at CalVCB Online or read How To Get Compensated.

What Documents Should a California Claim Include?

CalVCB says a faster file is a complete application plus copies of the crime report, bills, receipts, and related documents. Send crime-related bills to insurance, workers’ compensation, or Medi-Cal right away.

The benefit guide gives examples of support it asks for, depending on the loss:

• A crime report, or medical or dental records showing the treatment is required.
• Itemized bills and receipts. For mental health, a Mental Health Billing Intake form with the provider’s first bill, plus proof that insurance was billed when it applies.
• For income or support loss: a disability statement when one is required, proof of income, and proof of legal dependency for support-loss claims.
• For funeral expenses: proof the death resulted from a qualifying crime, and receipts. The person responsible for the bill files; CalVCB says it does not accept an application filed by the funeral home.
• For relocation: proof the move is needed for safety or emotional well-being, receipts, a rental verification form, and a copy of the lease.
• For crime-scene cleanup: proof the crime occurred in a residence or vehicle, and receipts from an approved cleanup company.

The May 2026 minors fact sheet says CalVCB requires a crime report or law enforcement statement for most crimes. For certain crimes, such as sexual abuse, child abuse, human trafficking, and domestic violence, it will accept other records, including medical, mental health, or a Child Protective Services report.

What Problems Can Delay a CalVCB Claim?

CalVCB’s how-to page says incomplete applications and missing crime reports or bills slow the review. Complete every section before you submit.

• File inside the seven-year window, or use a Late Consideration Form if you are past it. Do not assume a missed date is fatal until CalVCB says so.
• Ask other available sources to pay first. CalVCB will not issue payment when those sources have not been used.
• Submit expenses within three years after they are incurred, unless you still owe the bill or you already paid it.
• Keep copies of the application, bills, and letters. Respond to requests from CalVCB staff.
• If the claim is denied, use the appeal deadline in the notice. A denial of the state benefit does not decide a civil claim.

What If Your California Application Is Delayed or Denied?

Staff review the application, the crime report, and the bills. They may contact law enforcement, medical providers, employers, or witnesses. After that review, they recommend that the Board approve or deny the claim. CalVCB says those recommendations are usually made within 90 days.

For a general look at how long victim compensation can take, see How Long Does Victim Compensation Take?.

How do you appeal a CalVCB decision?

You can appeal a denial of an application or of a specific expense.

1. 1CalVCB says the appeal must be filed within 45 days of the date the Board mailed the notice.
2. 2Use the appeal form or a signed letter that explains why the application or expense should be approved.
3. 3Mail it to CalVCB Attn: Appeals, P.O. Box 350, Sacramento, CA 95812-0350.
4. 4If you send new information, CalVCB may reconsider.
5. 5If the issues remain, you can choose an oral hearing by Zoom or in person in Sacramento, or send more documents within 30 days.

CalVCB says it does not hold hearings on denials of emergency awards. If you disagree with the Board’s final decision, you may file a petition for a writ of mandate (a request for a court to review the decision) in California Superior Court.

A decision on the state benefit does not decide a civil claim. Traction Law Group focuses on civil claims for people injured during violent crimes. That review is free, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. Request a free case review or call 833-236-8253.

Amounts, deadlines, and covered expenses on this page are drawn from California Victim Compensation Board pages and publications, including What Is Covered, Who Is Eligible, Frequently Asked Questions, and the Benefit Reference Guide (Rev. 05/2025), accessed September 28, 2026. Confirm the current rules with CalVCB before you file. This guide is not legal advice.