Victims Compensation in Texas

What Is Texas Crime Victims' Compensation?

The Texas Attorney General’s Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Program can help pay certain costs after a violent crime. The program overview says it is funded by fees from offenders, not tax dollars. Its two stated goals are reimbursing some crime-related costs and encouraging victims to participate in the legal process.

This is a state benefit, not a lawsuit. It does not pay pain and suffering. The application is free, and the eligibility page says you do not need a lawyer to apply.

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 Victims' Compensation in Texas?

The eligibility page says you qualify as a victim if:

• you were injured because of a violent crime through no fault of your own,
• the crime happened in Texas (or you are a Texas resident and the crime happened in a country without victim compensation),
• you were injured while helping a victim, or
• you were injured as a first responder.

The injury can be physical or mental.

Who can apply for someone else?

A claimant applying for someone else may qualify if that person:

• Is authorized to act for a victim who is a minor, incapacitated, or deceased.
• Is paying crime-related bills for a victim.
• Is a dependent of someone who died because of the crime.
• Is a family or household member who needs certain assistance, including mental health care.

Businesses and organizations cannot apply. For a minor or an incapacitated adult, the covered-costs page says to follow the steps for victims.

Which crimes qualify?

The same eligibility page lists violent crimes and attempted crimes it can help with, including:

• Arson or burglary, when the victim was present in the building
• Assault, robbery, kidnapping, stalking, harassment, and terroristic threat
• Child abuse, elder abuse, family violence, and human trafficking
• Sexual assault
• Homicide, manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide
• DWI crashes and hit and run

It says the program cannot help with identity theft, regular car accidents, or property crime.

What are the basic requirements?

Basic requirements published on that page include:

• The crime happened in Texas to a U.S. resident, or the victim is a Texas resident and the crime happened in a country without victim compensation.
• You apply within 3 years of the crime, unless good cause can be shown for the delay. The page says special exceptions may apply based on age or circumstances.
• The crime was reported to law enforcement within a reasonable time so the delay does not hinder the investigation or prosecution. Sexual assault emergency medical care has a separate rule: reporting is not required.
• You cooperate with the investigation and prosecution. For sex crimes after September 1, 2023, the page says getting a forensic medical exam counts as cooperation.
• There is enough evidence to show the crime occurred.
• You were not involved in the criminal activity, and you were not in prison or jail during the crime. If the illegal activity resulted from human trafficking, that bar does not apply. If you share some responsibility, you may still qualify, but the payment could be reduced.

Those published requirements do not list a conviction. They do require cooperation and enough evidence that the crime occurred. Confirm how your case is treated with the program before you rely on a particular outcome.

What Can Crime Victims' Compensation in Texas Cover?

The program overview says the CVC Program can help cover costs up to $50,000, with an extra $25,000 for sexual assault emergency medical care reimbursement.

The medical-expenses page describes the $50,000 figure as the cap for an approved claim, including eligible services together, not a separate medical maximum. The amount depends on the law in effect when the crime happened. These are caps, not a promise of what any claim will pay.

Texas CVC is a payer of last resort. Other resources have to pay first. The program can reimburse costs you already paid, and for some services it can pay the provider directly.

What are the limits for specific costs?

Details for each limit:

• Funeral and burial: transporting the deceased more than 50 miles one way is not counted toward that funeral limit. Older crimes use different limits.
• Lost wages: paid for a crime-related disability, medical or mental health appointments, or criminal justice proceedings.
• Rent and relocation: covers relocation deposits, moving expenses, and rent. For earlier crimes, the page lists up to $2,000 for deposits and moving expenses plus three months of rent up to $1,800. You have three years from the crime to relocate, and the program can assist with one move.
• Crime scene clean-up: if you clean the scene yourself, reimbursement is for cleaning supplies. A licensed company’s service costs may also be reimbursed.
• Property seized as evidence: paid when the offense report verifies the property. Examples include bedding, clothing, cell phones, and property rendered unusable during evidence collection.
• Catastrophic injury: paid when a crime-related injury causes total and permanent disability. Limits depend on the type of expense, and medical records must confirm the disability.

Relocation help is listed for domestic violence, family violence, dating violence, sexual assault in the home, stalking, human trafficking, and the attempted murder of a child in the home. Other victims may qualify if there is a crime-related health or safety need and they submit the Relocation Request form. Emergency or temporary lodging may be covered for up to 14 days.

What does sexual assault emergency medical care cover?

Sexual assault emergency medical care can cover:

• Treatment during the exam
• Medications prescribed at the exam
• EMS transport to the hospital

For exams after August 31, 2023, up to $25,000 may be reimbursed. For care sought after August 31, 2025, the page also describes prescribed continuing care related to the sexual assault during the 30 days after the exam.

Reporting the crime is not required for this benefit. An emergency-medical-care-only application does not stop you from filing a full CVC application within three years of the crime.

What other costs are covered?

The covered-costs page also lists:

• Medical care
• Mental health care
• Dental care
• Loss of support
• Child and dependent care
• Travel
• Attorney’s fees for the CVC application

Medical costs are paid according to the medical fee guidelines set by the Texas Department of Insurance. A June 2025 note on the Attorney General’s service-provider page says a counseling form is requested if more information is needed to connect treatment to the crime, or if someone asks for sessions beyond a 60-session maximum.

What will Texas CVC not pay?

The covered-costs page says the program cannot pay:

• Property theft, damage, or loss
• Identity theft costs
• Pain, suffering, or emotional distress
• Any cost that is not a direct result of the crime

The seized-property page is narrower than general property loss. It will not pay to replace or repair property that was lost, damaged, or stolen during the crime, or property that is not verified in the offense report.

How to Apply for Victims Compensation in Texas

1. 1Review the eligibility page, then apply in the CVC Portal or by mail. The apply page calls the portal the fastest option. You can download a paper form or request one at (800) 983-9933.
2. 2Use one application for each crime date. Give the law enforcement agency’s full name, not an abbreviation, and the offense report number if you have it. You can apply without that number, but finding the report may take longer.
3. 3List the costs you need help with, such as medical care, counseling, lost wages, funeral expenses, or rent and relocation. If an item does not apply, write N/A or select No. Blank answers can delay the file.
4. 4Upload bills, insurance information, and other records you already have. You do not need every bill before you apply. Later documents can go through the portal or the CVC Documentation Upload form.
5. 5If money is urgent, ask about Priority Processing. A trained victim advocate may also submit an application through Presumptive Eligibility.
6. 6Watch for the decision by mail and keep your mailing address current. If the claim is denied, the apply page says the letter explains how to appeal within 30 days. You can check status in the portal or by calling the hotline.

Program phones, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT: toll free (800) 983-9933, or (512) 936-1200 in Austin. Start with the Texas Attorney General application page.

What Documents Should a Texas Claim Include?

The apply page says a complete application can be reviewed faster, and that you can send some records later. Cost pages ask for items such as:

• The law enforcement agency’s full name and the offense report number, so the program can request the police report.
• Itemized medical or counseling bills, plus insurance information. Medical care is considered after other available resources.
• For lost wages: a Lost Wage Affirmation for an ongoing disability, or a Travel/Appointment form for periodic absences, plus employment verification and medical documentation.
• For funeral expenses: a signed, detailed funeral purchase agreement, proof of payment, a death certificate if required, and burial or life insurance details. The licensed-provider funeral page says life insurance payments are deducted from the reimbursable amount.
• For relocation: the Relocation and Rental Assistance Acknowledgement, the Relocation Expense Worksheet, and the lease or receipts the page requests. Receipts are due within 30 days of the move if payment was issued in advance.
• For seized property: a list of items taken by law enforcement and their replacement value.
• For crime scene clean-up: the company bill or an itemized supply list, plus a homeowners’ or renters’ insurance declaration or a statement of no insurance.

Several cost pages tell applicants to upload documents or mail them to Crime Victim Services, P.O. Box 12198, Austin, Texas 78711-2198. The program’s published contact address on the overview page remains P.O. Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548.

What Problems Can Delay a Texas Application?

The Attorney General does not publish one processing time for every claim. The eligibility and apply pages say timing depends on the police verifying the crime, whether required documents are in the file, and whether bills have been checked. They say claims are processed as quickly as possible.

• Leaving cost questions blank instead of marking N/A or No.
• Using an abbreviation for the police department, which can point staff to the wrong agency.
• Waiting to apply until every bill has arrived. You can file within the three-year window and add documents later.
• Skipping insurance or other available help. The program pays only after those other resources.
• Missing the three-year application period without a good-cause explanation.
• Letting a denial deadline pass. Level 1 and Level 2 appeals have their own 30-day windows.

What If Your Texas Application Is Delayed or Denied?

After you apply, intake checks that the application is complete and requests the crime report. The eligibility team then reviews the file. The decision arrives by mail. If it is approved, the apply page says you are assigned a case manager and told which costs can be covered.

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

How do you appeal a Texas decision?

If you disagree, the appeals page says you can challenge a denial of the application or a denial or reduction of compensation. There are three levels.

Service providers, such as hospitals or funeral homes, cannot file the appeal. The victim, or anyone listed as a claimant, can.

1. 1Level 1, reconsideration: submit a signed request within 30 days of the decision you disagree with. Include why you disagree and any new information. The page says this review usually takes several months.
2. 2Level 2, final ruling hearing: request it within 30 days of the Level 1 decision. The hearing is by phone. It is scheduled at least 10 days ahead.
3. 3Level 3, judicial review in district court: submit a signed Written Notice of Dissatisfaction within 40 days of the hearing decision, then file the lawsuit within 40 days of giving that notice. The page says these deadlines cannot be extended.

A late Level 1 or Level 2 request can still be reviewed if you send a signed explanation and the program finds good cause. If it does not, the original decision stays final.

The appeals page says you may hire your own lawyer at any time, and that the program may be able to help pay attorney’s fees related to the appeal.

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 Texas Attorney General Crime Victims’ Compensation pages, including the program overview, eligibility, covered costs, and appeals pages, accessed September 28, 2026. Confirm the current rules there before you file. This guide is not legal advice.