VA Stairlift Grants for Veterans (U.S.) — 2026

There is no VA program called a "stairlift grant," and it's important to know up front that the VA's most common home-modification grant (HISA) does not pay for a stairlift itself. The VA classifies a stairlift (which it calls a "stair glide") as removable equipment that HISA specifically excludes. That doesn't mean veterans are out of options: HISA can fund structural alternatives that solve the same access problem, the larger SAH and SHA disability housing grants may include a stairlift case-by-case as part of an approved home adaptation, and a VA clinician may be able to furnish equipment through another VA medical authority. This page explains the verified amounts, who qualifies, and how to apply, so you can match a real program to your situation. It is cost and decision-support only and is not medical advice.

Important: HISA Does Not Pay for a Stairlift Itself

This is the single most important point for veterans planning a stairlift. The VA's main home-modification grant, the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant, does not cover a stairlift. The VA's official HISA materials list "porch lifts, and stair glides" among excluded items, describing them as "removable equipment" the grant will not pay for (prosthetics.va.gov). A "stair glide" is the VA's term for the seated lift that rides a rail along your stairs, the device most people mean by stairlift.

What HISA does cover are structural changes that improve access, including:

• Entrance to or exit from the home (for example, permanent ramps).
• Accessible bathroom changes such as roll-in showers and lowered sinks or counters.
• Plumbing or electrical upgrades needed because of installed home medical equipment.

HISA will not pay for stair glides, porch lifts, portable ramps, hot tubs, exterior decking, new construction, or routine maintenance like roof or furnace replacement (prosthetics.va.gov). So if your goal is specifically a stairlift, HISA is generally not the program, though it may still help with related ramp or bathroom work.

Verified HISA Amounts (For the Work It Does Cover)

If you need the structural access work HISA covers (ramps, accessible bathrooms, electrical for medical equipment), these are the verified lifetime amounts from the VA Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service:

• Up to $6,800 if you have a service-connected disability that is the reason for the modification.
• Up to $6,800 for a nonservice-connected modification if you have a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50% (the VA notes no combining of disability percentages is allowed to reach 50%).
• Up to $2,000 for a nonservice-connected disability that does not meet the higher tier.

These are lifetime totals, not per-project amounts (prosthetics.va.gov).

If you still want a stairlift, ask your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service whether one can be provided through another VA medical authority when a VA clinician determines it is medically necessary. That is a separate determination from the HISA grant and is decided case-by-case, so confirm it directly with the VA rather than assuming HISA applies.

SAH and SHA Grants: Where a Stairlift May Fit (Case-by-Case)

For veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities, the VA's disability housing grants are far larger than HISA and can be used to buy, build, or adapt a home. A stairlift may be included as part of an approved adaptation, but the VA decides which adaptations are funded on a case-by-case basis; a stairlift is not specifically named on the VA's grant page, so treat it as possible but not guaranteed.

Verified FY 2026 maximums (VA.gov):

• Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant: up to $126,526.
• Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant: up to $25,350.

You can use grant funds up to 6 different times over your lifetime, up to the maximum, and the maximum is adjusted annually based on construction costs.

Qualifying disabilities are specific (VA.gov):

• SAH generally applies to disabilities such as the loss or loss of use of more than one limb; the loss or loss of use of a lower leg with lasting effects of organic disease or injury; certain blindness in both eyes (20/200 or less); certain severe burns; or the loss or loss of use of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001, that affects balance or walking (the VA limits this post-9/11 category to 120 veterans and service members per fiscal year).
• SHA generally applies to disabilities such as the loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns, or certain respiratory or breathing injuries.

Because these conditions are narrow, many veterans will not qualify for SAH or SHA at all.

Eligibility at a Glance

HISA eligibility (prosthetics.va.gov) — for covered structural work, not a stairlift:

• You are a veteran or service member, and the modification is prescribed or approved by a VA physician (most veterans access HISA through their VA health care team).
• The modification is medically necessary and prescribed by a VA physician.
• The $6,800 tier applies to service-connected modifications, or to a nonservice-connected modification when you have a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50%; the $2,000 tier applies to other nonservice-connected disabilities.
• You can use HISA for a home you own or rent (a renter needs the owner's signed, notarized authorization).
• Remember: HISA excludes stair glides/stairlifts and porch lifts.

SAH / SHA eligibility (VA.gov):

• You (or in some cases a family member) own or will own the home.
• You have one of the specific qualifying service-connected disabilities listed for SAH or SHA.

Whether HISA and SAH/SHA can be formally combined is not something the VA states plainly, so do not assume you can stack them. Your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (for HISA and medical-equipment questions) or a VA regional office (for SAH/SHA) can confirm exactly what you are eligible for. This page is decision-support only and is not medical advice; a VA clinician determines medical necessity.

How to Apply

To apply for HISA (prosthetics.va.gov) — for the structural access work it covers — you typically submit:

1. A VA physician's prescription with medical justification.
2. A completed VA Form 10-0103.
3. An itemized cost estimate from the contractor or installer.
4. A color photograph of the area to be modified.
5. A signed, notarized owner authorization, if you rent.

Contact your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service to start, to confirm your remaining lifetime HISA balance, and to ask whether a stairlift could be furnished through another VA medical authority.

To apply for an SAH or SHA grant (VA.gov):

• Use VA Form 26-4555 (Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant).
• Apply online at VA.gov, by mail to the Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444, or in person at a VA regional office.
• Have your Social Security number and VA file or claim number (if available) ready. The VA mails a decision letter, and you can track status at VA.gov.

What a Stairlift Costs (National Context) and Ongoing Expenses

Because VA grants may not cover a stairlift, it helps to know typical national prices as an independent buyer. These figures are general planning context, not VA-published amounts, and draw on independent cost guides from NCOA and Fixr:

• Straight (indoor) stairlift, installed: about $2,500-$8,000.
• Curved (custom-rail) stairlift, installed: about $10,000-$20,000.
• Outdoor stairlift, installed: about $4,000-$12,000.

Ongoing costs a grant generally would not cover, either:

• Annual service/maintenance plans: about $100-$300 per year.
• Replacement batteries: about $200-$300 every 1-3 years.

If you end up paying out of pocket, keep your itemized estimate so you can compare what any VA benefit, structural grant, or other funding source covers versus what you'll owe. Renting a unit, buying reconditioned equipment, or financing can also lower the cost (NCOA).

Frequently asked questions

Does the VA HISA grant pay for a stairlift?

No. The VA's HISA grant materials list 'stair glides' (the VA's term for a stairlift) and 'porch lifts' as excluded removable equipment that HISA will not pay for (prosthetics.va.gov). HISA instead covers structural access work such as permanent ramps, roll-in showers, and electrical upgrades for home medical equipment. If you specifically need a stairlift, ask your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service whether it can be provided through another VA medical authority, or look at the SAH/SHA grants.

Is there any VA program that can fund a stairlift?

Possibly, but not as a named 'stairlift grant.' The larger SAH (up to $126,526) and SHA (up to $25,350) disability housing grants can fund home adaptations for veterans with specific qualifying service-connected disabilities, and a stairlift may be included case-by-case as part of an approved adaptation (VA.gov). Separately, a VA clinician may be able to furnish equipment through another VA medical authority if it is medically necessary. Confirm your options directly with the VA, because a stairlift is not guaranteed under any of these.

How much are the VA HISA, SAH, and SHA amounts?

HISA pays a lifetime maximum of up to $6,800 (for service-connected modifications, or a nonservice-connected modification when you have a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50%) and up to $2,000 for other nonservice-connected disabilities (prosthetics.va.gov). For FY 2026, the SAH grant is up to $126,526 and the SHA grant is up to $25,350, usable up to 6 times over your lifetime (VA.gov). Note that HISA, the most common of these, does not cover a stairlift itself.

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Sources

1. VA — Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA), including excluded items (stair glides, porch lifts): https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/psas/HISA2.asp
2. VA — HISA program (Fayetteville), confirming stair glides/porch lifts excluded: https://www.va.gov/fayetteville-coastal-health-care/programs/home-improvementsstructural-alterations-hisa/
3. VA — Disability housing grants for Veterans (FY 2026 SAH/SHA amounts and qualifying disabilities): https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/disability-housing-grants/
4. VA — How to apply for an adapted housing grant (Form 26-4555, mailing address): https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/disability-housing-grants/how-to-apply/
5. NCOA — Stair Lift Costs: A Complete Guide (independent cost reference): https://www.ncoa.org/article/stair-lift-costs-a-complete-guide/
6. Fixr — Stairlift Installation Cost (independent cost reference): https://www.fixr.com/costs/stairlift-installation