Driving with two prosthetic legs is legal and routine once your vehicle is fitted with hand controls and your license carries the matching restriction. Most bilateral amputees drive using a lever near the steering column that handles both acceleration and braking, paired with a medical review, a behind-the-wheel evaluation, and a road test in the modified vehicle. The setup that works for you depends on your amputation level, prosthetic fit, and upper-body strength.
What the Driving Setup Looks Like
Hand controls are the core modification. You push the lever forward to brake and pull it toward you to accelerate, which takes the foot pedals out of the equation entirely. That matters because even a well-fitted prosthetic leg may not give you the ankle control and sensory feedback that safe pedal work demands. Basic mechanical hand controls run under $1,000 before installation; electronic systems cost more.1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Adapted Vehicles
A steering knob usually joins the hand control, so you can steer one-handed while the other hand works the lever. That combination raises a practical problem: with both hands committed, turn signals, wipers, headlights, and the horn are out of easy reach. Secondary control systems solve it by consolidating those functions onto a small keypad or a column-mounted stick you can reach without letting go. Infrared keypads mount wirelessly to the steering wheel and cover a dozen or more functions; a column stick handles the essentials.
Getting In and Out
The transfer into the driver’s seat is its own piece of the setup. Transfer boards bridge the gap from a wheelchair to the seat. Swivel bases rotate the seat toward the door to shorten the move. Powered seat lifts rotate and lower the seat outside the vehicle for a comfortable transfer, then raise you back into position. A wheelchair hoist stows the chair after you’re in.
The Two Evaluations You’ll Complete
You don’t pick your own equipment and drive off. Two evaluations decide what goes into your vehicle and onto your license.
Medical Review
Your physician or another member of your medical team completes a medical review form covering your health history, medications, physical capabilities, and any condition that could affect driving. The form goes to your state’s driver licensing agency. For most bilateral amputees the recommendation is full driving privileges with a notation for adaptive equipment, in the same category as a corrective-lenses requirement.
Driving Rehabilitation Assessment
A certified driving rehabilitation specialist runs the hands-on evaluation in two parts. The clinical portion tests range of motion, strength, coordination, and reaction time. The on-road portion puts you in a vehicle already fitted with the controls you’re likely to need, so the specialist can watch how you handle the equipment and judge your decisions in real traffic. Their report specifies which modifications should appear as restrictions on your license. A full evaluation typically costs $300 to $500, though prices vary.
Getting the License With the Right Restrictions
The specialist’s report and the medical review form go to your state DMV. The agency uses them to set the restrictions printed on the back of your license. Common codes for drivers with prosthetic legs cover hand controls and prosthetic aids, though the exact wording varies by state. You then take a road test in a vehicle equipped with the recommended controls. Passing the test finalizes the license with those restrictions in place, and you’re legally required to drive only with that equipment installed and working. If your prosthetics change or your abilities shift, expect to run the evaluation again so the restrictions can be updated.
Commercial Driving Is a Separate Track
If you want to drive a commercial motor vehicle across state lines, federal rules add another layer. Drivers with missing or impaired limbs need a Skill Performance Evaluation certificate from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You have to be fitted with and wearing your prosthetic device, then demonstrate safe operation through on-road and off-road driving activities. The process starts with a New Driver Application Package to FMCSA, and this sits on top of whatever your state requires for a commercial driver’s license.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate Program
What It Costs and Who Helps Pay
Between the evaluation, the equipment, and the installation, adaptive driving is a real expense. Several funding sources exist.
Major automakers reimburse part of the cost of aftermarket adaptive equipment when you install it on a new vehicle. Ford, Honda, Toyota, and Stellantis (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram) each offer up to $1,000. GM’s program goes up to $1,500 on new Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles. These rebates cover the equipment and professional installation, not the vehicle itself.
Veterans whose limb loss is service-connected may qualify for a one-time automobile allowance toward a vehicle and ongoing help with adaptive equipment through the Department of Veterans Affairs. For eligible veterans, this is one of the more substantial funding sources available.3U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Automobile Allowance and Adaptive Equipment
State vocational rehabilitation agencies can fund vehicle modifications when driving is necessary for an employment plan and no accessible public transit option would work. Recipients of SSI, SSDI, or public assistance are often exempt from financial participation. Private health insurance and Medicaid sometimes cover hand controls and similar equipment when a provider deems them medically necessary, though coverage varies plan to plan. Check with your insurer before you assume anything is included; even partial reimbursement can absorb a meaningful share of the cost on the more expensive electronic and powered systems.