Does the VA Pay for Wheelchair Ramps: HISA, SAH, and SHA Grants

Yes, the VA does pay for wheelchair ramps, most often through the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant. Veterans with more severe service-connected disabilities may instead qualify for the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grants, which fund ramps alongside much larger renovation work. Grant amounts range from $2,000 at the low end of HISA up to $126,526 for a full SAH grant in fiscal year 2026.

HISA: The Usual Path for a Ramp

For most veterans who just need a ramp, HISA is the starting point. It covers permanent ramps built to provide access to the home, including ramping along entrance paths and driveways, and applies to the veteran’s primary residence whether owned or rented. The program is run through the VA’s Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, not the loan center.¹

HISA is a lifetime benefit with two funding tiers. Veterans whose modification addresses a service-connected disability receive up to $6,800. That same $6,800 applies when the modification addresses a non-service-connected disability and the veteran has a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50 percent. Everyone else who qualifies receives up to $2,000.¹

One detail catches people off guard: HISA only pays for permanent ramps. Portable and modular ramps are excluded. Those items can still be provided separately through the VA Prosthetic Service’s supply funds, so a veteran who needs a portable ramp should ask the local VA medical center’s prosthetics department rather than file a HISA application.²

SAH and SHA for Severe Service-Connected Disabilities

Veterans with certain permanent service-connected disabilities may qualify for grants far larger than HISA. These programs are designed to fund comprehensive adaptations or the purchase of a specially built home, and a ramp is just one line item within a bigger project.

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH)

SAH provides up to $126,526 in fiscal year 2026 and can be used to build, remodel, or buy a home adapted to the veteran’s disability. The veteran must own or plan to own the property.³

SAH eligibility requires one of the following service-connected conditions:

Loss of use of both lower extremities, severe enough to prevent walking without braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair
Loss of use of both upper extremities at or above the elbow
Blindness in both eyes with 20/200 visual acuity or less
Loss of one lower extremity plus one upper extremity, affecting balance or movement enough to require walking aids
Loss of one lower extremity plus organic disease residuals, preventing walking without aids
Certain severe burns causing contractures that limit motion in two or more extremities, or one extremity and the trunk
Loss of use of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001, preventing walking without aids
Service-connected ALS rated 100 percent disabling⁴

Special Housing Adaptation (SHA)

SHA provides up to $25,350 in fiscal year 2026 and is geared toward adapting the interior of an existing home rather than building from scratch. The home must be owned by the veteran or a family member. SHA eligibility requires loss or loss of use of both hands, certain severe burn injuries, or certain severe respiratory or breathing injuries.³

If You’re Living in a Family Member’s Home

Veterans who qualify for SAH or SHA but live temporarily with family can use a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant to modify that home instead. Ownership isn’t required. For fiscal year 2026, TRA provides up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible veterans and up to $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans.³

A TRA counts as one of the veteran’s lifetime uses of the SAH or SHA benefit, but the dollars spent do not reduce the overall dollar cap. A veteran who uses TRA to modify a family member’s home can still access the full SAH or SHA amount later.

FY 2026 Grant Amounts

HISA (service-connected, or non-service-connected with a 50%+ rating): up to $6,800 lifetime
HISA (other qualifying disabilities): up to $2,000 lifetime
SAH: up to $126,526
SHA: up to $25,350
TRA for SAH-eligible veterans: up to $50,961
TRA for SHA-eligible veterans: up to $9,100

How Many Times You Can Use the Benefit

SAH and SHA are not one-time benefits. An eligible veteran can draw on grant funds up to six separate times over their lifetime, as long as the total stays within the aggregate dollar cap.³ That flexibility matters when needs change or the veteran moves. A first installment might pay for a ramp and bathroom work; the remaining balance can be pulled years later to adapt a new home.

HISA works differently. The $6,800 or $2,000 cap is one lifetime amount, and once it’s spent, no additional HISA funding is available. Veterans who expect future modifications should think carefully about how much of the benefit to put into a single project.¹

What the Money Covers

Under HISA, ramps are covered along with roll-in showers and accessible bathroom fixtures, lowered kitchen and bathroom counters and sinks, and plumbing or electrical upgrades needed for home medical equipment.¹ SAH and SHA grants cover the same items plus wider doorways, structural remodeling, and new construction, because the dollar amounts allow for it.

Some costs are explicitly excluded. Portable ramps, porch lifts, and stair glides can’t be funded through HISA because they count as removable equipment rather than structural alterations.⁵ Under SAH and SHA, straight maintenance work, such as replacing a walkway with the same design in new materials, is not covered. And any work done before the disability rating comes through or before the grant is approved cannot be reimbursed, so it’s a mistake to start paying a contractor while an application is still pending.⁶

How to Apply

HISA

The HISA application goes through your local VA medical center, not the loan center. The package includes:

VA Form 10-0103, the formal HISA application
A prescription from a VA physician describing the diagnosis, the specific modification needed, and the medical justification
An itemized cost estimate covering labor, materials, permits, and inspections
A color photograph of the area before modifications
For renters, a signed and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the work¹

Call the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at your VA medical center to check your remaining lifetime HISA balance and start the process. The VA Facility Locator at VA.gov identifies the nearest center.

SAH, SHA, and TRA

These grants use VA Form 26-4555 and are processed through the VA’s regional loan centers. You can submit online at VA.gov, by mail to your regional loan center, or in person at a local VA office.⁷

After submission, the VA reviews eligibility and may assign a Specially Adapted Housing Agent who walks you through the remaining steps, including feasibility assessment and home inspection. Processing times vary; file early and expect follow-up.

Ramp Design Rules for VA-Funded Work

Ramps built with VA grant money must meet the VA’s own barrier-free design standard, which is stricter than typical ADA guidance. The VA requires a maximum slope of 1:20, meaning one inch of rise for every 20 inches of length, compared to the more common 1:12 slope. Minimum clear width is four feet. Landings where doors swing into the ramp area must be at least six by six feet. Maximum ramp length between landings runs from 35 to 40 feet depending on slope.⁸

Before hiring a contractor, confirm they will build to the VA’s specifications and not just generic ADA guidelines. The VA may inspect the finished work.

When the Grant Doesn’t Cover the Whole Job

A basic residential wheelchair ramp typically costs between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on length, materials, and terrain, though complex builds run higher. The $6,800 HISA cap covers most standalone ramp projects, but pairing a ramp with bathroom work can exhaust the lifetime benefit in one shot. SAH and SHA grants rarely hit this ceiling given their much larger caps.

Veterans who have already spent their HISA benefit or don’t qualify for VA grants still have options. Several nonprofits build ramps at no cost for veterans and others with mobility needs, and some state and local programs offer home accessibility funding. Ask your VA social worker what’s available locally.

1
Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS). Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA)
2
Veterans Affairs. VHA Directive 1173.14 Home Improvements and Structural Alterations
3
Veterans Affairs. Disability Housing Grants for Veterans
4
eCFR. 38 CFR 3.809 – Specially Adapted Housing Under 38 USC 2101(a)
5
Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Housing Adaptation Programs Fact Sheet
6
Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Pamphlet 26 – Special Housing Adaptations
7
Veterans Affairs. Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant (VA Form 26-4555)
8
VA Vendor Portal. VA Barrier Free Design Standard