Veteran Home Accessibility Benefits
VA HISA Grant 2026: Eligibility, Amounts, Exclusions & How to Apply
Last reviewed and updated: August 2026
Altamira Ltd. is a home accessibility provider and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA determines eligibility, medical necessity, approved project scope, and benefit amounts.
The VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations program — commonly called the HISA grant — is a VA health care benefit that helps eligible Veterans and service members pay for medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a primary residence.
HISA can support certain permanent accessibility changes, but it does not cover every mobility or accessibility product. In particular, VA specifically excludes portable ramps, porch lifts or vertical platform lifts, and stair glides from HISA.
HISA is a lifetime benefit. Up to $6,800 may apply when the modification addresses a service-connected disability, certain compensable disabilities treated by VA as service connected, or a non-service-connected disability when the beneficiary has a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50%. Other eligible disabilities may receive up to $2,000. All HISA projects must be medically justified.
2026 VA HISA Fact Sheet
| Administered by | VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) |
|---|---|
| Type of assistance | VA health care benefit for medically necessary home improvements and structural alterations |
| Lifetime benefit | Up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the applicable eligibility category |
| Residence | The Veteran or service member's primary residence; qualifying rental properties may also be considered |
| Medical requirement | Every project must be medically justified |
| Application form | VA Form 10-0103 |
| Application package | VA physician prescription, signed Form 10-0103, itemized estimate, color photograph of the unimproved area, and renter authorization when applicable |
| Rental property | VA requires a signed and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the proposed alteration |
| Possible VA inspection | VA notes that a site inspection may be warranted |
| Official resource | VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations |
What Is the VA HISA Benefit?
HISA provides financial assistance for medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a Veteran's or service member's primary residence. The purpose of the project must relate to an approved medical or accessibility need.
VA identifies qualifying purposes that include allowing entrance to or exit from the home, providing access to essential lavatory and sanitary facilities, improving accessibility to kitchen or bathroom sinks and counters, constructing permanent ramping to improve access to the home, and making plumbing or electrical changes required because of home medical equipment.
HISA is different from the SAH and SHA disability housing grants. SAH and SHA use specific service-connected disability and housing requirements, while HISA is administered through VA health care and PSAS.
Up to $6,800
For a project addressing a service-connected disability; certain compensable disabilities treated by VA as service connected; or a non-service-connected disability when the beneficiary has a separate service-connected disability rated at least 50%. VA states that disability percentages cannot be combined to reach the 50% threshold.
Up to $2,000
For an eligible medically justified disability that does not fall within the categories qualifying for the $6,800 lifetime benefit.
What Can HISA Pay For — and What Does It Exclude?
HISA is intended for approved structural alterations, not every accessibility product sold for the home.
Examples of Qualifying Purposes
- Permanent ramp construction that improves entrance to or exit from the primary residence
- Roll-in shower alterations for access to essential sanitary facilities
- Structural alterations that improve access to kitchen or bathroom sinks and counters
- Improvements to entrance paths or driveways in the immediate area of the home when needed to facilitate access
- Plumbing changes made necessary by prescribed home medical equipment
- Electrical changes made necessary by prescribed home medical equipment
- Other medically justified structural alterations approved by VA for the qualifying need
HISA Exclusions
- Portable ramps
- Porch lifts and vertical platform lifts
- Stair glides or stairlifts
- Exterior decking
- New home construction
- Home security systems
- Spa, hot tub, or Jacuzzi-type equipment
- Walkways to exterior buildings
- Routine maintenance such as roof, furnace, or air-conditioner replacement
Do not assume a product is HISA-covered because VA may provide it through another program. Stairlifts, patient lifts, vertical platform lifts, durable medical equipment, and other accessibility devices may be available through other VA prosthetic, medical-equipment, rehabilitative, or housing pathways. That is separate from whether the equipment itself qualifies under HISA.
Who May Be Eligible for HISA?
VA determines individual eligibility and the remaining lifetime benefit. These are the core requirements to understand before applying.
The project must be medically justified. The medical need must support the type of home improvement or structural alteration being prescribed.
The work must relate to the primary residence. HISA is intended for medically necessary alterations to the Veteran's or service member's primary residence.
Renters can apply. VA requires a signed and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the improvement or structural alteration.
Service-connected status affects the lifetime benefit category. It does not mean every applicant must have a service-connected disability to potentially qualify for HISA.
HISA Compared with SAH, SHA & TRA
These programs are related to accessibility and housing, but their eligibility rules, purposes, and benefit amounts are different.
HISA
$6,800 or $2,000 lifetime
VA health care benefit for medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to the primary residence.
SAH
Up to $126,526 — FY 2026
Disability housing grant for Veterans and service members with specific qualifying service-connected disabilities who need to buy, build, or adapt a permanent home.
SHA
Up to $25,350 — FY 2026
Special Home Adaptation grant for certain other qualifying service-connected disabilities and permanent-home adaptations.
TRA
Up to $50,961 or $9,100 — FY 2026
Temporary Residence Adaptation funding for an eligible SAH or SHA applicant temporarily living in a family member's home. The maximum depends on whether the applicant qualifies under SAH or SHA.
How to Apply for the HISA Benefit
VA publishes a specific application-package checklist. Having the required documents prepared can help prevent an incomplete submission.
Obtain a Prescription Written or Approved by a VA Physician
The prescription must include the beneficiary's identifying information, describe the proposed project and area of the home to be altered, identify the type of modification and alternatives, and provide the diagnosis and medical justification.
Complete VA Form 10-0103
Complete and sign the Veterans Application for Assistance in Acquiring Home Improvements and Structural Alterations.
Obtain an Itemized Project Estimate
VA requires a written itemized estimate showing costs for labor, materials, permits, and inspections associated with the proposed home improvement or structural alteration.
Include a Color Photograph
The application package must include a color photograph of the area before the improvement or structural alteration is completed.
If You Rent, Include Owner Authorization
Renters must include a signed and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the proposed improvement or structural alteration.
Submit the Package Through VA
Contact your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service for facility-specific submission instructions, eligibility questions, and information about your remaining lifetime HISA benefit. VA may determine that a site inspection is warranted.
No national 30–90 day approval promise: VA facilities may use different local review processes, and the current national HISA guidance does not publish a standard nationwide processing-time guarantee. Contact your local PSAS office for current timing.
VA HISA Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use HISA if I rent my home?
Yes. HISA can apply to a primary residence that the Veteran or service member rents. VA requires a signed and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the improvement or structural alteration.
Does HISA cover stairlifts?
No. VA specifically lists stair glides among removable equipment excluded from HISA. A stairlift may potentially be furnished through another VA prosthetic or rehabilitative pathway when medically necessary and authorized, but it should not be described as HISA-covered equipment.
Does HISA cover vertical platform lifts?
No. VA specifically lists porch lifts among HISA exclusions. A vertical platform lift may fall under another VA benefit or authorization pathway depending on the Veteran's needs and eligibility.
Does HISA cover wheelchair ramps?
HISA can support medically necessary permanent ramping used to improve access to the primary residence when VA approves the project. VA specifically excludes portable ramps from HISA.
Does HISA pay for patient lifts or ceiling lifts?
Patient-lift equipment should not automatically be described as HISA-covered equipment. VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service separately provides durable medical equipment and other prescribed devices. HISA can cover qualifying structural alterations such as plumbing or electrical changes made necessary by approved home medical equipment. Ask PSAS which benefit applies to the lift and which, if any, structural work qualifies under HISA.
Does HISA cover a walk-in tub?
Do not assume that a specific walk-in tub qualifies. VA's current public HISA guidance specifically identifies roll-in showers as an example of an eligible sanitary-access alteration and excludes spa, hot tub, and Jacuzzi-type equipment. The exact fixture and project should be reviewed by PSAS before purchase.
Is HISA an annual benefit?
No. HISA has a lifetime benefit limit. Contact your local PSAS office to determine your remaining available lifetime HISA amount.
Can I use HISA with SAH or SHA?
HISA and the SAH/SHA housing grants are separate VA programs. A Veteran may potentially qualify for more than one VA accessibility benefit, but the allowable use of each program depends on the approved project and the individual's eligibility. Confirm the funding plan with VA rather than assuming the programs can automatically be combined for the same work.
How long does HISA approval take?
VA's current national HISA guidance does not publish a universal 30-, 60-, or 90-day processing guarantee. Review times can depend on the facility and the individual project. Contact your local Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service for current local guidance.
Does Altamira decide whether I qualify?
No. VA determines HISA eligibility, medical necessity, approved project scope, and benefit amount. Altamira can help with the accessibility assessment, project planning, measurements, and itemized estimates when appropriate.
Official VA HISA Resources
Use these official VA sources for current program requirements, forms, and individual eligibility questions.
How Altamira Can Help with a HISA Project
Altamira can help evaluate an accessibility need, measure the site, recommend appropriate home-accessibility solutions, and provide itemized project estimates when appropriate. Those estimates can help supply the labor, material, permit, and inspection information VA requests as part of a HISA application.
For HISA specifically, we focus on the approved structural project rather than promising that a particular product will qualify. Permanent ramping and certain accessible bathroom alterations are examples of work that may fall within HISA when medically justified and approved by VA.
Altamira also installs equipment such as stairlifts, vertical platform lifts, patient lifts, and vehicle lifts, but those products should be evaluated under the appropriate VA benefit or equipment pathway rather than automatically classified as HISA-funded.
You can also review our broader Veteran Accessibility Benefits guide or find your nearest Altamira location.
Planning a VA Home Accessibility Project?
If VA has identified a medically necessary home modification, Altamira can help assess the project and prepare an accessibility recommendation and detailed estimate. VA remains responsible for determining whether the proposed work qualifies for HISA and how much funding is available.
For official eligibility and application guidance, contact your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service or review the official VA HISA information.
