VA HISA Grant: Home Improvement and Structural Alterations for Veterans

The Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) benefit can help pay for medically necessary changes to your primary home, including a permanent ramp or an accessible shower. You do not always need a service-connected disability. The lifetime limit is $6,800 for certain qualifying categories and $2,000 otherwise, and the work must receive medical and project approval.

Which home changes can qualify?

HISA pays for approved changes needed to enter or leave your home, use essential bathroom facilities, reach kitchen or bathroom fixtures, or support home medical treatment. Examples include permanent ramps, wider access, a roll-in shower, lowered counters, and plumbing or electrical changes needed for medical equipment.

It does not fund new home construction, general remodeling, exterior decks, hot tubs, home security systems, or routine maintenance such as replacing a worn roof or furnace. Portable ramps, porch lifts, and stair glides are not HISA alterations; ask Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service whether a separate equipment benefit fits those needs.

Check eligibility and your lifetime limit

Veterans must be eligible for VA medical services. Certain service members undergoing medical discharge for a permanent disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty can also qualify. The proposed change must be medically justified for the condition and used at the primary residence.

• Up to $6,800: Work addressing a service-connected disability; a qualifying compensable disability treated as service connected, such as certain disabilities from VA treatment; or a non-service-connected condition when you have a service-connected disability rated at least 50%. The last category does not mean adding separate lower ratings together to reach 50%.
• Up to $2,000: Medically necessary work for a condition that does not fit the higher-limit categories.

These are lifetime limits, not annual grants. Prior HISA payments reduce the remaining benefit. If you qualify for a $6,800 limit and previously used $4,000, the remaining maximum would be $2,800, subject to approval of the proposed work. Ask the local Prosthetics team to confirm the category and recorded balance.

You can apply for a rented home

You do not have to own the primary residence. For a rental, include the owner's signed, notarized permission for the alterations. Coordinate the exact work before obtaining approval; a tenant's application cannot substitute for the owner's consent.

HISA can complement SAH or SHA, but the same work cannot be paid for twice. Tell both teams about other housing grants and ask them to separate approved costs.

Build the application packet

1. Ask your treating team for the medical request. The prescription must be written or approved by a VA physician and explain the diagnosis, requested change, and medical reason. A private doctor's recommendation can support the request, but does not bypass VA approval.
2. Complete VA Form 10-0103. Ask about the advance-payment option on the form if paying the contractor up front would be difficult.
3. Attach the project details. Include an itemized estimate for labor, materials, permits, and inspections; a color photograph of the area before work; and, if renting, the owner's signed and notarized permission.
4. Submit to the local Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. Use the facility locator to find your VA medical facility and ask where its HISA packet is accepted. Keep a complete copy and confirm that the team received every attachment.
5. Wait for the decision and authorized project terms. The team may inspect the home. Before starting, confirm approved work, amount, payment arrangements, and the completion documents or inspection required.

If the request is delayed or denied

Ask the Prosthetics team whether the problem is a missing attachment, medical necessity, excluded work, care eligibility, or an exhausted lifetime benefit. A clearer prescription or itemized estimate may resolve an incomplete packet; it cannot make an excluded renovation eligible.

For a denial, request the written reason and the review route for that decision. A clinical question and an eligibility or payment decision may require different steps. The facility's patient advocate can help you reach the correct office. Do not submit a disability compensation appeal simply because the home-change request was declined.

Can I use HISA again after moving?

A move does not reset the lifetime limit. You can ask about further medically necessary work if a benefit balance remains, but you need a new approved project and, for a new rental, the required owner permission.

Your next step

Write down the specific barrier, such as being unable to enter the bathroom with your mobility aid. Ask your VA treating team and the local Prosthetics service for a HISA assessment and your remaining benefit amount.