SAH and SHA Grants: VA Adapted Housing Grants Explained
Updated September 2026 · Checked against VA.gov and 38 CFR · Sources below
On this page
- SAH vs SHA at a glance (FY2026 comparison table incl. TRA and HISA)
- Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant: who qualifies
- Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant: who qualifies
- Temporary Residence Adaptation and HISA: the smaller grants
- What the grants pay for (and what they do not)
- Using the grant more than once: the six-use rule and annual indexing
- How to apply step by step with VA Form 26-4555 and your SAH agent
- Combining grants with a VA loan, property tax exemptions and other benefits
- What your state adds (property-tax exemptions and state adapted-housing programs)
- Common questions about SAH and SHA grants
- Common questions
SAH vs SHA at a glance (FY2026 comparison table incl. TRA and HISA)
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant: who qualifies
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant: who qualifies
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Temporary Residence Adaptation and HISA: the smaller grants
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
What the grants pay for (and what they do not)
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Using the grant more than once: the six-use rule and annual indexing
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
How to apply step by step with VA Form 26-4555 and your SAH agent
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Combining grants with a VA loan, property tax exemptions and other benefits
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
What your state adds (property-tax exemptions and state adapted-housing programs)
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Common questions about SAH and SHA grants
This section is being written. See the short answer above and the sources below for what is already confirmed.
Common questions
- What is the difference between the SAH and SHA grant?
- SAH is the larger grant (up to $126,526 in FY2026) for veterans who need a fully adapted home, typically wheelchair users with loss of multiple limbs or blindness plus limb loss. SHA (up to $25,350) covers smaller adaptations for loss of both hands, certain burns, respiratory injuries or blindness.
- How many times can you use the SAH or SHA grant?
- Up to six times in your lifetime, as long as the total does not exceed the current maximum; the cap is re-indexed every October 1, so unused entitlement grows with it.
- Does the SAH grant have to be repaid?
- No. SAH, SHA and TRA are grants, not loans, and they are not taxable income. They can be combined with a VA home loan.
- Can I get the SHA grant for a home my family owns?
- Yes. SHA can be used on a home owned by the veteran or a family member where the veteran lives. For a temporary stay in a family member's home, the TRA grant applies instead.
- How do I apply for an adapted housing grant?
- File VA Form 26-4555 online at va.gov, by mail or at a regional office. A VA SAH agent then reviews medical eligibility, visits the property and works with you and your contractor on plans before funds are released.
Sources
- FY2026 maximum grant amounts are $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; TRA maximums are $50,961 (SAH-eligible) and $9,100 (SHA-eligible).
- SAH and SHA grants may each be used up to six separate times over a veteran's lifetime, up to the aggregate maximum.
- Only 120 veterans and service members per fiscal year can qualify for SAH based on loss of one extremity after September 11, 2001.
- Adapted housing grants are authorised under 38 U.S.C. 2101 and applied for with VA Form 26-4555.
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This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and Veterans Alliance is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change; the linked VA.gov pages are always the authoritative source.