Checklist

SAH & SHA Application Checklist

Last updated: April 18, 2026

A step-by-step checklist covering everything from gathering documents to closing out your finished project. Covers the VA's Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants, which both use VA Form 26-4555.

HISA applications use a different process— VA Form 10-0103 submitted through your VA medical center's prosthetics department. This checklist does not cover HISA.

Pre-Application: Gather Documentation

Identification & Service Records

Military discharge paperwork (DD-214)
Birth certificate
Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Divorce decrees (if applicable)
Social Security card
Driver's license or state ID

Medical Documentation

Recent medical records (within the last 6 months)
Doctor's letter supporting your disability claim
Service connection documentation
Disability rating letter from the VA (if already rated)
List of current medications
List of mobility challenges and accessibility needs
Photos of your current home (if modifying an existing home)

Financial Documentation

Bank statements (last 2 months)
Tax returns (last 2 years)
Pay stubs (if employed)
Benefits statements
Proof of residency

Determine Eligibility

Service & Discharge

Honorable discharge confirmed
Active duty service confirmed
Service dates documented

SAH Disability Criteria (Meet at Least One)

SHA and HISA have separate, often broader eligibility criteria. If you don't qualify for SAH, review the SAH Grant Guide or consult VA.gov.

Loss, or loss of use, of more than one limb
Loss, or loss of use, of a lower leg plus the residuals of an organic disease or injury
Blindness in both eyes, 20/200 visual acuity or less in the better eye with a standard correcting lens
Certain severe burns
Loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity after September 11, 2001 that prevents balancing or walking unaided (capped at 120 approvals per fiscal year)
Not sure where you fall? A VA-accredited representative will tell you for free

A TBI or spinal cord injury does not qualify for SAH by itself. It qualifies when it has caused one of the conditions above.