California has 1362 towns spread across counties as different as San Francisco County, Modoc County and San Diego County. A stair lift that works in a home in Los Angeles County may not be the right fit for a house in Humboldt County or Inyo County, because every staircase is its own job.
This page covers the basics for the whole state: which kind of lift fits which kind of stairs, who lives here, and the state and federal programs that can help pay. From here you can go to your own county page, from Alameda County to Yuba County, for local details.
The first question is the shape of the staircase. A straight run with no turns or landings usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn, curve or stop at a landing need a curved rail built to fit that staircase.
Steps outside the house, such as from a driveway to the front door, call for an outdoor lift made to handle weather. When someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is the option to look at instead of a chair.
Before any quote, we measure the stairs, check the wall and step construction, and look at where the power outlet is. That visit tells you which type fits and whether anything in the home needs to change first.
California has a population of 37,376,940, and 15.0 percent of residents are 65 or older. That age group is where most stair lift questions come from, often raised by an adult child after a fall or a hospital stay.
About 55.3 percent of Californians own their homes. Owners can usually decide on an install themselves. If your parent rents, talk with the landlord before ordering anything, since a lift is attached to the stairs.
If the person who needs the lift served, check the VA benefits below before paying out of pocket.
Several programs can cover part or all of the cost. Medi-Cal has two waivers that can fund home modifications: the HCBA Waiver and, for people 65 and older, the Multipurpose Senior Services Program. Both work through an approved care plan rather than a flat dollar amount.
For veterans, the VA splits the work in two. VA Prosthetics can provide the stair lift itself when it is medically prescribed, while the HISA grant pays for ramps and structural changes, not the lift.
If none of those fit, the FreedomTech loan offers low-interest borrowing from $500 to $15,000 for accessibility equipment. It is a loan, so it has to be paid back. Details and phone numbers for each program are listed below.
Each county has its own page with local information, including Fresno County, Sacramento County, Orange County, Riverside County, Santa Clara County, Shasta County, Sonoma County and Tuolumne County, among many others. Pick your county to see what applies where you live.
A Medi-Cal waiver that pays for home accessibility adaptations, and stair lifts are covered as an Environmental Accessibility Adaptation with no fixed cap beyond the approved plan of care (the CalAIM Community Supports EAA track is capped at $7,500 lifetime). Call (800) 541-5555.
VA Prosthetics (PSAS) can cover the stair lift itself with no set dollar cap when it is medically prescribed, while HISA pays up to $6,800 for service-connected or $2,000 for non-service-connected needs toward ramps and structural changes, not the lift. Call (877) 222-8387.
A Medi-Cal waiver for seniors 65 and older that can fund minor home modifications, including a stair lift, within the participant's care plan. There is no flat cap; the amount depends on the care-plan budget.
A low-interest California loan of $500 to $15,000 for accessibility equipment, and stair lifts qualify as home-modification equipment. It is a loan, not a grant; call (800) 390-2699.
It can. The HCBA Waiver covers stair lifts as an Environmental Accessibility Adaptation under an approved plan of care, and the Multipurpose Senior Services Program can fund one as a minor home modification for people 65 and older. For the HCBA Waiver, call (800) 541-5555.
Both can be covered, through different parts of the VA. VA Prosthetics (PSAS) can provide a medically prescribed stair lift with no set dollar cap. The HISA grant, up to $6,800 for service-connected or $2,000 for non-service-connected needs, covers ramps and structural changes, not the lift. Call (877) 222-8387.
MSSP is only for people 65 and older. The facts we have do not list an age limit for the HCBA Waiver or the FreedomTech loan, so those are worth asking about.
The FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan lends $500 to $15,000 for accessibility equipment, including stair lifts. It has to be repaid. Call (800) 390-2699.
A staircase with no turns or landings usually takes a straight rail. Stairs that turn or have a landing need a curved rail. An in-home measurement settles it.
Yes. Every California county, from Alpine County to Ventura County, has its own page linked from this hub.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
