Reasonable modifications for people with disabilities: You have the right to a home that works for you!

October 28, 2026
By: Hana Cho and Nick Adjami

What Is a Reasonable Modification?

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is a federal law that protects people from housing discrimination nationwide. It applies to all kinds of housing situations: renting an apartment, buying a home, getting a mortgage, and more. The FHA prohibits discrimination based on seven protected characteristics: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Under the FHA, people with disabilities have the right to make physical changes to their home that allow them to fully use and enjoy the space. This is called a “reasonable modification.”

Common reasonable modifications include installing grab bars, widening a doorway, adding a ramp, lowering countertops, installing a visual fire alarm, or replacing a step entry with a level threshold. Generally, the tenant is responsible for the cost of making a modification, but there are exceptions, for example if you live in public housing. Landlords can require that certain modifications be reversed when you move out, but only if the change would interfere with the next tenant’s use of the unit.

People with disabilities also have the right to request changes to a housing provider’s rules or policies to meet their needs. These are called reasonable accommodations. Read our explainer on reasonable accommodations coming soon.

What Makes a Request Reasonable?

Generally, for a request to be considered reasonable, there must be a clear connection between your disability and the modification you are requesting. Additionally, the request must not place an excessive financial or administrative burden on the housing provider or require a fundamental change to how they operate.

You may be asked to provide documentation to support your request if your disability or its connection to the request is not obvious. For example, if you use a wheelchair, a housing provider should not request proof of your disability, since it is obvious. Similarly, if you then submit a reasonable modification request to install grab bars in your bathroom, the housing provider should not request documentation verifying the connection between your disability and the request, since that too is obvious.

However, if you have a disability that is not obvious or otherwise known to the housing provider, the housing provider can request verification of your disability. The housing provider can also request documentation verifying the connection between your disability and your requested modification. For example, if you have a condition that affects your grip or fine motor control and you request permission to install automatic door openers, the housing provider can request verification of your disability and how the modification relates to it. Documentation can come from a doctor, nurse, caseworker, therapist, or other qualified professional. You do not have to share medical records, share the details of your diagnosis, or allow the housing provider to contact your doctor. Housing providers can verify that a need exists, not investigate your medical history.

Signs of Possible Discrimination

• A housing provider requires you to use a specific contractor or insists that more expensive modifications be made.
• A housing provider never responds to your request or denies your request without reason.
• A housing provider requires you to submit their preferred forms in order to consider your request for a reasonable modification.
• A housing provider says you must remove a ramp you installed next to the building entrance when you move out.

How To Request a Modification

To request a reasonable modification, you should clearly state the changes you need and why you need them. It is best to make requests in writing, for example by emailing the housing provider, to keep a record of the conversation. You should describe the relevant symptoms of your disability and the relationship between your disability and the requested change if they are not obvious or already known to the housing provider. See ERC’s Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications Toolkit for a letter template.

How ERC Can Help

ERC frequently helps people with disabilities address their fair housing needs, including by making reasonable modification requests. In one case, we assisted a Maryland renter and wheelchair user who requested permission to install a ramp that would allow him to safely enter and exit his apartment building. When the housing provider ignored the request, we helped him file a housing discrimination complaint with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. The complaint settled after the housing provider agreed to install the ramp. While modification costs are typically the renter’s responsibility, as part of the settlement, the housing provider agreed to pay the cost of installing the ramp.

If you need assistance requesting a reasonable modification in housing in the Greater Washington, D.C. region, you can contact the Equal Rights Center. Or, if you already made a request but it went unanswered or was unfairly denied, ERC may be able to advocate on your behalf. Call 202-234-3062 or email info@equalrightscenter.org.

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If you believe you may have experienced housing discrimination in the Greater Washington, D.C. region, you can contact the Equal Rights Center. To report your experience, please call 202-234-3062 or email info@equalrightscenter.org.

The information contained in this publication is not legal advice and should not be construed as such. For legal advice, please contact an attorney.