The short answer
Possibly, in part. IRS Publication 502 lets a medical home improvement count as a medical expense, minus any increase in your home’s value – and the IRS notes that “elevators generally add value to the house.” Only total medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income are deductible, and only if you itemize. Upkeep can count too.
Checked September 2026. Every figure on this page names its publisher and date.
What IRS Publication 502 says
“You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for special equipment installed in a home or for improvements if their main purpose is medical care for you, your spouse, or your dependent.” But for a permanent improvement that raises your property’s value, “the cost of the improvement is reduced by the increase in the value of your property.” If the value does not go up, “the entire cost is included.”
Elevators are singled out. Publication 502 lists porch lifts and other lifts among improvements that usually do not add value – “but elevators generally add value to the house.” So expect to subtract some increase in value.
Source: IRS Publication 502, 2025.
A worked example
| Illustrative example | Amount |
|---|---|
| Elevator installed for a medical reason | $40,000 |
| Increase in home value (from an appraisal) | – $15,000 |
| Counts as a medical expense | $25,000 |
| 7.5% of an adjusted gross income of $80,000 | – $6,000 |
| Deductible, if you itemize and have no other medical expenses | $19,000 |
The numbers are made up to show the arithmetic, not typical values. Only medical and dental expenses above 7.5% of adjusted gross income are deductible, on Schedule A.
Source: IRS Publication 502, 2025.
Running costs can count too
“Amounts you pay for operation and upkeep of a capital asset qualify as medical expenses as long as the main reason for them is medical care” – even if the installation cost itself was reduced by the rise in value. That can include the elevator’s maintenance. What maintenance costs.
Source: IRS Publication 502, 2025.
What to keep
- A note from your doctor on why the elevator is needed.
- The installer’s itemised invoice.
- An appraisal of the home’s value before and after.
- Receipts for maintenance and repairs.
General information from IRS Publication 502 (2025), not tax advice. Ask a tax professional about your own return.
Questions
Tax deduction: quick answers
Is a home elevator tax deductible?
Partly, when its main purpose is medical care. IRS Publication 502 counts the cost minus any increase in the home’s value as a medical expense, and only expenses above 7.5% of AGI are deductible.
Do I need a doctor's note to deduct an elevator?
Publication 502 requires that the main purpose is medical care. A doctor’s written recommendation is the usual way to show that – ask a tax professional what your return needs.
Can I deduct home elevator maintenance?
Yes, if the main reason is medical care: Publication 502 says operation and upkeep of a capital asset qualify as medical expenses.
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