Porch lifts in Fort Lauderdale

Who this is for

Porch lifts suit wheelchair users in homes with a raised porch or front door, small front yards, and homes where a long ramp would cover the garden or the driveway.

Do porch lifts in Fort Lauderdale need a permit?

Wheelchair lifts in private residences are outside Florida's elevator law. Broward's Elevator Section handles the conveyances the law covers, such as a lift at a condo entrance, so a shared-area lift goes through the county. For a lift at your own home, check with your building department.

Broward is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so outdoor platform lift enclosures, gates and canopies need product approvals that meet the stricter rules.[6][7][8]

Older Fort Lauderdale homes and porch lifts

Fort Lauderdale has some of the oldest housing in South Florida: about 64 percent of homes were built before 1980 and the median home dates from 1973. Older block homes can need extra framing, wider doorways or electrical upgrades before a lift goes in.

Only about 33 percent of Fort Lauderdale homes are detached houses, against 40 percent across Broward. Where a canal-side house has its garage at street level and bedrooms above, a compact elevator or a stair lift on the garage stair is usually the shortlist.

About 19 percent of Broward residents are 65 or older. Fort Lauderdale's older housing means many homes have steps at the entrance as well as inside.[2][3][4]

Help paying for a porch lift in Broward

Porch lifts are excluded from the VA's HISA benefit, but eligible veterans can ask about the Special Home Adaptation grant (up to $25,350 in fiscal year 2026) through the Miami VA health care system, which has Broward clinics in Sunrise, Hollywood and Deerfield Beach. Broward's Medicaid long-term care screening line is (954) 745-9567.[9][10][5][11]

What is different about a home lift in Broward?

Broward and Miami-Dade are the two Florida counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. That matters most for outdoor elevators and porch lifts, whose enclosures, doors and glazing must meet the stricter product rules. Waterfront and canal-side homes should also check their flood zone, because FEMA expects a float switch or equal system on any elevator that could descend below the base flood elevation.

Heavy rain floods low streets here too: on April 12 and 13, 2023, the National Weather Service measured more than 20 inches of rain near Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and found still water just over 3 feet deep in Edgewood. Any elevator pit, porch lift base or battery in a low spot needs a plan for that.[8][12][18]

Permits in Fort Lauderdale

• Broward County Building Code Division, Elevator Section: Handles elevator permits and certificates of operation in Broward under contract with the state for conveyances the law covers.
• City of Fort Lauderdale and other Broward cities: Issue local building and electrical permits for work inside homes. Your installer confirms the route for your address.

How long would a ramp be instead?

Fixr says the ADA recommends a slope no steeper than 1:12 for new construction and requires a rest or turn platform every 30 feet, that turn platforms need to be at least 5 by 5 feet, and that ramps should be at least 36 inches wide. For a home three feet up, that adds up quickly. Fixr puts typical ramp costs at $1,700 to $5,000.[1]

Can a porch lift count as a medical expense?

IRS Publication 502 lists installing porch lifts and other forms of lifts among home improvements that can count as medical expenses, with only the part of total medical expenses above 7.5% of adjusted gross income deductible. The VA's HISA benefit, on the other hand, excludes porch lifts. Talk to a tax professional before relying on any deduction.[19][9]

Frequently asked questions