Disability Car Ownership Guide: What You Need to Know About Buying, Owning, and Keeping a Vehicle on Benefits
- Purple
- 21 minutes ago
- 3 min read
If you’re on SSI, SSDI, or another form of disability support, owning a car is often essential — for getting to appointments, groceries, work, or just living independently. But many people are unsure about the rules:
Can I buy a car while on disability? Will it affect my benefits? What if someone gifts me a car?
This guide answers the most common questions about car ownership for people with disabilities and their families.
We’ll cover:
Can you own a car while on SSI or SSDI?
What counts against the $2,000 SSI limit
How many vehicles are allowed
What to know when buying or receiving a car
How Purple helps you stay compliant while managing your money
1. Can You Own a Car While on Disability Benefits?
Yes. Both SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) allow you to own a car.
SSDI has no asset limit, so you can own one or more cars without risking your benefits.
SSI, however, limits countable resources to $2,000 per person — but allows one vehicle to be excluded from that limit if it’s used for transportation.
✅ You can own a car while on disability. The rules just depend on which program you’re in.
2. How Cars Affect the SSI $2,000 Limit
SSI counts money and most property as “resources.” But one vehicle used for personal transportation is not counted — no matter the value.
This means you could own a car worth $500 or $50,000, and it still wouldn’t count toward your asset limit if:
You or someone in your household uses it
It’s not sitting idle or held just for value
Additional vehicles do count, unless they’re needed for medical transport or another qualifying exception.
3. How Many Cars Can You Own?
Here’s the general breakdown:
SSI: You can own one vehicle that is excluded from the $2,000 limit
SSDI: No restrictions on vehicle ownership
Other programs (like Medicaid Waivers) may also consider vehicle value, depending on your state
So if you’re on SSI only, be careful — a second car, even if not running, may push you over the limit.
4. Buying, Receiving, or Gifting a Car on Disability
You can buy a car using your own funds, but you’ll want to plan carefully:
Don’t exceed the $2,000 limit when saving up
ABLE accounts are a good way to save over the limit legally
If someone gives you a car, it usually doesn’t count as income — unless they give you cash instead
Tips:
Get documentation showing the car is for your personal use
Register it in your name (or your rep payee’s name if applicable)
Avoid titling it jointly unless necessary
5. How Purple Helps You Own a Car — and Keep Your Benefits
Purple is a banking solution designed for the disability community. Whether you’re saving for a vehicle or already own one, Purple helps you:
Track your balance to avoid SSI limits
Get your SSI or SSDI up to 4 days early¹
Separate money into savings and spending
Manage funds if you’re a rep payee or ABLE account holder
Store car-related documents or receipts with your account
Purple is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by OMB Bank, Member FDIC. The Purple Mastercard® Debit Card is issued by OMB Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license from Mastercard.
¹ Early access is not guaranteed and depends on payer timing. We generally make funds available on the day we receive the payment file, which may be up to 4 days early for government benefits like SSI or SSDI, and up to 2 days early for other deposits. Early access is available at no additional cost.
² See our fee schedule for complete details