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General equipment information only, not medical advice. Fitting, setup and use for a specific person are decided by their healthcare provider.
What is a transfer bench? Short answer
A transfer bench is a bathing aid that straddles the side of a bathtub so a person can sit outside the tub and then move across into it. It is used for showering or bathing safely and for entering and exiting a bathtub. Its legs are adjustable in height and, on most models, the maker sets a maximum weight capacity.
Definition and scope
Health New Zealand describes a transfer bench as “a tool used for showering or bathing safely.” The Canadian Red Cross says the bath transfer bench “is used to assist you in entering and exiting a bathtub.” Both describe a bench that is part of the bathing routine of a person who has difficulty stepping over a tub wall.
Health New Zealand notes that an occupational therapist makes sure a person gets a bench that is right for them. This page covers what the equipment is and how these two public sources describe its setup and care. It does not tell any individual which bench to use or how to transfer.
How does a transfer bench work?
The Canadian Red Cross instructions describe a bench with a handle and spring-button leg adjustment. Health New Zealand describes adjustable legs, suction feet and a removable backrest. The adjustable legs are what make it work on a tub, because the floor inside a tub is usually higher than the bathroom floor.
- Two legs outside, two inside. The Red Cross instructions place two legs over the tub wall, with the legs inside the tub as close to the far wall as possible and the handle on the same side as that wall.
- Legs set to the floor. Because the tub floor is usually higher, the two inside legs are set to one height and the two outside legs to another so the bench is approximately level. The legs must reach the floor and the bench should not rest on the tub wall. Health New Zealand likewise says to set the legs at a height for the person using the bench and so it is level.
- Spring buttons. Height is adjusted with a spring button in each leg. The Red Cross says the buttons must protrude fully through the adjustment holes; Health New Zealand says they must be completely popped out.
- Suction feet. Health New Zealand describes putting the bench with the handle and suction feet in the bath and checking the suction cups hold it firmly in place.
- Removable backrest. Health New Zealand says you can remove the backrest if you do not need it.
What is a transfer bench used for?
Bathtub entry and exit
The Canadian Red Cross states the purpose plainly: the bath transfer bench is used to assist you in entering and exiting a bathtub. Its instructions are guidelines only and are meant to be used as instructed by the user’s healthcare provider.
Showering
Health New Zealand also covers using the bench in a shower and says to check that there is enough room to get your legs into the shower when you are sitting on the bench.
Transfer bench versus related bath equipment
Product names vary, so the clearest public dividing line is the CMS HCPCS Level II descriptor (October 2026 file, as reported in CASRAI’s shower chair HCPCS guide). The descriptor, not the marketing name, is what the code system matches.
| Equipment | HCPCS code | CMS descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| Bath or shower chair | E0240 | Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size |
| Tub stool or bench | E0245 | Tub stool or bench |
| Transfer bench | E0247 | Transfer bench for tub or toilet with or without commode opening |
| Heavy duty transfer bench | E0248 | Transfer bench, heavy duty, for tub or toilet with or without commode opening |
The transfer bench descriptor names “tub or toilet”, so it is not limited to bathtubs in the coding system. The CASRAI guide lists the coverage letter in the CMS file for E0247 and E0248; this page does not repeat or interpret coverage rules.
Setup and care checks from two public-health sources
Staff who review bathroom equipment can use this cross-walk of what each source says to check about the equipment itself. A dash means that source does not state the item.
| Check | Health New Zealand | Canadian Red Cross |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | Suction cups must hold the bench firmly in place | Always test the bench for stability before use |
| Level and leg height | Legs set for the user and so the bench is level | Inside legs matched, outside legs matched, bench approximately level, legs reach the floor, bench not resting on the tub wall |
| Adjustment buttons | Buttons completely popped out | Spring buttons protrude fully through the adjustment holes |
| Room | Enough room to get legs into the shower while seated | – |
| Weight capacity | Most transfer benches have a maximum weight capacity | – |
| Cleaning | – | Wipe dry after every use; wash with mild soapy water; avoid abrasive cleaners |
| Returned equipment | – | Equipment returned to the Red Cross should be clean and in good condition |
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
- Selection sits with a clinician. Health New Zealand has an occupational therapist match the bench to the person, so a facility checklist should record who made that match rather than assume one size suits all.
- Capacity is model-specific. Health New Zealand confirms a maximum weight capacity exists but gives no figure, so the figure comes from the maker’s rating for the model in hand.
- Care is routine. The Red Cross wipe-down after each use and mild soapy wash are the cleaning instructions it gives; local infection-control policy governs anything beyond that.
- Checklists. Benches appear in facility supply lists such as the assisted living facility supply checklist. For the related lifting device codes see the Hoyer lift HCPCS guide, and for fixed shower seating requirements see the ADA shower seat guide.
Common misunderstandings
- “It is just a shower chair.” In the CMS file a bath/shower chair (E0240), a tub stool or bench (E0245) and a transfer bench (E0247) are separate descriptors.
- “Any height works.” Both sources say the legs are set so the bench is level, with the buttons fully engaged.
- “Once installed, it needs no check.” The Red Cross says to test stability before use, and Health New Zealand says to make sure the suction cups hold the bench firmly in place.
FAQ
How does a transfer bench work?
It straddles the tub wall with two legs inside and two outside, set to heights that make the seat approximately level (Canadian Red Cross).
What is a transfer bench used for?
Showering or bathing safely (Health New Zealand) and entering and exiting a bathtub (Canadian Red Cross).
Is a transfer bench the same as a shower chair?
No, not in the CMS code set: a transfer bench (E0247) and a bath/shower chair (E0240) have different descriptors. See the shower chair HCPCS guide.
Sources
- Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, “Set up and use a transfer bench”, https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/conditions-treatments/home-equipment/set-up-and-use-a-transfer-bench (page last updated 22 July 2026; checked 2026-10-30).
- Canadian Red Cross, “Instructions for care and use of a bath transfer bench” (PDF), https://cdn.redcross.ca/prodmedia/crc/documents/How-We-Help/Community-Health-Services-in-Canada/Instructions-for-care-and-use-of-a-bath-transfer-bench.pdf (checked 2026-10-30).
- CMS HCPCS Level II, October 2026 file, descriptors E0240, E0245, E0247 and E0248, as listed in /guides/shower-chair-hcpcs-code (checked 2026-10-30).
