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General reference information, not medical advice. Choosing equipment for an individual wheelchair user belongs to that person’s clinician and supplier.
Short answer
A wheelchair accessory is, in U.S. regulatory terms, a device intended for medical purposes that is sold separately from a wheelchair and meets the specific needs of a patient who uses one (21 CFR 890.3910). FDA classifies wheelchair accessories as Class I, and most are exempt from premarket notification. Parts such as cushions, armrests and footrests fall under a neighbouring category, wheelchair components (21 CFR 890.3920).
Definition and scope
The Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 890.3910, defines a wheelchair accessory as a device intended for medical purposes that is sold separately from a wheelchair and is intended to meet the specific needs of a patient who uses a wheelchair. The regulation’s examples, which it says are not exhaustive, are the armboard, lapboard, pusher cuff, crutch and cane holder, overhead suspension sling, head and trunk support, and blanket and leg rest strap.
This page uses that regulatory meaning. Retailers and manufacturers often use “accessories” more loosely for anything that attaches to or is used with a chair, so a catalog heading is not the same as FDA’s category.
Accessory or component: the line FDA draws
FDA’s regulation for wheelchair components, 21 CFR 890.3920, describes a device for medical purposes that is generally sold as an integral part of a wheelchair, but may also be sold separately as a replacement part. Its listed examples are the armrest, narrowing attachment, belt, extension brake, curb climber, cushion, antitip device, footrest, handrim, hill holder, leg rest, heel loops and toe loops.
The practical consequence is that several items people casually call accessories, including cushions, anti-tip devices and footrests, are classified by FDA as components. A lap board, by contrast, is an accessory.
Types by FDA classification
The table below is drawn from FDA’s own regulation text and its device classification database, queried on 2026-10-30. Every row shows the FDA product name, the three-letter product code, the regulation and the device class as FDA lists them.
| Item | FDA product name (code) | Regulation | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lap board | Board, Lap, Wheelchair (IMX) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Armboard | Armboard, Wheelchair (IMY) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Head and trunk support | Support, Head And Trunk, Wheelchair (IMS) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Crutch and cane holder | Holder, Crutch And Cane, Wheelchair (IMZ) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Pusher cuff | Cuff, Pusher, Wheelchair (INC) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Overhead suspension sling | Sling, Overhead Suspension, Wheelchair (INE) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Non-protective restraint | Restraint, Wheelchair, Non-Protective (KID) | 890.3910 accessory | I |
| Cushion | Cushion, Wheelchair (IMP) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Armrest | Armrest, Wheelchair (IML) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Footrest | Footrest, Wheelchair (IMM) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Handrim | Handrim, Wheelchair (IMO) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Brake extension | Brake, Extension, Wheelchair (IMW) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Anti-tip device | Device, Anti-Tip, Wheelchair (IMR) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Belt | Belt, Wheelchair (IQB) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Hill holder | Hill Holder, Wheelchair (INA) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Commode attachment | Attachment, Commode, Wheelchair (INB) | 890.3920 component | I |
| Curb climber | Climber, Curb, Wheelchair (IMN) | 890.3920 component | I |
For context, FDA lists the mechanical wheelchair itself (890.3850, code IOR) as Class I and the powered wheelchair (890.3860, code ITI) as Class II. Accessories and components attached to either are listed separately and are Class I.
What Class I and the exemptions mean
Under 21 CFR 890.3910, wheelchair accessories are Class I, which means general controls. If the device is not intended for use as a protective restraint as defined in 21 CFR 880.6760, it is exempt from premarket notification (510(k)), subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 890.9. It is also exempt from the quality management system requirements of part 820, except for requirements concerning records and complaint files under 820.35.
Wheelchair components under 21 CFR 890.3920 are also Class I and exempt from premarket notification, subject to the limitations in 890.9. The accessory regulation carves out protective restraints from its exemption; the component regulation contains no such carve-out.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
- Reading a product record. The regulation number and product code come from FDA’s listing, not from the word “accessory” in a catalog. A seat cushion and a lap board look similar in a product list but sit under different regulations.
- Restraint-type items. FDA’s accessory regulation singles out devices intended as protective restraints. FDA’s product list also carries a separate non-protective restraint code (KID) under the same regulation.
- The chair sets the context. A mechanical chair is Class I and a powered chair is Class II, so the class of the chair and the class of its add-ons are not the same question. For chair types and parts, see what a wheelchair is, power chair dimensions and the transport and standard wheelchair comparison.
- Broader equipment lists. Wheelchairs and related items also appear in the durable medical equipment list; the general regulatory frame for such products is in what is a medical device.
Common misunderstandings
“Accessory” means optional or unregulated
Wheelchair accessories are medical devices under 21 CFR 890.3910 and are subject to FDA general controls. The exemption is from premarket notification, not from regulation.
Class I means no rules apply
Class I means general controls apply. The accessory regulation also exempts the device from part 820 requirements only “except for requirements concerning records and complaint files.”
Every add-on is an accessory
FDA places cushions, armrests, footrests, belts and anti-tip devices under components, not accessories, even though they are commonly sold separately.
FAQ
What are wheelchair accessories?
Under 21 CFR 890.3910, they are medical devices sold separately from a wheelchair that meet the specific needs of a wheelchair user, such as lap boards, armboards, pusher cuffs, crutch and cane holders, head and trunk supports and overhead suspension slings.
Are cushions wheelchair accessories?
In FDA’s classification, no. A wheelchair cushion (code IMP) is listed under wheelchair components, 21 CFR 890.3920, as a Class I device. Everyday catalog language often calls it an accessory.
Does FDA regulate wheelchair accessories?
Yes. They are Class I devices subject to general controls. Unless an item is intended as a protective restraint, it is exempt from premarket notification.
Is a lap belt the same as a lap board?
No. FDA lists a belt (code IQB) as a component under 890.3920 and a lap board (code IMX) as an accessory under 890.3910.
Sources
- 21 CFR 890.3910, Wheelchair accessory. Cornell Legal Information Institute, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/890.3910. Checked 2026-10-30.
- 21 CFR 890.3920, Wheelchair component. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/890.3920. Checked 2026-10-30.
- openFDA device classification database, query for wheelchair device names, https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json?search=device_name:wheelchair. Queried 2026-10-30.
