When a loved one recovers, moves to a facility, or passes away, families are often left with a hospital bed, wheelchair, or other equipment and a practical question: can we sell this, and is it even legal? The short answer is that you usually can resell many common items, but it depends on what the device is, whether you actually own it, and your duty to pass it on safely. This guide explains the rules clearly, shows you where to sell or donate, and helps you avoid the legal and safety pitfalls that catch families off guard.
Before anything else, confirm that the equipment is yours to sell. This trips up more families than any legal technicality. Much home medical equipment is rented rather than owned, especially through insurance. Medicare, for example, typically rents a hospital bed for a capped period before ownership transfers to the patient, so a bed still within that rental window legally belongs to the supplier, not the family. Equipment provided by hospice is almost always loaned and must be returned, not sold.
So your first step is to determine ownership. If you purchased the equipment outright, it is yours to sell or donate. If it came through Medicare and the rental-to-purchase period is complete, it is likely yours. If it is still being rented, or was supplied by hospice or a home-health agency, contact the provider to arrange return; selling equipment you do not own can create real legal problems. Only once ownership is clear should you move to the question of whether a particular item can be resold.
The single most important distinction in reselling medical equipment is whether the device required a prescription. Non-prescription durable medical equipment, manual wheelchairs, walkers, canes, hospital beds, overbed tables, and similar items, can generally be resold by a private individual. These are the items families most often have, and reselling them person to person is typically permitted, subject to your state’s rules.
Prescription devices are a different matter. Items like CPAP and BiPAP machines, infusion pumps, and certain other regulated devices are restricted; a CPAP, for instance, is an FDA Class II device that requires a prescription, and selling one on a public marketplace is generally prohibited, with resale limited to authorized providers.1 The reason is safety: these devices require proper fitting, settings, and oversight. If you are unsure whether an item is prescription-restricted, treat it as restricted until you confirm otherwise, and route it through an authorized channel or donation program rather than a public sale.
It helps to sort typical home equipment into clear categories. Generally resalable (non-prescription, if owned and in good condition): hospital beds and frames, manual wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, canes, crutches, overbed tables, transfer benches, commodes (thoroughly cleaned), shower chairs, and most mobility aids. These are the items families most often have, and private resale is usually allowed.
Restricted or prohibited from casual resale: CPAP and BiPAP machines and their masks, oxygen concentrators and oxygen equipment, infusion and feeding pumps, nebulizers in some jurisdictions, and any device dispensed by prescription or regulated as higher-risk. These should go through authorized suppliers or specialized programs, not public sales. Never resell single-use or disposable items, opened incontinence supplies, used wound-care materials, or anything intended for one-time use, both for legal and infection-control reasons; unopened, unexpired disposables can often be donated instead. When an item falls in a gray area, the safe default is to donate through a program equipped to handle it, or to ask the original supplier.
Even when reselling is legal, you take on responsibilities. You should only pass on equipment that is in safe, working condition, and you must be honest about any wear, damage, or functional problems. This is not just etiquette; it is a genuine safety matter. Research estimates hundreds of thousands of medical-device-associated adverse events occur annually, with a large share happening at home, and a meaningful fraction leading to hospitalization.2 Faulty or misrepresented equipment can cause real harm to the next user.
Cleaning matters too. Studies of “non-critical” devices like blood pressure cuffs and similar items have found high contamination rates, so any equipment that contacts the body should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before transfer.3 One caution: simple cleaning and minor repair are fine, but significantly altering a device’s safety or performance can legally count as “remanufacturing” under FDA rules, which triggers manufacturer-level obligations.4 In practice, clean and lightly maintain equipment for resale, but do not attempt major modifications.
If your equipment is owned, non-prescription, and in safe condition, you have several outlets. Local options are often easiest: medical-equipment resale shops, consignment stores, and some durable-medical-equipment suppliers buy or take used items. Senior centers, independent-living centers, and community boards can connect you with buyers nearby. An online search for companies that buy used medical equipment turns up specialized resellers, and the broader market is substantial, the pre-owned medical-device market is large and growing, reflecting genuine, legitimate demand for reused equipment.5
Be aware, though, that the big consumer platforms restrict medical listings. Craigslist does not permit the sale of medical devices at all, eBay prohibits prescription medical devices, and Facebook Marketplace restricts medical and healthcare product listings. Many families are surprised when a listing is removed. For non-prescription items, specialized medical-resale sites and local channels are usually more reliable than general marketplaces. Whatever the venue, price fairly, describe condition honestly, and keep a simple record of the sale.
For many families, donating used equipment is simpler, safer, and more rewarding than selling, and it can carry a financial benefit too. Donations of equipment to qualified 501(c)(3) charities are generally tax-deductible at fair market value, with documentation required for larger gifts.6 That deduction, combined with the ease of simply handing equipment to an organization that handles the rest, often makes donation more attractive than the effort of a private sale.
The impact is real. Nonprofit durable-medical-equipment reuse programs collect, refurbish, and redistribute used devices to people who need them, with some programs having redistributed tens of thousands of items and returned millions of dollars in value to their communities while keeping equipment out of landfills.7 Recipients of donated equipment, hospices, churches, Veterans Affairs facilities, Centers for Independent Living, and charities such as MedShare, Project CURE, Med-Eq, and Goodwill, get equipment into the hands of families who cannot otherwise afford it. Donation turns a difficult moment into a meaningful one.
When equipment is left behind after a death, the emotional weight makes the decision harder, but the same framework applies. First, confirm ownership and arrange the return of anything that was rented or hospice-provided. For owned, non-prescription items in good condition, decide between selling and donating; many families find donation the more comforting choice, knowing the equipment will help another family the way it helped theirs.
Take a little time rather than rushing. Clean the equipment, gather any manuals or accessories, and photograph items if you plan to sell. If the estate is being formally settled, coordinate with the executor, since significant equipment may be part of the estate. And do not overlook the option of keeping versatile items, a quality adjustable bed or wheelchair may serve another family member down the road. There is no single right answer, only the one that fits your circumstances and feels respectful of your loved one.
A little preparation makes equipment safer to pass on and more likely to be accepted. Start by cleaning and disinfecting every surface that contacts the body, following the manufacturer’s guidance; this protects the next user and is expected by reputable buyers and charities. Inspect and test the item, confirm that motors, brakes, wheels, and adjustments work, and set aside anything broken or unsafe rather than passing on a hazard. Gather the extras, manuals, remotes, chargers, and original accessories add value and usability.
Then document honestly: note the age, brand, model, and any wear, and take clear photos if selling. For donations, ask the receiving organization in advance what they accept and how they want it delivered, since policies vary. Keep a simple record of where the item went, and for tax-deductible donations, obtain a receipt and note the fair market value. None of this takes long, and it transforms a pile of leftover equipment into something genuinely useful and safe for the family who receives it next.
This whole topic offers a quiet lesson for anyone purchasing equipment now: quality, durable equipment holds its value, serves more than one person over its life, and is far easier to responsibly resell or donate later. A well-built adjustable bed from a reputable maker can be cleaned, passed on, and used again for years, whereas a flimsy item may be worth little and harder to place. When you invest in equipment like a SonderCare hospital bed, you are buying something that retains usefulness and value well beyond a single episode of care, which is worth remembering when weighing upfront cost. Our guide to equipment for caring for an elderly person at home covers building a setup that lasts.
Can I sell a hospital bed I got through Medicare? Only if the rental-to-purchase period is complete and ownership has transferred to you; otherwise it still belongs to the supplier. Is it illegal to sell a used CPAP? Selling one on public marketplaces is generally prohibited because it is a prescription device; route it through an authorized provider. Do I need a license to sell my own equipment? Retail or commercial resale is regulated and often requires a license, but a one-off personal sale of your own owned, non-prescription item usually does not, though you should check your state. What’s the safest option if I’m unsure? Donate to a qualified nonprofit reuse program, which handles the legal and safety details for you and may give you a tax deduction.
Yes, you can usually resell home medical equipment, provided you own it, it is not a prescription-restricted device, and it is in safe, honestly described condition. Confirm ownership first (rented and hospice equipment must be returned), keep prescription devices out of public sales, clean and lightly maintain items, and use specialized resale channels rather than general marketplaces that ban medical listings. For many families, donating to a qualified charity or reuse program is the simplest, safest, and most rewarding path, often with a tax benefit attached. Whichever path you choose, handling the equipment responsibly and honestly honors both the next user’s safety and the spirit of your loved one’s care.