Life is tough enough without having to stare at a form issued by the government. If you or your child or someone you care for has a disability, you might have heard that the NDIS can open funded supports, but the first step is like a locked door.
This guide breaks down the process of applying for NDIS in Australia in easy-to-follow, plain language steps from eligibility to what happens after the application, broken down into steps. It is based on the official NDIS guidelines as of October 2026.
The Purpose of the NDIS
The purpose of the NDIS will change over time. The purpose of the NDIS will evolve over time.
The NDIS is intended to help Australians with permanent and significant disability, and not all people with a health condition. Health, education, employment and income support systems have their own responsibilities, and as such, the same national rules apply to all applicants across all states and territories.
Those rules are based on impairment, not diagnosis. The NDIS takes into account how the permanent impairment impacts an individual’s life rather than the diagnosis stated on a medical certificate.
The Core Requirements: Three Gates to Pass
The Core Requirements are the three gates that must be passed before embarking on a journey. There are three gates to pass in order to be a participant.
Learning about the eligibility criteria for the NDIS begins here:
1. Age
Must be under 65 at the time of application. If your 65th birthday is near, reach the NDIS early to ensure that your application is submitted early.
2. Residence
Must reside in Australia and be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have a protected Special Category visa (e.g. some NZ citizens).
3. Disability or Early Intervention
The disability requirements and/or the early intervention requirements must be met.
The first two gates are generally quite simple, particularly if you agree to the NDIS looking at your Centrelink details. The third is where the majority of thinking and the majority of evidence occurs.
Decoding the Disability Requirements
The NDIS will require evidence to support the disability requirements, which include evidence of all of the following:
- One or more of your impairments causes your disability.
- Your handicap is, or is likely to be, permanent.
- It significantly impacts your ability to communicate, socialise, learn, move, care for yourself or take care of your life.
- It interferes with your work, school/school activities or social life.
- You are likely to need NDIS supports for your lifetime.
Permanent means enduring. If known, available, appropriate and evidence-based treatments will be likely to correct the impairment/shortfall, the NDIS is unlikely to consider it a permanent impairment.
If your conditions are changing, such as multiple sclerosis or psychosocial disability, you may still be eligible as the NDIS considers the whole of your life.
There are six types of impairments:
- Intellectual
- Cognitive
- Neurological
- Sensory
- Physical
- Psychosocial
The NDIS also keeps lists of conditions that are likely to satisfy the requirements, including moderate to profound intellectual disability, and blindness in both eyes.
Having a listed condition helps, but NOT having a listed condition doesn’t preclude you.
Early Intervention: A Different Door
A book about how Early Intervention is a different door when it is opened.
Early intervention can help individuals who do not require NDIS supports throughout their lives, but who will benefit from having support now that will help lower their need for support in the future.
Permanent or likely permanent impairment may be achieved when the likely permanent supports would not substantially reduce the effects or would prevent the decrease or would provide support for developing the skills of those who provide support.
A developmental delay in a child under 6 could qualify if the delay significantly affects their ability to perform when compared to other children of the same age, and requires a team of professionals, typically for more than 12 months.
Individuals in the 0-25 age group who have a certain level of hearing loss can also be eligible.
The NDIS supports families to begin with an early childhood partner, even if a child does not meet the criteria, to support them to achieve the best outcomes.
Your Paperwork Toolkit: Evidence That Actually Counts
Applications are won or delayed in evidence! Commit to collecting three different types prior to bedtime:
1. Identity and Residence
Identification documents and either Centrelink consent or other evidence of living in Australia.
2. Evidence of Permanent Impairment
Typically from a doctor or specialist, for example, a GP, paediatrician, neurologist or psychiatrist. It can be of any age.
3. Functional Impact of Evidence
The reality of daily life, typically from an OT, speech/language therapist or psychologist. Normally, it should be the past year. The NDIS would like to have a treating professional who has known about you for at least 6 months, has a qualification in their profession and has experience in talking about your impairment.
In everyday terms, a letter explaining what you can and can’t do without help takes precedence over a lengthy diagnosis summary. If you are in a remote location and not able to access the appropriate professional, let the NDIS know, as an Aboriginal medical service or community-controlled organisation may be able to support you.
How to Apply for the NDIS – 5 Steps From First Call to Final Answer
Step 1: Get Connected With an NDIS Partner
Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 or visit your local office.
Early childhood services are available to children under 9 years of age, and First Nations people may reach out to First Nations Connect at 1800 411 640.
Step 2: Gather Your Evidence
Be sure to make an appointment with your treating professional and provide them with what the NDIS requires.
Step 3: Complete Your Application
You can use an access request form, or your partner can help you to complete it.
Step 4: Submit It
It can be sent on your behalf by your partner, or you can use the NDIS service hub, post to GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601, or drop it off at your local office.
Step 5: Don’t Take Any Action Until You Get the Answer
The NDIS considers your information and sends you a letter with the result.
Have a support person attend any meeting.
While You Wait, What Will You Do?
After your application, the NDIS tries to inform you within 21 days whether or not you are eligible. The statutory period is 90 days, and your letter will indicate your decision-by date.
If you need to provide more information, you will have 90 days to do so and may request additional time. Once you have responded, the NDIS will have 14 days to determine or re-question.
Urgent Situations Move Quicker
Priority decisions are made within 2-5 business days in cases where someone has left hospital without support in place, imminent risk of homelessness, or a rapid deterioration in their condition, for example, if they have a motor neurone disease or a terminal illness.
State explicitly when applying.
If the Answer Is Not Yet “Yes”
A not-eligible decision is not a final decision. The NDIS will provide an explanation for their reasons.
You have 3 months to request a review by a different member of staff within the school after receiving the letter, and you can also request a review by the Administrative Review Tribunal if the letter does not convince you.
You can reapply at any time after you apply, if your situation changes or you have new evidence, but as long as you are under 65 and no review is ongoing.
Common Mistakes Made in Applications That Are Noticed at the Time of Submission
- Functional evidence that is more than 12 months old may have less weight.
- An information report from a professional who doesn’t know you very well or is not the correct professional.
- A diagnostic letter that provides little information about everyday life.
- Failure to submit identity documents or the consent from Centrelink.
- Leaving the application until just before your 65th birthday.
Read your documents before lodging as an assessor would read them. Do they exhibit permanence, everyday occurrence and need for supports?
If you’re not sure how to avoid these pitfalls when claiming an NDIS plan, have your partner check the evidence first.
Changes to the NDIS: What Applicants Need to Know
This section is intended for both new and existing applicants. This section is for both old and new applicants. The Government states that there will be no changes until 1 January 2028 to how people access the NDIS while the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 is in force from August 2026.
Applicants from this point on are expected to undergo a standardised functional capacity assessment. Children aged 8 and younger with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs should be expected to continue to the Thriving Kids program, and children with high support needs should continue to be eligible.
For the time being, eligibility for the NDIS will be determined by the rules in this guide, and clear evidence of the effects on the day-to-day will only be of greater value.
After the Yes: What Comes Next
You become a participant when the NDIS decides that you are eligible on the day they make their decision. Your letter means that you will know whether you met the disability criteria, the early intervention criteria and/or both criteria, and you will be given a list of your impairment categories.
The NDIS will begin developing your plan within 21 days of you becoming a participant and your first plan will be endorsed within 56 days after you become a participant.
Your Next Move Starts With One Phone Call
The NDIS can be like a maze, but it’s actually not that long to traverse. Provide proof of age and whereabouts, documentation of permanent impairment and ongoing impact, and file through your NDIS support and/or access request form.
Having read about applying for NDIS and what it means to be eligible, select one small task to complete for this week – even if it’s booking a doctor’s appointment or calling 1800 800 110. If you want some help figuring out where to start, contact us, and we can discuss it with you.
FAQ’s
Who Can Access the NDIS in Australia?
Applicants must be under 65 years of age at the time of application, an Australian citizen or permanent resident or a protected Special Category visa holder and must have a disability or need for early intervention. Do not judge eligibility based on diagnosis alone – it depends on the impact permanent impairment has on a person’s ability to participate in their daily lives.
How Do I Apply for the NDIS?
The most straightforward explanation of how to apply for NDIS is 5 steps:
- Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 to meet with an NDIS partner.
- Collect evidence from your treating professional.
- Fill in the access request form.
- Submit the form online or in writing or face-to-face.
- Wait for a decision.
Do I Need a Diagnosis to Get on the NDIS?
There is no specific diagnosis. The NDIS will make a decision on the basis of your permanent impairments and how they impact your life. It’s more likely to be approved if you have evidence from a treating professional about your functional capacity, but conditions on its published lists mean approval is more likely.
How Long Does an NDIS Application Take?
The NDIS has a timeframe of 21 days (max 90 days) to determine if there are sufficient reasons to approve your application. Urgent cases (e.g. where supports are needed for hospital discharge) are determined within 2 to 5 business days.
What Evidence Is Required to Put in an Application for an NDIS?
A doctor or specialist’s evidence of permanent impairment, a treating professional’s evidence of functional capacity of the past 12 months, identity documents and Centrelink consent or proof of residency in Australia are required.
May I Have Someone Apply for the NDIS for Me?
Yes. Children under 18 apply with parents/carers. An authorised representative, guardian or a person with power of attorney may apply on behalf of adults. You can also get information together from the family, friends, carers and support workers.
What Will Happen if My Application to the NDIS Is Denied?
The NDIS will provide an explanation for its reasons. An internal review can be made within three months, and the Administrative Review Tribunal can be requested to conduct an external review. We will also be reopening the application process if there is no review process and your circumstances or evidence change.
