Apply to the NDIS

The rules about who is eligible for the NDIS don’t change with our new computer system.

If you want to become an NDIS participant and get supports through an NDIS plan, there are some requirements you need to meet. You need to be:

• younger than 65 when you apply
• an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• living in Australia
• able to meet the disability or early intervention requirements.

You may be eligible under the disability requirements if you have one or more impairments that are likely to be permanent and this substantially impacts your ability to do daily life activities. 

Your impairment must also affect your social life, or your ability to work or study, and you must be likely to need support under the NDIS for your whole life.

Or, you may be eligible under the early intervention requirements if you have one or more impairments that are likely to be permanent and supports would help you by reducing your need for supports in the future. There are different requirements for children younger than 6 with developmental delay to meet the early intervention requirements.

When you call our National Contact Centre to ask about disability supports, or your eligibility for the NDIS, we’ll refer you to an NDIS local area coordinator or early childhood partner in your area.

When you first meet with an NDIS partner, they will ask for documents that prove your identity. Your NDIS partner will also ask to check your identity documents if you are a child representative, nominee, or an authorised representative.

If you think you might be eligible for the NDIS, your NDIS partner can help you apply. Your NDIS partner will talk to you about:

• Your situation.
• The NDIS eligibility criteria.
• The application process.
• The kinds of information and evidence you need to provide.
• What to expect from the application process, including when you will know whether you are eligible for the NDIS.

The NDIA is responsible for determining who is eligible to access the NDIS. 

To allow us to determine whether you meet the disability or early intervention access requirements, you may need to provide evidence of your disability or developmental delay for children younger than 6. 

Your NDIS partner will help you to gather information and evidence for your NDIS application.

Information and evidence that you will need to provide includes documents proving: 

• You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
• Your personal details, like name, date of birth, and address.
• Your disability is permanent and significant.
• An explanation of your functional capacity, informal, other mainstream and community supports.

Once you have your information and evidence, your NDIS partner will complete the application with you, entering all the information you provide into our computer system.

Once we have all of the information and evidence we need to decide if you are eligible for the NDIS, we will make a decision and will tell you within 21 days.

If you’re eligible to be an NDIS participant, we will use the information and evidence you gave us in your application to develop your NDIS plan.

You can start making connections with mainstream and community supports, while your NDIS application is being processed.

Read more in our applying to the NDIS guideline.

You can watch the below video to learn more about making connections and applying to the NDIS.

Learn more about the next step in the NDIS participant journey.

If you think you’re eligible and would like to apply to the NDIS, you can read our factsheet and use our checklist to help you prepare:

• applying to the NDIS
• checklist – applying to the NDIS.