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How to invoice NDIS as a sole trader

A sole trader support worker sends the invoice after the support is delivered: to the participant if they self-manage, or to their plan manager if they have one, with the business name, ABN, the participant's name and NDIS number, the dates, the support item number and the total. If the participant's funding is NDIA-managed, you cannot invoice at all unless you are a provider who is registered with the NDIS Commission, because the claim goes through the NDIA's own portal. This guide puts the steps in order and shows the parts people get wrong.

No credit card required - 5 free invoices a month. Read from ndis.gov.au, ato.gov.au and business.gov.au on 9 November 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice.

Who a sole trader invoices

It depends on how the participant manages their NDIS funding. Ask which it is before the first shift.

FundingSelf-managedYou invoiceThe participantWhat the NDIS saysSend the invoice to the participant and they pay it through the participant portal. After they have paid, send them a receipt so they can acquit the expense against their plan.
FundingPlan-managedYou invoiceThe plan managerWhat the NDIS saysSend invoices directly to the plan manager. The invoice must include a valid ABN unless you are exempt from providing one. The plan manager processes the claim after they receive it.
FundingNDIA-managedYou invoiceNobody: you submit a payment requestWhat the NDIS saysYou submit a payment request through the myplace provider portal, you need to be recorded as a my provider first, and the NDIS says you cannot be an unregistered provider for these supports.

For the detail on each type, including service agreements, read who gets the invoice. For whether you can work with each type at all, see independent support workers: registered or unregistered.

Sources: Guide to getting paid, What is NDIA-managed funding, How to be recorded as a my provider, checked 9 November 2026.

What goes on the invoice

The NDIS record keeping page sets a minimum for every record, and a longer list for invoices.

The participant's name and NDIS number
Part of the minimum identifying information on every record.
The dates of the support
The date or dates the support was delivered. One dated line per support is the clearest way to show them.
Amount and quantity or hours
The amount, and the quantity or hours of the support delivered.
Support type and support item number
The support type, and the support item number listed in the NDIS Support Catalogue.
Your business name and ABN
Both appear on an invoice. A plan manager needs a valid ABN, or a Statement by a supplier form if you are exempt.
The participant's address
The NDIS lists the participant's address, including the postcode if the invoice is for specialist disability accommodation.
Claim type and total
The claim type and the total invoice amount.
GST, if it applies
The GST component if applicable. The NDIS page says most services are GST-free.

Each invoice can only be for one participant. An invoice can include several NDIS supports. A support log of what was delivered, signed by the participant, a child representative, a nominee or a legal guardian, is a separate record you also keep.

Sources: What are the record keeping requirements, Guide to getting paid, checked 9 November 2026.

The steps in order

1. Get an ABN
You need one to invoice a plan manager unless you are exempt. See do NDIS support workers need an ABN.
2. Find out how the participant manages their funding
Self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed. It decides who you invoice, and whether you can work with them at all.
3. Agree the terms in writing
The NDIS recommends a service agreement with each participant. Put the rate, travel and cancellation terms in it. See travel and cancellations.
4. Deliver the support and keep a support log
Log what you delivered and get it signed by the participant or their representative.
5. Invoice after the support, not before
The NDIS says providers must give participants an invoice after delivering a support, and request payment only after the support has been delivered.
6. Send it to the right person
The participant if self-managed, the plan manager if plan-managed. Ask a plan manager which address they want invoices sent to.
7. Keep the records
Invoices, support logs and service agreements are all records the NDIS expects you to keep complete and accurate.

Sources: What are the responsibilities of a provider, What are the record keeping requirements, checked 9 November 2026.

ABN and GST for a sole trader

Your ABN and your GST registration are two different things. You must register for GST when your GST turnover is A$75,000 or more, and most NDIS supports are GST-free when the ATO's conditions are met, so a sole trader under the threshold has no GST to charge on them. The conditions are in NDIS supports and GST.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. For your own situation, ask the ATO or a registered tax agent.

Sources: Registering for GST, What are the record keeping requirements, checked 9 November 2026.

Doing this in Invio

Invio is invoicing software. Here is where each piece above goes.

Your ABN on every invoice
Add your ABN under Settings, then Business. It prints at the top of your invoices. If it is empty, Invio shows a note before you send; the note never stops you sending.
Switch on the option
Settings, then Business, then Your industry, then Support worker invoicing. Nothing changes on your invoices until you do.
The participant and a line per support
Add the participant as a client; their NDIS number (nine digits) prints under their name. Each line can carry its own date, a unit (hour, km or each) and a support item number.
Plan-managed: invoice the plan manager
On the participant's record, under "Send invoices to someone else", add the plan manager. The invoice goes to their email address and the participant stays the named client.

Invio does not submit claims, and it does not check item numbers, dates or prices against the NDIA. Invio never decides what is GST-free; you decide, with your adviser.

What the whole option does, and what it does not do, is on Invoicing software for NDIS support workers in Australia.

Claim within 90 days from 1 December 2026

Added 1 November 2026.

From 1 December 2026 an NDIS claim must be made within 90 days of the support being delivered. The limit was two years. The change is in Schedule 2, Part 5 ("Reducing claim times") of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 (No. 66 of 2026). The NDIS rules may set a shorter period for some claims.

The Act has no separate rule for a support delivered before 1 December 2026. On our reading, a claim made from 1 December must be within 90 days of the support, even for earlier supports, so claim older supports before 1 December. This is general information, not advice: check with the NDIA. Either way, invoice and claim soon after each support, not in a batch weeks later.

In Invio, where the claims tools or the shift log are switched on for your account, a reminder reads "Claim within N days" from 60 days after a support was delivered (amber), turns red from 80 days, and says "Past the 90-day claim window" after 90. A support delivered before 1 December that is already older than that reads "Claim by" with its last day, which is 30 November 2026 at the latest. It shows on the dashboard, on the Bill shifts screen for signed-off shifts that are not on an invoice or a claim yet, and in the notes before you send an invoice with an old line date. The reminders never stop you sending or claiming, and Invio does not submit claims for you.

Sources: NDIS Amendment Act 2026 (No. 66 of 2026), Department of Health fact sheet, checked 1 November 2026.

Questions about invoicing NDIS as a sole trader

Who do I send an NDIS invoice to as a sole trader?
To the participant if they self-manage their funding, and to the plan manager if they have one. If the funding is NDIA-managed there is no invoice to send: a provider who is registered makes a payment request in the myplace provider portal.
Can I invoice the NDIS directly?
Only for NDIA-managed participants, and only if you are a provider who is registered. The NDIS says an unregistered provider cannot be used for supports funded as NDIA-managed.
Do I need an ABN to invoice the NDIS?
An invoice to a plan manager must include a valid ABN unless you are exempt from providing one, in which case a Statement by a supplier form goes with it. See the ABN guide for who is exempt.
What must an NDIS invoice include?
The participant's name and NDIS number, the dates, the amount and quantity or hours, the support type and Support Catalogue item number, your business name and ABN, the claim type, the total and the GST component if it applies. Each invoice is for one participant.
Do I charge GST on NDIS support work?
The NDIS says most services are GST-free. Whether yours are depends on the ATO's conditions, and GST registration is only required from A$75,000 GST turnover. Read the GST guide and check with an adviser.
When should I send the invoice?
After the support has been delivered, and soon after: from 1 December 2026 an NDIS claim must be made within 90 days of the support being delivered. See the claim window section below.

Start invoicing free as a sole trader support worker

Send a few invoices a month free, with a date on every line. Keep your GST and tax records for your own return or your adviser.

No credit card required - 5 free invoices a month