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Invoicing for NDIS support workers in Australia

Many NDIS supports are GST-free when a few conditions are met, which changes what your invoice needs to show. Add a plan manager who checks your invoice against the NDIS maximum prices before you get paid, and NDIS invoicing has its own shape that a generic sole-trader template does not cover.

No credit card required - 5 free invoices a month. Checked against published NDIA, ATO and plan-manager guidance on 9 October 2026. Not tax or legal advice. Check the NDIA and the ATO for the rules that apply to your situation.

Example NDIS process INV-0033

Maria Csenge

Trading as: Support Work Services

14 Grevillea Crescent

Frankston VIC 3199

0412 558 214

ABN: 74 603 217 845

INVOICE

INV-0033

Issue: 09 Oct 2026

Due: 23 Oct 2026

Paid

Bill To

Jordan Ellery

c/o Example Plan Management

3 Correa Court

Frankston VIC 3199

NDIS number: 123456789

DescriptionAmount
01_013_0107_1_1 Assistance with self-care activities - Standard - Saturday03 Oct 20263 hours x A$95.00A$285.00
01_011_0107_1_1 Assistance with self-care activities - Standard - Weekday Daytime06 Oct 20262 hours x A$70.00A$140.00
01_799_0107_1_1 Provider travel - non-labour costs06 Oct 202612 km x A$0.78A$9.36
SubtotalA$434.36
TotalA$434.36
Amount paidA$434.36
Balance dueA$0.00
Last payment16 Oct 2026

Notes

Written service agreement dated 3 Jun 2026. Not registered for GST, so no GST is charged on this invoice.

Thank you for your business!

Worker appFinished

Sat 3 Oct, 9:00 - 12:00

Jordan Ellery

Progress notePrivate

Kept separate from the invoice.

Shift logLogged

01_013_0107_1_1

3 hours A$285.00

Plan managerPaid

Example Plan Management

A$434.36

Bank transfer, 16 Oct

The three ways an NDIS participant's plan is managed, and who you invoice

Sourced directly to ndis.gov.au's own pages for each management type, checked 9 October 2026.

Plan typeSelf-managedWho you invoiceThe participant directlyWhat that means for youThe participant pays you: either the NDIS pays them first and they pay you, or they pay you out of their own pocket and the NDIS pays them back. You can be an unregistered provider, and there is no maximum price - you and the participant negotiate the rate directly. Once they have paid, send a receipt so they can acquit it against their plan.
Plan typePlan-managedWho you invoiceThe participant's plan managerWhat that means for youYou send your invoice to the plan manager, who checks it, claims from the NDIS, then pays you. You can still be an unregistered provider - but your price has to sit within the NDIS maximum price for that support (the Pricing Schedule 2026-27, which already includes GST where GST applies). The invoice must show a valid ABN unless you are exempt from having one.
Plan typeNDIA-managed (agency-managed)Who you invoiceYou cannot invoice the NDIA directly as an unregistered providerWhat that means for youThe NDIS itself pays providers directly for this funding type, and those providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Unregistered providers cannot be used for NDIA-managed supports.

Self-managed: Source, ndis.gov.au (registration rules); who pays whom, ndis.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026.

Plan-managed: Source, ndis.gov.au (registration rules); who pays whom, ndis.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026.

NDIA-managed (agency-managed): Source, ndis.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026.

What you send each type: Guide to getting paid, ndis.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026.

Unregistered providers can invoice self-managed and plan-managed participants. They cannot invoice the NDIS directly for NDIA-managed supports. In the NDIA's June 2026 quarter report, 210,956 of 280,258 active providers served plan-managed participants and 133,703 served self-managed participants, against 10,842 for NDIA-managed (a provider can appear in more than one count; ndis.gov.au). Separately, providers delivering Supported Independent Living or operating an NDIS digital platform became subject to mandatory registration from 1 July 2026 - ndis.gov.au and the NDIS Commission, checked 9 October 2026. That change is about those two services. The NDIA has announced a wider expansion from July 2027 - see what is changing.

Want the long version? Invoicing NDIS participants: who gets the invoice covers what goes on the invoice, where it goes for each plan type and where service agreements fit.

GST - the part that differs most from other sole-trader invoicing

The ATO states a supply to an NDIS participant is GST-free if all of these are met (you must also be registered for GST for the question to arise at all):

01

A plan in effect

The participant has an NDIS plan in effect: approved by the NDIA and not yet replaced by another plan.

02

Reasonable and necessary

The supply is of a reasonable and necessary support specified in the statement of supports in the participant's NDIS plan. Support beyond the time or quantity the plan states is not GST-free, so one invoice can mix GST-free and taxable lines.

03

A written agreement

There is a written agreement between you and the participant, or whoever manages their plan and funding. It identifies the participant and says the supply is a support specified in their plan. It can be several documents, including letters, receipts or invoices you issue, and can be electronic.

04

Covered by the Determination

The specific support is covered by one of the tables in the GST-free Supply (NDIS Supports) Determination 2021. The ATO says it applies to supplies made before 1 July 2027.

If any of those four is not met, for example no written agreement exists, the support may not qualify as GST-free. Source, ato.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026.

Three things follow from the ATO's pages. If you are not registered for GST, you do not charge it and issue a plain invoice. GST-free sales are not on the ATO's list of sales that come off your GST turnover, so they still count toward the A$75,000 registration threshold (ato.gov.au). And a subcontract is different: in the ATO's example, a contractor's supply to a provider, rather than to the participant, is not GST-free under section 38-38 and is instead taxable, provided the usual GST requirements are met.

The written agreement is not just a tax formality. It can also set your rate, cancellation terms and travel charges in writing, which is useful if a plan manager or self-managed participant later queries an invoice. The NDIA's 2025-26 rules expect travel and short-notice cancellation terms to be agreed there (ndis.gov.au), and My Plan Manager says an agreement helps substantiate a claim (myplanmanager.com.au), checked 9 October 2026.

The long version, with the written agreement, the Determination's end date, the A$75,000 threshold and mixed invoices: NDIS supports and GST: when are they GST-free?

Sample invoice

A support worker who is not registered for GST, invoicing a participant for support delivered under a written service agreement. The invoice goes to the participant's plan manager.Example figures and identifiers, not a real job
INV-0034.pdfInvoiceExample
Maria Csenge

Trading as: Support Work Services

14 Grevillea Crescent

Frankston VIC 3199

0412 558 214

ABN: 74 603 217 845

INVOICE

INV-0034

Issue: 09 Oct 2026

Due: 23 Oct 2026

Sent

Bill To

Jordan Ellery

c/o Example Plan Management

3 Correa Court

Frankston VIC 3199

NDIS number: 123456789

DescriptionAmount
01_013_0107_1_1 Assistance with self-care activities - Standard - Saturday03 Oct 20263 hours x A$95.00A$285.00
01_011_0107_1_1 Assistance with self-care activities - Standard - Weekday Daytime06 Oct 20262 hours x A$70.00A$140.00
01_011_0107_1_1 Provider travel (time), to and from participant06 Oct 20260.5 hours x A$70.00A$35.00
01_799_0107_1_1 Provider travel - non-labour costs06 Oct 202612 km x A$0.78A$9.36
01_011_0107_1_1 Assistance with self-care activities - Standard - Weekday Daytime08 Oct 20262 hours x A$70.00A$140.00
SubtotalA$609.36
TotalA$609.36
Amount paidA$0.00
Balance dueA$609.36

Payment Details

Please use the following details to make a payment.

Bank: ANZ

Account name: Maria Csenge

Account: 1234 5678

BSB: 013-241

Reference: INV-0034

Notes

Written service agreement dated 3 Jun 2026. Not registered for GST, so no GST is charged on this invoice.

Thank you for your business!

Maria is not registered for GST, so the heading reads "INVOICE" and no GST is charged. The invoice is in the participant's name, with one line per support and one date per line. The participant's NDIS number prints under their name, the plan manager's name prints as "c/o", and each line carries its own date, unit and item code. Those come from the fields Invio's support worker invoicing option adds: you switch it on in Settings, under Business, in Your industry. The travel time sits on the same item as the support and the kilometres on the matching provider travel item. The rates are examples: on 9 October 2026 each hourly rate was at or below the national maximum listed for its item in the Pricing Schedule 2026-27, which says nothing about what you should charge. If you are registered for GST, you can mark any line GST-free in Invio, and one invoice can mix GST-free and taxable lines. Invio never decides which supports are GST-free: you do, with your adviser.

What this invoice should carry

The fields below are what the NDIA and three plan managers ask for, checked 9 October 2026. My Plan Manager says it can only process invoices, not quotes or statements, because NDIA rules require a valid invoice to release payment.

Business details

Your name or trading name, ABN (it has to match ABN Lookup), bank details, phone and email, a unique invoice number and the issue date. The NDIA says an invoice to a plan manager must show a valid ABN unless you are exempt, in which case the ATO's "Statement by a supplier" form goes with it.

Sources: Plan Partners, NDIA, checked 9 October 2026.

The participant

Invoice in the participant's name, then send it to their plan manager. Put the participant's full name and their NDIS number on it, as nine digits with no spaces. One participant per invoice. Not the plan manager's name, and not a parent's, even if the participant is under 18.

Sources: Plan Partners, Provider Choice, My Plan Manager, checked 9 October 2026.

One line per support and date

Each line carries the support item number in its description, written as the Support Catalogue prints it (for example 01_011_0107_1_1), a brief description, one individual date and the hours at the hourly rate. A date range on one line is what Provider Choice asks you to avoid. Where your software has no date column, put the date in the description.

Sources: Provider Choice, Plan Partners, NDIA support catalogue, checked 9 October 2026.

Travel

Under the NDIA's 2025-26 rules, travel has to be agreed in the service agreement and is claimed in separate parts: the travel time on the same item as the support, and the kilometres on the matching "Provider travel - non-labour costs" item (01_799_0107_1_1 for the self-care items in the sample). The NDIA has not yet published the 2026-27 claiming guidance, so check its page before you rely on this. Our travel and cancellations guide goes through the conditions, including short-notice cancellations.

Sources: NDIA, Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26, NDIA support catalogue, checked 9 October 2026.

Pricing check

For plan-managed invoices, your total, GST included where GST applies, has to sit within the NDIS maximum price for that support item. The Pricing Schedule 2026-27 (effective 24 September 2026) states its maximum amounts already include GST. Plan managers check this before paying and ask for a corrected invoice if it is over. Self-managed participants can agree a rate above or below those limits directly with you, since the maximum prices only apply to NDIA-managed and plan-managed supports.

Sources: NDIS pricing arrangements, Pricing Schedule 2026-27, My Plan Manager, checked 9 October 2026.

Format and timing

Send an invoice, not a quote or a statement, and send it as a PDF (the format Provider Choice recommends). Do not date it in the future. Send it soon after the support: from December 2026 the NDIA says claims must be submitted within 90 days of delivery.

Sources: Provider Choice, My Plan Manager, Plan Partners, NDIA, checked 9 October 2026.

Each plan manager checks invoices its own way, and the guides above differ in places. For example, Plan Partners' checklist accepts a spread of dates while Provider Choice asks for one date per line. One line per support, each with its own date, suits all three. My Plan Manager also asks for the participant's address and the provider's street address; see its claims page.

For a sample you can copy the layout of, with what the NDIS, the ATO and plan managers each ask for, see the NDIS invoice template. To fill one in and download a PDF, use the free invoice generator for NDIS support workers.

Common mistakes

From the plan managers' own guides, checked 9 October 2026: Plan Partners, Provider Choice and My Plan Manager.

MistakeNo written agreement in placeWhy it costs youWithout it, the GST-free treatment under s38-38 may not apply if you are registered for GST, and there is no documented rate if a dispute arises later. The ATO says the agreement can be several documents, including invoices you issue.
MistakeInvoicing the NDIS directly for NDIA-managed support while unregisteredWhy it costs youUnregistered providers can invoice a self-managed participant or a plan manager, not the NDIS itself for agency-managed supports.
MistakeCharging GST on a support that should be GST-freeWhy it costs youIf the supply is GST-free you do not add GST. Plan managers check the total, GST included, against the maximum price, so GST added in error can push a correct price over it.
MistakeA price over the maximum for that support item, or no hourly breakdownWhy it costs youPlan managers check the total, GST included, against the maximum price and ask you to change it and resubmit. Plan Partners also asks for a reissue when the hours and hourly rate are missing.
MistakeA date range on one lineWhy it costs youProvider Choice asks for an individual date on each line, not a range, and says a range is a common reason for delay. Plan Partners rejects spreads of dates that are unrealistic or impossible.
MistakeA wrong or outdated support item numberWhy it costs youMy Plan Manager says a wrong or outdated code can mean the claim is rejected. Check each code against the current Support Catalogue instead of copying last year's invoice.
MistakeA future-dated invoice, or dates that cannot be rightWhy it costs youPlan Partners rejects an invoice with no date, an end date before the start date, a future date, or a spread of dates that is impossible, such as 30 hours of support in one day.
MistakeAn invoice in the plan manager's or a parent's nameWhy it costs youPlan Partners says the invoice must be in the name of the person with the plan, not Mum, Dad or the plan manager, even when the participant is under 18. The plan manager still receives it.
MistakeSending a quote or a statement instead of an invoiceWhy it costs youMy Plan Manager can only process invoices. A statement means an extra step before you are paid.

Had an invoice or a payment request turned down? Why an NDIS invoice or payment request can be rejected, and how to fix it groups the NDIA's own error codes by cause, with the fix for each.

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 NDIS rules may set a shorter period for some claims.

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, and is explained in the Department of Health fact sheet. 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.

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.

What is changing

Checked 9 October 2026. Dates are as the NDIA and the ATO publish them; the NDIA says it will explain several of these changes in more detail later.

When24 September 2026What changesThe NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 took effect: the maximum price for each support item, GST included where GST applies. The NDIA says it will shortly publish updated pricing and claiming guidance. Its page still lists the 2025-26 Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document, which is where the travel rules on this page come from.Sourcendis.gov.au, pricing arrangements
WhenFrom December 2026What changesThe NDIA says claims must be submitted within 90 days of delivering a support. Invoice soon after each support instead of saving them up.Sourcendis.gov.au, new NDIS laws
WhenFrom July 2027What changesThe NDIA's announced intent: it says it will expand mandatory registration requirements to providers who deliver personal care and daily living supports, and supports in closed settings. The sample above uses a support the catalogue files under "Daily Personal Activities". The page we read gives no more detail, so read the NDIA's wording before you plan around it. The 1 July 2026 change brought in mandatory registration for supported independent living and NDIS digital platforms.Sourcendis.gov.au, new NDIS laws
WhenBefore 1 July 2027What changesThe ATO says the GST-free Supply (NDIS Supports) Determination applies to supplies made on or after 1 July 2021 but before 1 July 2027. We did not find a published replacement and do not know whether it will be remade, so check the ATO page.Sourceato.gov.au, NDIS and GST
WhenComing, no date setWhat changesThe NDIA says changes are coming to how long records of supports and payments must be kept: 7 years for providers, 5 for nominees and 3 for participants. Keep a copy of every invoice you send.Sourcendis.gov.au, new NDIS laws

Where Invio fits today

Invio is an invoicing tool. It is not a claims system, it does not check your invoice against the NDIA catalogue or the pricing schedule, and it does not decide what is GST-free. You do, with your adviser.

What works today

  • If you are not registered for GST, Invio works as it is: the heading reads "INVOICE" and no GST is charged.
  • Switch on support worker invoicing (Settings, then Business, then Your industry). A participant can then carry an NDIS number, nine digits, that prints under their name on every invoice and quote.
  • Each invoice and quote line can carry its own date, a unit (hour, km or each) and a support item number, and "Duplicate for next day" copies a line forward one day at a time.
  • A participant can have their invoices sent to a plan manager instead. The participant stays the named client, and the plan manager's name prints as "c/o". The plan manager's email address never prints.
  • Save the supports you use from the NDIA Support Catalogue as a CSV and import it into your saved items: the item number and the unit are read for you. Invio does not bundle the catalogue.
  • Write each NDIS invoice fresh. A recurring invoice, or a new version of one, starts with its line dates cleared, so last week's dates are never repeated. Add this week's.
  • Before you send, Invio shows short notes and never stops you sending: a participant with no NDIS number, a priced line with no date, a line dated after the invoice, a description that looks like a date range, and a card fee on the invoice, and, if you are registered for GST, GST on every line with nothing marked GST-free.
  • Switching it on also adds a saved text line, "Supports delivered on the dates shown on each line.", to your saved items, ready to add to an invoice.
  • With support worker invoicing on, Invio's AI features (voice invoices and Offsider, the in-app assistant) stay off for that business until you turn them on in the same place, and Invio keeps no text of AI conversations for it.
  • If you are registered for GST, you can mark a line GST-free, or every line at once: choose "Mark items as GST-free" on the invoice, then tick the lines or "All items GST-free". One invoice can mix GST-free and taxable lines: each GST-free line is marked, the totals show the GST-free amount on its own row, and a short note under the totals says which lines carry no GST. When every line is GST-free, GST shows as nil.
  • For a participant whose supports you treat as GST-free, switch on "GST-free by default" on their record in Clients. New invoices and quotes for them start with every item marked, and you can change any item before you send. Do not use it for work you do as a subcontractor for another provider: that work is usually taxable.
  • Invio never decides what is GST-free: it marks an item only because you did, or because you switched on "GST-free by default" for that participant. It does not check the participant's plan, your written agreement or the Determination. You decide, with your adviser.

What does not work yet

  • It does not decide whether a support is GST-free, and it does not check the plan, the written agreement or the Determination for you.
  • It checks only that an NDIS number is nine digits. It cannot tell whether the number belongs to a real participant.
  • It does not submit claims, and it does not check item numbers or prices against the NDIA Support Catalogue or the Pricing Schedule.

The full list of what support worker invoicing does, and what it does not, is on Invoicing software for NDIS support workers in Australia.

Card payments, if you are a registered provider
The NDIA's 2025-26 rules say registered providers must not add other charges to the cost of supports, such as credit card surcharges, unless the pricing arrangements allow it (ndis.gov.au, checked 9 October 2026). Invio does not add a card fee for the payer on Australian invoices: card surcharges have not been allowed in Australia since 1 October 2026, so the "Pass credit card fees to client" setting no longer applies to you and the card fees come out of your payment. Our reading is that you can offer a card payment on these invoices without a card fee added for the payer. Ask the NDIA or your adviser if you are unsure.

Common questions about NDIS invoicing

Do I need to charge GST on NDIS support work?
Usually not, if you are registered for GST and all of these are true: the participant has an NDIS plan in effect, the support is a reasonable and necessary support specified in the plan, there is a written agreement in place, and the support is covered by the NDIS GST-free Supply Determination (which the ATO says applies to supplies before 1 July 2027). If any of those is missing, standard GST rules can apply. If you are not registered for GST, you do not charge it.
What is the difference between invoicing a participant, a plan manager and the NDIS?
A self-managed participant pays you directly: either the NDIS pays them first, or they pay you out of their own pocket and the NDIS pays them back. A plan manager checks your invoice against the NDIS maximum prices and pays you after claiming from the NDIS on the participant's behalf. NDIA-managed funding is paid by the NDIS to registered providers only - an unregistered provider cannot invoice it directly.
Do I need to be a registered NDIS provider to invoice as a sole trader?
Not for self-managed or plan-managed participants - both allow unregistered providers. You must be registered to be paid for NDIA-managed (agency-managed) supports, and separately if you deliver Supported Independent Living or operate an NDIS digital platform, both of which became subject to mandatory registration from 1 July 2026. The NDIA has also said it will expand mandatory registration to providers who deliver personal care and daily living supports from July 2027; that is its announced intent, so read its wording before you plan around it.
What has to be in my written service agreement for GST-free treatment to apply?
It must show a legally binding obligation for you to deliver the support, and state that the support is one of the reasonable and necessary supports specified in the participant's NDIS plan. It can be a single document or a combination of documents, including emails, letters, receipts or invoices, and can be electronic.
Can I charge above the NDIS price limits?
The maximum prices in the NDIS pricing schedule (the Pricing Schedule 2026-27 from 24 September 2026) only apply to NDIA-managed and plan-managed supports. A self-managed participant can agree a rate with you above or below those limits directly. For plan-managed work, the limits already include GST where GST applies, and plan managers check the total against them.
What should an invoice to a plan manager include?
In the participant's name: the participant's full name and 9-digit NDIS number. Then your business name, ABN, bank details, a unique invoice number and the issue date. Then one line per support, each with the support item number from the NDIA Support Catalogue (for example 01_011_0107_1_1), a brief description, one individual date, the hours and the hourly rate. The total must sit within the maximum price. My Plan Manager says it can only process invoices, not quotes or statements. These are the fields the guides from Plan Partners, Provider Choice and My Plan Manager ask for; each plan manager checks for itself, so ask yours if you are unsure.
Can I put a date range on one invoice line?
It is safer not to. Provider Choice asks for an individual date on each line and not a range, and says a range is a common reason for delay. Plan Partners rejects spreads of dates that are unrealistic or impossible. One line per support, each with its own date, suits every guide we read.
Does Invio have fields for the NDIS number, support item numbers and dates?
Yes. Switch on support worker invoicing in Settings, under Business, in Your industry. Each participant can then carry an NDIS number (nine digits, no spaces) that prints under their name on every invoice and quote, and each line can carry a date, a unit and a support item number. To send invoices to a plan manager, add them to the participant's record under "Send invoices to someone else": the invoice goes to their email, the participant stays the named client, and the plan manager's name prints as "c/o". Invio checks only that the NDIS number is nine digits. It does not check item numbers or prices against the NDIA catalogue or schedule, and it does not submit claims.
Can Invio send a GST-free invoice if I am registered for GST?
Yes. If you are registered for GST, mark a line GST-free, or every line at once: choose "Mark items as GST-free" on the invoice, then tick the lines or "All items GST-free". One invoice can mix GST-free and taxable lines: each GST-free line is marked, the totals show the GST-free amount on its own row, and a short note under the totals says which lines carry no GST. For a participant whose supports you treat as GST-free, switch on "GST-free by default" on their record in Clients. Invio never decides what is GST-free: it does not check the participant's plan, your written agreement or the Determination, so you decide, with your adviser. The ATO lists the conditions. If you are not registered for GST, Invio works as it is: no GST is charged and the heading reads "INVOICE", like the sample on this page.

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