Before you sign anything
What does a ndis provider actually cost?
Your NDIS plan pays. The NDIA sets price limits, and a registered provider cannot charge above them.
NDIS pricing is not a negotiation in the way the other categories are — the NDIA publishes maximum prices, and registered providers cannot charge an agency-managed or plan-managed participant more than the limit. Level 2 support coordination is capped at $100.14 per hour. If you are quoted above a price limit, that is not a premium service; it is not allowed.
How they actually get paid
- Your plan funds the support. Depending on how your plan is managed, the NDIA, your plan manager, or you pay the provider.
- The NDIA publishes price limits annually in the Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document. Registered providers must stay within them.
- Unregistered providers are not bound by the price limits — and can only be used if you are plan-managed or self-managed.
- Travel and non-face-to-face time can be charged in defined circumstances. These are the most common source of surprise invoices.
The fee structures you'll be offered
Support coordination — Level 2
Capped at $100.14 per hour. This is the level most participants receive.
Support coordination — Level 3 (specialist)
A higher cap applies for specialist support coordination, which is for complex situations rather than a standard upgrade.
Service agreements
Get the rates, the cancellation terms and the travel-charging rules in writing before you start. You are allowed to negotiate below the cap.
Walk away if you see this
- A quote above the NDIA price limit from a registered provider. Ask them to point to the line in the price guide that permits it.
- Refusing to put rates and cancellation terms in a written service agreement.
- Pressure to sign for more hours than your plan actually funds.
- Vagueness about whether they are registered with the NDIS Commission — that is a public register, and you can check.
Ask these before you sign
- What is your hourly rate, and how does it compare with the NDIA price limit?
- How do you charge for travel and non-face-to-face time?
- What are your cancellation terms?
- Are you registered with the NDIS Commission, and can I see your registration?
Where these figures come from
These are category benchmarks, not quotes. Individual fees vary — always get the total in writing before you engage anyone. Reviewed July 2026.
Now compare ndis providers — every one checked against a register.
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