What to Put in an NDIS Service Agreement:
A 2026-27 Guide for Independent Providers
Last checked: 8 September 2026
Most disagreements between a provider and a participant aren’t about the work. They’re about something nobody wrote down.
This guide sets out what to put in an NDIS service agreement, clause by clause. It’s written for independent providers and sole traders working directly with participants, including anyone drafting a service agreement for an NDIS sole trader business for the first time. It also clears up the most common misunderstanding about these agreements: whether you’re legally required to have one.
Quick answer
An NDIS service agreement should name both parties and the support you’ll deliver. Add details such as the time and location, your agreed rate, and who you invoice. Include cancellation terms, notice periods and how complaints are handled. The NDIA doesn’t describe a service agreement as mandatory. It describes one as a way to share expectations.
Is an NDIS service agreement mandatory?
No. The NDIA doesn’t say a service agreement is legally required. Its own guidance says agreements “help make sure you and your provider have the same expectations of what NDIS supports will be delivered and how.” In other words, it’s not a compliance rule. It’s good practice.
You may see other guides describe service agreements as mandatory. The NDIA’s own service agreements page doesn’t say that.
There’s one exception: if you’re providing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), a written service agreement is required.
One point to note: the NDIS Practice Standards do ask registered providers to collaborate with each participant on a service agreement that sets out expectations, the supports to be delivered, and any conditions attached to them. Where a participant chooses not to have a written agreement, or it isn’t practical, providers are expected to record why instead. So if you’re registered, a documented approach matters even when it isn’t a signed contract every time. Check the current NDIS Practice Standards with the NDIS Commission for what applies to you. Our guide to registered and unregistered providers covers the general differences.
Why spend time drafting a service agreement at all? Because you’ll get paid faster and argue less. A written agreement is the cheapest insurance a sole trader has.
What does the NDIA say a service agreement should cover?
The NDIA keeps it short: an agreement should clarify “what NDIS supports will be delivered and how.” That’s the core. Everything else is a practical detail you add because it prevents a problem later.
The NDIA also frames the agreement as shared, not one-sided. It’s between you and the participant, and both of you should understand it before either of you signs.
An agreement written only to protect you tends to come across that way, and participants notice.
What to put in an NDIS service agreement: 10 clauses
Here are the 10 NDIS service agreement clauses worth adding. Each one exists because something tends to go wrong without it.
You don’t need all ten from day one. Start with the four that cause the most arguments, rate, invoicing, cancellations and notice, then add the rest as you go.
The clause consequence table
| The clause | What it does | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Who the agreement is between | Names both parties in full. Includes your ABN and the participant’s NDIS number. | You can’t prove who agreed to what. Or the wrong person signs. |
| 2. What supports you deliver, and how | Lists the supports and the way you deliver them. | The participant expects tasks you never agreed to. You end up doing them free. |
| 3. When and where | Sets the days, times and location of each support. | You turn up at the wrong address, or argue about a shift nobody booked. |
| 4. The agreed rate | States your dollar rate per hour, and what happens on 1 July. | Confusion every 1 July, when the NDIA updates its price limits. |
| 5. Who you invoice | Names who receives the invoice, depending on the plan management type. | You invoice a plan-managed participant directly and your payment stalls. |
| 6. How and when you get paid | Sets your invoice cycle, due date, and payment method. | You chase money with nothing in writing to point at. |
| 7. Cancellations and no-shows | Says what counts as a late cancellation, and whether you’re paid. | An argument about a shift you held open and weren’t paid for. |
| 8. Ending the agreement | Sets the notice period both sides give. | Supports stop with no warning. You lose income you’d planned around. |
| 9. Changes to the agreement | States how you both agree on a change, and that it goes in writing. | A verbal change that each of you remembers differently. |
| 10. Complaints, feedback, and privacy | Says how to raise a problem, and how you handle personal information. | A small complaint grows, because the participant didn’t know who to tell. |
That’s the whole checklist. If you write nothing else, write rows 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Those four are the ones that turn into disputes about money. The rate clause is the obvious one. Invoicing is the quiet one. Send it to the wrong person and payment can stall for weeks.
A late cancellation costs you twice: you held the time open, planned around it, and then weren’t paid for it.
Notice is the last one. A participant can stop support at any time. That’s their right. Your agreement just makes sure you hear about it early enough to plan ahead.
What should go in the rate clause?
Name the actual agreed rate in dollars in your NDIS service agreement rate clause. Don’t just point at the NDIS price limit and leave it there, a price limit is a ceiling, not a set rate.
For 2026–27, the national price limit for assistance with self-care activities, standard, weekday daytime (support item 01_011_0107_1_1) is $73.58 per hour (Source: NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026–27). This limit applies to what registered providers can charge NDIA-managed and plan-managed participants. You can charge up to that amount, or less, depending on what you and your participant agree.
If your participant is self-managed, this cap doesn’t apply in the same way: you and they can negotiate a rate above or below the published limit directly. Many self-managed participants still prefer to stay close to the published rates, since it makes comparing providers easier, but it’s a conversation to have, not a fixed rule.
Your rate clause should cover three things: the rate you’ve agreed, the support item it sits under, and how you’ll handle the NDIA’s annual price review each 1 July, including how much notice you’ll give if your rate needs to change.
Does the agreement change depending on how the participant's plan is managed?
Yes, in one important way: plan management decides who to invoice for NDIS support. Get this wrong and you can wait weeks for payment.
There are three types:
- Self-managed. The participant manages their own NDIS funding. You invoice them directly, and they claim it back themselves. The NDIA can’t pay you on their behalf.
- Plan-managed. A plan manager handles the participant’s funding. Send your invoice to the plan manager, not the participant.
- NDIA-managed. The NDIA handles payments directly. You submit a payment request yourself through the myplace provider portal, generally within 90 days of the end of the service booking (this is set to change to 90 days from the date you deliver the support, from December 2026). You also need to be listed as one of the participant’s “my providers” before you can claim.
Your agreement should name the management type and the exact billing contact. See the NDIA’s guide to getting paid for the detail.
Keep in mind that NDIA-managed funding can’t be used with unregistered providers. If you’re unregistered, this matters before you sign anything.
How long should you keep a signed NDIS service agreement?
Keep it for 7 years. Under the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations reforms, passed in August 2026, provider record-keeping moved to 7 years, with 5 years for nominees and 3 years for participants.
This change formally commenced on 27 August 2026 (seven days after the legislation received royal assent on 20 August 2026), though the NDIA’s own published guidance hasn’t yet been updated with the practical detail. Keep an eye on the NDIA’s reform page as more information is released, and check with the NDIS Commission if you need certainty for your own records right now.
Keep the signed agreement with your invoices and service notes, a clearly labelled folder on your devices is enough, as long as you can find it later.
Do you need a lawyer to write an NDIS service agreement?
A service agreement is a plain document. It records what you’ll do, when, for how much, and how either side can step away. Most independent providers write their own and reuse it, adjusting the details for each participant.
We can’t give you legal advice, and this article isn’t it. If a clause worries you, or a participant asks for changes you don’t understand, check with your own adviser before you sign.
That said, it’s not a reason to delay. Start with the ten clauses above, and get advice on the bits you’re genuinely unsure about.
Frequently asked questions
Does a service agreement have to be signed?
The NDIA doesn’t set a signing rule on its service agreements page. Common practice is a signature from both parties, or clear written acceptance by email. Either way, keep the record, a signed copy is easier to rely on later than a conversation.
Can I use one agreement template for every participant?
Yes, as a starting point. This becomes your NDIS service agreement template going forward. Keep the structure the same and change the details each time. The rate, supports, days and times, and billing contact will differ for every participant, so a template you never adjust becomes wrong quickly.
What if the participant's plan management type changes?
Update the agreement in writing. Plan management decides who you invoice, so a change here changes your billing. Participants can change how their funding is managed at any time, with no limit on how often. Ask them to let you know whenever it happens.
Do I need an ABN on the agreement?
Put your ABN on both the agreement and your invoices. The NDIA requires invoices to include “a valid Australian Business Number (ABN), unless you are exempt from providing an ABN.” If you’re exempt, attach the ATO’s statement by a supplier form instead. Our guide to becoming an NDIS sole trader covers ABN setup.
How much notice should the ending clause require?
There’s no NDIA rule setting a notice period. This is left to what you and the participant agree in writing. Two weeks is a common starting point for regular support, but the exact number matters less than making sure both sides know it’s coming, rather than one side finding out on the day.
What if the participant doesn't want to sign?
Ask why first, often the document is too long, or full of language nobody uses. Offer a one-page version in plain language. If they still prefer not to sign, confirm the key terms by email and keep that email. A written record is the goal, not necessarily a signature.
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This article is general information for independent NDIS providers. It isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Check your own situation with the NDIA, the NDIS Commission or your own adviser.