A plan manager’s guide to clean invoices and fewer disputes

Claims, records and the plan manager panel

• Record keeping. From 27 August 2026, participants or their plan managers need to keep records for NDIS support payments for 3 years. The government says providers will need to keep records about payment and receipt of NDIS funds for 7 years, with a civil penalty for not keeping them. More detail on how to keep records is still to come.
• 90 days to claim, from 1 December 2026. The time to claim for supports under a participant’s plan drops from 2 years to 90 days after service delivery.
• Supporting documents for larger claims. The government says claims above a certain threshold will need supporting documentation.
• No rollover, from 1 February 2027. Unspent funds won’t roll over when a plan is renewed. The NDIA’s plan manager guidance already says funding must be spent within the current plan.
• Provider enrolment, from 1 July 2027. Most providers will need to enrol with the NDIA and nominate a validated bank account. It’s separate from NDIS Commission registration.
• A plan management panel, by 1 October 2027. The NDIA will set up a panel of plan managers. Participants will need to use a plan manager on the panel, with a 6-month transition. Plan managers who want to join apply through a request for tender on AusTender.

What a clean NDIS invoice includes

The NDIA’s record keeping guidance sets a minimum. Every invoice should show:

• the participant’s name and NDIS number
• the date or dates the support was delivered
• the amount and quantity, or hours, of the support
• the support type and the support item number from the NDIS Support Catalogue
• the provider’s business name and ABN
• the participant’s address
• the claim type and the total invoice amount
• the GST component, if it applies (most services are GST free).

Each invoice can only be for one participant, though it can include several supports. Registered providers can’t charge more than the NDIS price limits for NDIA-managed or plan-managed participants.

The agreement is what every invoice gets checked against

The NDIS says a written service agreement is only mandatory for specialist disability accommodation, but recommends one every time a participant starts with a new provider. It’s what you, the participant and the provider all point to when a charge is questioned. A good one sets out:

• the supports, and how, when and where they’ll be delivered
• the cost, including travel and any materials
• how the provider will be paid, which for your clients means invoices come to you
• the cancellation policy
• what either side can do if responsibilities aren’t being met
• how to raise a concern, and who to contact if it isn’t resolved
• how long it runs, when it’s reviewed, how changes are made and how to end it.

If an invoice doesn’t match the agreement, that’s the conversation to have before you pay, not after.

Habits that stop disputes before they start

• Ask providers to invoice each service period, not in quarterly bundles, so claims land well inside 90 days.
• Check new providers on the NDIS Commission Provider Register.
• Get the participant’s authorisation for claims. The NDIA asks plan managers to make sure participants are aware of and approve claims.
• Pay providers promptly. The NDIA says this should be within 2 business days of receiving payment from the NDIS.
• Send the monthly financial statement participants are entitled to, showing spending against expectations and the remaining balance.
• When something looks wrong, query the provider in writing and keep the thread with the invoice.