Free tool

Am I eligible for the NDIS?

Walk the access requirements the NDIA publishes, one step at a time, and see which ones your situation appears to meet. Takes about two minutes.

Quick answer

Who is eligible for the NDIS?

To be eligible for the NDIS you must be younger than 65 when you apply, be an Australian citizen or hold a permanent residency or Protected Special Category visa, live in Australia, and meet either the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. The NDIA decides access on clinical evidence about how an impairment affects daily life.

Step 1 of 4

How old is the person applying?

You must be younger than 65 on the day your application reaches the NDIA.

Younger than 6The early childhood approach covers children under 6 with developmental delay or disability.6 to 8The early childhood approach covers children younger than 9 with disability.9 to 64You must be younger than 65 on the day you apply.65 or olderApplications must be complete and received before you turn 65.

Requirements as published by the NDIA and checked on 15 September 2026. Check the source

The disability requirements

All five, in the NDIA's words.

Every one of these has to be met. They are reproduced here exactly as the NDIA publishes them, because the precise wording is what your evidence has to address.

Is the disability caused by one or more impairments?

To meet the disability requirements, we must have evidence that your disability is caused by one or more of the following impairments: intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical, relating to a psychosocial disability.

An impairment is a significant change in your body’s functions, your body’s structure, or how you think and learn. It does not matter what caused it.

Is the impairment likely to be permanent?

We need to see evidence you’ll likely have your impairment for your whole life.

Periods where the impact is smaller are fine. The NDIA usually considers permanence after all available and appropriate treatment options have been considered.

Does it substantially reduce the ability to do everyday activities?

Your permanent impairment needs to substantially reduce your functional capacity or ability to do daily activities. This must be in one or more of the following areas: communicating, socialising, learning, moving around, looking after yourself, managing your life.

In practice this means needing disability-specific support: a high level of help from other people, or assistive technology, equipment or home modifications prescribed by a health professional.

Does it affect the ability to work, study or take part in social life?

We look at how your permanent impairment affects your ability to work, study or socialise.

Examples the NDIA gives: finding and keeping a job, studying, spending and saving money, playing sport, going to the movies, volunteering, travelling.

Are NDIS supports likely to be needed for life?

The last thing we look at is whether you’re likely to need support under the NDIS for your whole life.

Needs can go up and down over time and still meet this requirement.

There is a second way in

If you do not meet all five, the early intervention requirements are a separate pathway. They ask whether getting support now would improve your functional capacity, stop it getting worse, or build the skills of the people who support you, and so reduce the support you need in future. You can meet one pathway or both.

Before you apply

What the NDIA actually reads.

Access decisions turn on evidence. Three things make the difference more than anything else.

Reports that describe function, not just diagnosis

The NDIA assesses what you can and cannot do day to day. A specialist letter naming a condition, with nothing about its impact, is the most common reason an application stalls.

Evidence that the impairment is likely permanent

The NDIA usually looks at permanence after all available and appropriate treatment options have been considered. Ask your treating professional to address that directly.

A clear picture of daily support

How much help you need from other people, and what assistive technology, equipment or home modifications a health professional has prescribed.

Already eligible and looking for a provider? First Priority Care is a registered, nurse-led NDIS provider across Queensland.

See our services

FAQs

Questions about NDIS access.

What are the NDIS eligibility requirements?

There are three you must meet: you must be younger than 65 when you apply, you must be an Australian citizen or hold a permanent residency visa or Protected Special Category visa and live in Australia, and you must meet either the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. The NDIA decides on the evidence you provide.

What are the disability requirements?

All five must be met: your disability is caused by one or more impairments (intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical or relating to psychosocial disability); the impairment is likely to be permanent; it substantially reduces your ability to do everyday activities; it affects your ability to work, study or take part in social life; and you will likely need NDIS supports for your lifetime.

What is the difference between the disability and early intervention pathways?

The disability requirements look at the impact you live with now. The early intervention requirements look forward: whether getting support now would improve your functional capacity, stop it getting worse, or build the skills of the people who support you, and so reduce the support you need later. You can meet one or both.

Do I need a diagnosis to apply for the NDIS?

Not by itself. The NDIA assesses the functional impact of your impairment rather than the diagnosis, so evidence that explains what you can and cannot do day to day matters more than the label. For children under 6, developmental delay is considered without a diagnosis.

What if I am about to turn 65?

Your application has to be complete, in the format the NDIA asks for, and received before your 65th birthday. If you are close, call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 now rather than waiting, because an application that arrives late cannot be accepted.

Does this checker decide whether I get on the NDIS?

No. It walks through the requirements the NDIA publishes and shows which ones your answers appear to meet. Only the NDIA can make an access decision, and it does that on clinical evidence. Use this to work out whether applying is worth your time and what evidence to gather.

Requirements as published by the NDIA at ndis.gov.au, checked on 15 September 2026. This tool is not an access decision and First Priority Care does not decide who becomes an NDIS participant. Only the NDIA does, on the evidence you provide.

Ready when you are

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Speak with our care team about your NDIS plan, your goals, and how we can help. Coordinators can send a referral straight to intake and hear back within one business hour.

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