Last reviewed 28 October 2026 by the AppliQ Team. Check the sources below for the latest rules.
Do you need a service agreement?
Under the NDIS Practice Standards, registered providers work with each participant to create an agreement that sets expectations, describes the supports and explains any conditions. The participant receives a copy signed by both the participant and the provider. If that isn't practical, or the participant doesn't want one, the provider records why.
Unregistered providers should still use one. It is your evidence of what was agreed, and the ATO says an NDIS supply is only GST-free when there is a written agreement that identifies the participant and states the supply is a reasonable and necessary support in their plan.
Template checklist: what to include
Use these sections as your template. The agreement doesn't need to cover the whole plan period, and it should be in a language and format the participant understands.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Parties | The participant's name and NDIS number, any nominee or guardian, and your business name and ABN. |
| Supports | Each support, how it's delivered, the day, time and place, and whether it's regular or one-off. |
| Prices | The price of each support, using the support item from the NDIS Support Catalogue, plus any provider travel, materials or other charges, and whether GST applies. |
| Payment | How you'll be paid: by the NDIA, a plan manager or the participant if they self-manage. |
| Cancellations | Your cancellation policy, including the notice the participant must give and what you can charge for a short notice cancellation. |
| Responsibilities | What each party agrees to do before supports start, and what happens if either can't meet those responsibilities. |
| Changes and review | When the agreement will be reviewed and how either party can ask for a change. |
| Ending the agreement | How much notice either party must give to end it. |
| Feedback and complaints | How to raise a concern, who to contact, and that complaints can go to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. |
| Emergencies | How supports continue in an emergency or disaster. |
| Signatures | Signed and dated by the participant (or their representative) and the provider. |
Keep the agreement as evidence
From 27 August 2026, providers must keep records that support each NDIS claim for seven years, and the service agreement is one of those records. Keep every signed version, not just the latest, so you can show what was agreed on the day each support was delivered.
Common mistakes
- Charging a price that isn't in the signed agreement.
- Claiming a short notice cancellation the agreement doesn't allow for.
- Changing days, times or prices without updating and re-signing the agreement.
- Leaving out how to make a complaint.
How Care Nexus helps
Care Nexus builds the service agreement from the referral, using your services and prices. For each service you select, it picks up the rules for the participant's funding, such as the cancellation notice period, and sends the agreement for eSign. When a participant asks to change a service, the agreement is updated automatically and sent for eSign again, and every signed version stays on the participant's record.
Sources
- NDIS Practice Standards: Provision of supports (NDIS Commission)
- Things to consider when making a service agreement (NDIS fact sheet)
- GST and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (ATO)
- NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 (Federal Register of Legislation)
- NDIS reform: provider records (PM Lawyers)