How to invoice a plan manager, step by step

This guide is for plan-managed and self-managed participants. NDIA-managed participants need an NDIS-registered provider, which is a separate path Crestyn doesn't cover.

Before the first shift

1. Confirm how the plan is managed

Ask the participant or their nominee whether the plan is plan-managed, self-managed or NDIA-managed. If it's NDIA-managed, you can't invoice as an unregistered sole trader, so tell them early. For plan-managed, get the plan manager's business name and their accounts email, and ask what they want on invoices and how long they take to pay. This varies by plan manager. In practice it's 2 to 10 business days from when they accept the invoice.

2. Put rates in writing with the participant

A service agreement is between you and the participant (or their nominee), not the plan manager. It covers your supports, rates, cancellation terms and invoicing frequency, and helps prevent disputes later. It's strongly recommended, and some claims depend on it. Travel, short-notice cancellations, telehealth and non-face-to-face time can only be claimed if the participant agreed to them in advance, and your agreement should say so. If you're registered for GST, the ATO needs written evidence of an agreement before a support is GST-free. The service agreement guide has the detail. Set your rate at or below the price limit for that code, never above. The caps for every code are in the line item directory, currently 2026-27 v1.0, or you can find the official information on the NDIS pricing arrangements page. Crestyn's app includes a service agreement generator, free on the trial and included in any subscription.

Building the invoice

3. Include every required field

Every invoice needs: Tax Invoice or Invoice heading, your name or business name, ABN, contact details, invoice number, invoice date, participant name and NDIS number, date each support was delivered, line item code per line, description, hours and rate per line, GST status (Tax Invoice only), invoice total, and bank details. The reasons and the GST wording are in NDIS invoice requirements. Your plan manager may ask for extras, so check with them.

4. One line per type of support, at the highest rate it touches

Each type of support is its own line, because each has its own code. One shift can be three or four lines. Within one type of support, if your time crosses a rate change, the higher rate applies to the whole of that support (NDIS Pricing Schedule, section 2.4). Two separate visits are two separate supports, and only the one that crosses a boundary gets the higher rate.

For example, personal care from 1pm to 4pm, then community access from 4pm to 9pm. Personal care is one line at the weekday daytime rate. Community access crosses the 8pm switch, so all five hours go on the evening code.

Weekday daytime is 6am to 8pm, evening is 8pm to midnight, and night is midnight to 6am. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays have their own codes. Find your codes in the line item directory.

5. State the GST position

What goes on the invoice depends on whether you're registered for GST. Registration is required from $75,000 turnover and optional below that (ATO: registering for GST). When GST applies and what the invoice says are in GST and the NDIS.

Sending and getting paid

6. Send it to the right inbox, and know it arrived

Email the PDF to the plan manager's accounts address. Put the participant's name and your invoice number in the subject line, for example: Invoice 1042 - Sam Example. Ordinary email won't tell you if it bounced or went to spam, so if you've heard nothing within a week, ask whether they received it until a pattern is established.

7. If it goes wrong

• No reply. Chase with the invoice number and a copy attached.
• Rejected. It needs to be corrected and resubmitted under a new invoice number. The 2 to 10 business days runs from when an invoice is accepted, so a rejection resets it. See why NDIS invoices get rejected.
• Paid less than invoiced. Ask the plan manager for their remittance advice and compare it line by line with your invoice. What they can tell you varies by plan manager.
• They say the funds aren't available. That's a budget question between the participant and their plan manager, not necessarily an error on your invoice.