You’re eligible for the NDIS if you meet three requirements: you’re aged 0–64 when you apply, you’re an Australian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Special Category visa holder, and you meet either the disability requirements (a permanent impairment that significantly affects everyday life) or the early intervention requirements (support now would reduce future need, or you’re a child under 6 with developmental delay). All three must be met — age and residency alone aren’t enough. Source: NDIS eligibility requirements
Here’s each requirement explained in full, how to check if you qualify, and what applying actually involves.
Requirement 1: Age
You must be aged 0 to 64 years when you apply for the NDIS. There’s no minimum age — babies and infants can be supported.
Children younger than 9 are supported through the early childhood approach, working with an early childhood partner rather than going through the standard access pathway. This is designed to make early support easier to access without needing a formal diagnosis first in many cases.
If you’re 65 or older when you first apply, you generally can’t access the NDIS — you’d instead look at aged care supports through My Aged Care. However, if you’re already an NDIS participant before turning 65, you can usually choose to stay in the NDIS rather than move to aged care.
Requirement 2: Residency Status
You must be living in Australia and hold one of the following:
- Australian citizenship
- Permanent residency
- A Protected Special Category visa (generally certain New Zealand citizens who were living in Australia before 26 February 2001).
If you’re on a temporary visa, a bridging visa, or another visa type not listed above, you generally won’t meet the residency requirement, regardless of how severe your disability is. This is one of the most common reasons an otherwise-eligible applicant is knocked back, so it’s worth confirming your visa status clearly before applying.
Requirement 3: Disability or Early Intervention Requirements
Alongside age and residency, you need to meet at least one of two separate sets of requirements. Most participants meet the disability requirements, but early intervention is a distinct, often lower-threshold pathway — particularly relevant for young children and anyone whose condition could improve with timely support.
| Disability requirements | Early intervention requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | People with an impairment expected to be lifelong | People (especially young children) who could benefit from support now to reduce future need |
| Core test | A permanent impairment, or psychosocial disability caused by one, that significantly affects everyday life and function | An impairment likely to be permanent (or a child under 6 with developmental delay) where early supports would reduce future needs, improve function, or stop things worsening |
| Likely duration of support | Lifetime NDIS supports likely needed | Supports may be short- to medium-term, aimed at building capacity |
| Typical examples | Autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, permanent psychosocial disability | Developmental delay in a toddler, early-stage conditions where timely therapy changes the trajectory |
You only need to meet one of these two pathways, not both — and many children are assessed under early intervention first, then reassessed under the disability requirements later if ongoing lifetime support is needed.
Why Eligibility Rules Exist
The NDIS was never designed to be the only source of support for every Australian with disability. Health, education, employment services, social security, housing and the NDIS are all separate systems that work together rather than duplicating the same support for the same person. Eligibility requirements exist to determine which system is the right fit — not to judge how serious someone’s disability is.
That means you can still be a person with a genuine, significant disability and not meet NDIS eligibility, because your needs are better met through the health or aged care systems instead. An NDIS partner can point you toward those community and mainstream supports if that’s the case.
Not Sure If You Qualify?
If you meet the age and residency requirements but you’re unsure about the disability or early intervention side, you don’t have to work it out alone. Get in touch with your local NDIS partner:
- If you’re 9 or older, this is your Local Area Coordinator (LAC).
- If your child is younger than 9, contact an early childhood partner.
- No partner in your area, or not sure who yours is? Call the National Contact Centre on 1800 800 110.
They’ll talk through your situation, your disability, your needs, and what evidence would support an application — before you commit to the formal process.
How to Apply, If You Think You Qualify
Meeting the requirements is one thing — applying is a separate, structured process. Here’s how it works:
- Connect with an NDIS partner. Use the office finder or call 1800 800 110. They’ll explain the process and what evidence you’ll need. You can bring a support person to any meeting.
- Gather evidence from your treating health professional. Your application needs supporting evidence about your disability or developmental delay — your partner can tell you exactly what’s required.
- Complete your application, either with your NDIS partner’s help or by filling out an access request form yourself.
- Submit your application — through the NDIS service hub online, by mail to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601, or in person at your local office.
- Wait for a decision, which the NDIA provides within 90 days of receiving your complete application and evidence. You’ll get an impairment notice confirming whether you met the disability requirements, the early intervention requirements, or both.
There’s no limit on how many times you can apply — if you’re knocked back but your situation changes or you gather stronger evidence, you can reapply.
What If You’re Found Not Eligible?
If your application is unsuccessful, the NDIA sends a letter explaining why. You can:
- Call 1800 800 110 to talk through the decision
- Request a formal review of the decision if you disagree with it
- Reapply later if your situation changes or you gather more supporting evidence — there’s no cap on how many times you can apply
- Ask your NDIS partner about other options, since they can connect you with community and mainstream supports outside the NDIS that may be a better fit.
An eligibility knock-back isn’t necessarily permanent or personal — it often reflects a mismatch between your current evidence and the specific legal test, which stronger documentation can sometimes resolve.
Need an Assessment to Support Your Application?
Much of the evidence behind a successful NDIS application comes from allied health assessments — documentation from an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or speech pathologist that clearly shows how your impairment affects daily function. This is exactly the kind of supporting evidence a treating health professional provides in Step 2 of the application process above.
Voyager Allied Health carries out NDIS assessments across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, supporting both new applications and plan reviews.
Melbourne: NDIS assessments in Melbourne
Sydney: NDIS assessments in Sydney
Perth: NDIS assessments in Perth
Brisbane: NDIS assessments in Brisbane
Adelaide: NDIS assessments in Adelaide
If you’re preparing an application or gathering evidence for a reassessment, get in touch with our team and we can talk you through what’s involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the NDIS?
People aged 0–64 who are Australian citizens, permanent residents or Protected Special Category visa holders, and who meet either the disability requirements (a significant, permanent impairment) or the early intervention requirements (where early support would reduce future need).
What are the NDIS eligibility criteria in short?
Three things: age (0–64), residency (citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Special Category visa holder), and either the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. All three categories must be satisfied — there’s no NDIS eligibility on disability grounds alone if age or residency isn’t met.
Who qualifies for the NDIS as a child?
Children younger than 9 are supported through the early childhood approach and work with an early childhood partner rather than the standard pathway. Children under 6 with developmental delay can qualify under the early intervention requirements without necessarily having a confirmed permanent diagnosis yet.
Does NDIS funding eligibility depend on income or assets?
No. Unlike some other Australian government payments, NDIS eligibility is based on age, residency and disability/early intervention needs — not income, assets or a means test.
Can you be eligible for the NDIS without a formal diagnosis?
Sometimes, particularly under the early intervention requirements for young children with developmental delay. For the disability requirements, you generally need evidence from a treating health professional confirming a permanent impairment, though the exact diagnosis label matters less than how it affects your daily function.
How long does it take to find out if you’re eligible?
The NDIA aims to notify you within 90 days of receiving your complete application and all supporting evidence.
The Bottom Line
NDIS eligibility comes down to three boxes you need to tick together: age, residency, and either the disability or early intervention requirements. If you’re unsure where you stand, your local NDIS partner or early childhood partner can talk it through before you commit to a formal application — and good supporting evidence from a treating health professional is often what makes or breaks an application.
Voyager Allied Health is a registered NDIS provider offering NDIS allied health therapies and assessments across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. Browse our FAQs or refer yourself or someone you support to get started.
This article summarises publicly available NDIS guidance as of October 2026 and is general information only, not legal or medical advice. Always confirm current eligibility requirements on the NDIS website.