The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits Explained
- Julian Vilsten
- Feb 19
- 5 min read
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (commonly called the NDIS Price Guide) sets the maximum price a registered provider can charge for each funded support. It is updated annually, usually effective 1 July, though interim updates can occur during the year. The document covers more than 600 line items and applies to all NDIA-managed and plan-managed participants. Self-managed participants can choose to pay above the listed maximum.
For most participants, the Price Guide is the reference point for knowing what providers can charge. If you want to check whether a rate you have been quoted is within the allowable range, this is where you look.
What Is the NDIS Price Guide?
The Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits is published by the NDIA and lists every support type the NDIS funds. Each support has a unique line item number, a description, and a maximum hourly or unit price. The document is publicly available on the NDIS website.
Beyond hourly rates for services, the Price Guide also sets rules for cancellation fees, provider travel charges, non-face-to-face work (such as report writing), and what is and is not billable. These are often overlooked, but they directly affect how much of your plan is used per appointment. A provider who bills for travel, report writing, and the session itself draws down more funding per visit than the session rate alone would suggest.
The Price Guide is reviewed annually through a process that considers market data, wage award changes, and industry engagement. The resulting rate changes typically take effect from 1 July each year. It is worth checking the current version on the NDIS website, as interim updates can also occur outside the annual cycle.
How Do Price Limits Apply?
The rules differ depending on how your plan is managed.
NDIA-managed
The NDIA pays registered providers directly. Providers must charge at or below the Price Guide maximum, and participants can only use registered providers. For behaviour support specifically, this is the most common management type. Specialist behaviour support requires a registered provider regardless of how the plan is managed, but NDIA-managed participants have no option to use unregistered providers for any service.
Plan-managed
A plan manager pays providers on your behalf. Providers must still charge within Price Guide limits. The advantage of plan management is access to both registered and unregistered providers for most support types while still maintaining the price ceiling. For behaviour support, the provider must still be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, even under plan management.
Self-managed
You manage your own funding and pay providers directly. You can choose to pay above the Price Guide maximum if you believe a provider offers value that justifies the higher rate. Self-managed participants have the most flexibility in provider choice. For behaviour support, the practitioner must still be assessed as suitable under the PBS Capability Framework, though the provider does not need to be a registered NDIS provider.
How Do You Read a Line Item?
Each entry in the Price Guide has a consistent structure: a line item number, a support description, and a maximum price.
The line item number
The number identifies the support category, the specific support type, and the registration group. For example, behaviour support line items sit under registration group 0110 (Specialist Positive Behaviour Support). You do not need to memorise these numbers, but knowing which line items your providers claim against helps you track spending. Your plan manager or support coordinator can confirm the relevant items.
What the price limit tells you
The listed price is the maximum a provider can charge per hour or per unit for that support. This is the rate that applies when services are delivered during standard business hours. Different rates may apply for evenings, weekends, and public holidays, and these are also listed in the Price Guide.
What to check
Compare the rate on your invoice or service agreement against the Price Guide maximum for the relevant line item. If you are NDIA-managed or plan-managed and the rate exceeds the listed maximum, that is a claiming error. If you are self-managed and a provider quotes above the cap, that additional cost comes from your allocation and depletes your budget faster.
What Else Does the Price Guide Cover?
Cancellation fees
Providers can charge a cancellation fee if a participant cancels with less than the required notice period. The Price Guide specifies the notice period and the maximum cancellation rate. This is worth checking because repeated late cancellations can reduce your available funding without any service being delivered.
Travel charges
Providers can bill for the time it takes to travel to a participant. The Price Guide sets limits based on geographic location: shorter travel allowances in metropolitan areas, longer in regional and remote areas. Travel is billed at the same hourly rate as the service itself and comes from the same budget.
Non-face-to-face work
Report writing, phone calls with other providers, and other non-face-to-face activities can be billed under many line items. The Price Guide specifies whether a particular line item allows non-face-to-face claiming. For behaviour support, non-face-to-face work includes writing behaviour support plans, conducting desktop reviews, and liaising with the support network. These activities are legitimate and necessary, but participants should understand that they are billable.
Geographic loadings
Price limits are higher in remote and very remote areas: generally 40% higher in remote areas and 50% higher in very remote areas. If you are receiving services in a regional or remote location, the applicable rate may be higher than the standard metropolitan rate.
Why Does This Matter for Your Plan?
The Price Guide is not something most participants read cover to cover. The practical value is in three areas.
Checking whether you are being charged within the allowable limits. If a rate on your invoice does not match the Price Guide for that line item, raise it with your provider or plan manager.
Understanding what is billable beyond session time. Travel, cancellations, and non-face-to-face work all draw from the same budget. Knowing this helps you understand why your funding may deplete faster than the session rate alone would suggest.
Reviewing your service agreement. Your service agreement with a provider should specify the rates being charged, the cancellation policy, and what non-face-to-face work is included. The Price Guide sets the ceiling, but the service agreement is where the specific terms of your arrangement are documented. Read it before signing.
If you are looking for Positive Behaviour Support, psychology, or neuropsychology services, Outcomes Lab works across Melbourne, VIC and Port Lincoln, SA. Our team is neuroaffirming, NDIS-registered, and focused on practical outcomes
About the Author
Julian Vilsten
Founder, Outcomes Lab | Clinical Neuropsychologist | Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner. MClinNeuro, BBNSc (Hons)
With over a decade of clinical experience, Julian combines neuropsychology with practical behaviour support. He is dedicated to neuroaffirming practice and building support systems that champion autonomy and genuine well-being.
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