You did the work. You sent the invoice. Then the email arrives: “Invoice rejected.”
If you’re a sole trader supporting NDIS participants, you probably know this feeling well. Your plan manager rejects the invoice, your payment stalls, and you end up chasing money you’ve already earned.
It’s not you. NDIS invoicing has a lot of rules, so one small miss can leave you waiting weeks to get paid.
Why NDIS invoices get rejected
Some of the most common reasons an NDIS invoice bounces are:
- Missing or incorrect participant details, such as the participant’s full name or NDIS number
- No support item number, or one that doesn’t match the supports in the participant’s plan
- A price above the limit in the NDIS pricing schedule
- GST charged when the support should be GST-free, or the other way around
- Dates of service missing, or outside the participant’s plan dates
- Missing business details, such as your ABN
- More than one participant on the same invoice
What an NDIS invoice should include
The NDIS guide to getting paid sets out what a provider invoice should show. In general, that’s:
- Your business name and ABN
- The participant’s name and NDIS number
- An invoice number and invoice date
- The date(s) each support was delivered
- The support item number and name from the NDIS pricing schedule
- The quantity or hours, and the unit price
- GST, only if it applies
- The total amount and your payment details
Save this checklist for your next NDIS invoice.
Also, keep one participant per invoice, and check whether your client’s plan manager has any extra requirements.
How you’re paid depends on how the plan is managed
- Plan-managed: you invoice the participant’s plan manager, who checks the invoice against the plan and pays you.
- Self-managed: the participant (or their nominee) pays you and claims from their plan.
A quick word on GST
Many NDIS supports are GST-free, but only when your supply meets all of the ATO’s conditions. These include the participant having an NDIS plan in effect, the support being a reasonable and necessary support in that plan, a written agreement being in place, and the NDIS GST-free determination covering the support. If you’re not sure whether your services are GST-free, check the ATO’s guidance or speak to your bookkeeper. The NDIS Sole Trader Supplier Resources will cover this too.
Be kind to yourself
You became a support worker, therapist, cleaner or carer to help people, not to fight invoice templates. That’s why I’m building something to help.
Coming soon: NDIS Sole Trader Supplier Resources
I’m building downloadable NDIS Sole Trader Supplier Resources to help you get paid the first time. They’ll include:
- NDIS invoice templates
- A pre-send invoice checklist
- A guide to support items and price limits
- Simple record-keeping systems
- Tips for following up late payments
👉 NDIS sole traders: register your interest here
Fill in the short form and you’ll be the first to be notified when the NDIS Sole Trader Supplier Resources go live.
This article is general information only and doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. NDIS and ATO requirements change, so check the latest guidance and your client’s plan manager requirements, and get advice if you’re unsure.