What is Service agreement?
A service agreement is the written agreement between an NDIS participant and a provider setting out what supports will be delivered, how much they cost, and the terms covering cancellations, changes and ending the arrangement. The NDIS Practice Standards expect one for each participant, agreed before supports begin.
Full guide: NDIS service agreements: what to include (2026 checklist)
Free toolFree NDIS service agreement templateWord and PDF, with the claim clauses, an emergency clause and a sole trader version.A service agreement is what makes a cancellation charge enforceable and what a participant relies on when a provider changes rates. Where an agreement is missing or out of date, a disputed claim usually resolves against the provider.
Agreements should reference support item numbers and rates rather than describing services loosely, so that what is invoiced can be matched to what was agreed.
When a written agreement is required
The NDIA says a written service agreement is not required in most cases but recommends one with every new provider. It is mandatory for specialist disability accommodation, and the NDIA's SIL guideline says participants must make one with their registered SIL provider.
For registered providers, the NDIS Practice Standards outcome is that each participant clearly understands the supports they have chosen and how they will be provided, with the agreement developed together with the participant.
What a good agreement covers
- the supports, and how, when and where they will be delivered
- the price, materials, provider travel, any other fees and whether GST applies
- how the provider is paid: by the participant, through NDIA claims or by a plan manager
- the cancellation policy and each party's responsibilities
- how to raise concerns and who to contact about a complaint
- how long it runs, when it is reviewed, how changes are made and how it ends.
Extra terms for SIL
A SIL agreement should also cover the ratio, amount and intensity of support, the maximum price, how supports will work if the participant goes on holiday, and what happens if a housemate moves out and support is shared with fewer people.
Practical tips
- Write it in a format and language the participant understands. It can also record their written consent to start.
- Set out how you handle short notice cancellations. Under current NDIS rules, a short notice cancellation is less than 7 days' notice for disability support worker supports and less than 2 clear business days' notice for most other supports.
- Review prices when the pricing schedule changes. The Pricing Schedule 2026-27 took effect on 24 September 2026.
Questions people ask
Is a service agreement mandatory for the NDIS?
Not in most cases, but the NDIA recommends one. A written agreement is mandatory for SDA, and the NDIA's SIL guideline requires one with the registered SIL provider.
What should an NDIS service agreement include?
The supports and how they are delivered, prices and fees, how the provider is paid, cancellation policy, responsibilities, how to resolve problems, and how the agreement is reviewed, changed and ended.
Can a provider charge an NDIS cancellation fee?
Only for cancellations that meet the NDIS short notice cancellation rules, and the cancellation policy should be set out in the service agreement.
Should a service agreement be updated when NDIS prices change?
It should explain how changes are managed. When the pricing schedule changes, check agreed prices still sit within the new maximum amounts for Agency-managed and plan-managed supports.
Checked against the official sources on 2 October 2026. Rules change: confirm the current position with the agency before you rely on it.
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