Am I Eligible for NDIS? A Plain English Checklist
If you’re wondering whether the NDIS is for you, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions we get, and working out where you stand usually takes less time than people expect.
The NDIS checks four things. Your age, where you live, your residency status, and how your disability affects your day to day life. That’s it. If you can answer those four, you’ll have a good idea of whether to apply.
Here is each one in plain language, plus what to have ready and what to do if you don’t qualify.
The four checks
Your age
You must be younger than 65 on the day your application is received.
Where you live
You must live in Australia and spend most of your time here.
Your residency status
An Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a Protected Special Category visa holder.
Your disability
A permanent impairment that substantially affects daily life, or early intervention that reduces your future need for support.
1. Your age
You need to be under 65 on the day your application is received. Not when you first thought about applying, and not when you started gathering reports. The day it lands.
If you’re 65 or older, the NDIS isn’t the right door. Aged care is, and there is support available there. That’s not a rejection of your needs, it’s just a different system.
If you’re applying for a child, there’s a separate pathway. Children under 9 are supported through the early childhood approach, which is built for families rather than individuals. That covers children under 6 with developmental delay, and children under 9 with disability.
2. Where you live and your residency
You need to live in Australia and spend most of your time here. Australia has to be your home, not a place you visit.
You also need to be one of these:
- an Australian citizen
- a permanent resident
- a Protected Special Category visa holder
The NDIS can check your residency and citizenship through your Centrelink record, with your consent. If you’d rather not consent, you’ll need to supply documents instead.
3. Your disability
This is the part people find hardest to judge, so let’s break it down. You may meet the disability requirements if:
- you have a disability caused by an impairment
- one or more of your impairments are likely to be permanent
- you’ll likely need NDIS supports for your whole life
- your impairment substantially affects your ability to do daily life activities
- your impairment affects your social life, or your ability to work or study
The word “substantially” is doing a lot of work there. It doesn’t mean you find things a bit harder than most people. It means the impact is significant and ongoing.
Permanent doesn’t mean untreatable. It means the impairment is likely to stay for life, even with good treatment and support.
4. Early intervention
There’s a second way in, and plenty of people don’t know about it.
You may be eligible under the early intervention requirements if your impairments are likely to be permanent, and getting NDIS supports now would reduce how much support you need later.
You can qualify under the disability requirements, the early intervention requirements, or both. You don’t have to meet both.
What “permanent” means here
Permanent doesn’t mean untreatable. It means the impairment is likely to stay for life, even with treatment or support.
A condition that might improve with the right therapy usually won’t meet this test. A condition that will always be there, even if it’s managed well, usually will.
What to have ready before you apply
Three identity documents. The NDIS needs to confirm who you are. Gather three that together show your name, your address, your date of birth, and a photo of you.
Evidence about your disability. This is the part that takes the longest. Assessments, reports, and written statements about how your disability affects your daily life. Not just the diagnosis, but what it actually means for your mornings, your work, and your relationships.
A clear picture of your support needs. What do you need help with now, and what will you likely need in the future? Specific examples are stronger than general statements.
You don’t have to assemble this alone. Your NDIS partner or local area coordinator can help you work out what evidence you need and how to gather it.
If you’re not eligible
This is the part most guides skip, and it matters.
Not being eligible for the NDIS doesn’t mean there’s no support available. Depending on your situation, there may be aged care services, state or territory disability services, community health programs, or support through your GP.
The NDIS website has a page on finding other services and supports, and it’s worth reading before you assume there’s nothing out there.
It’s also worth knowing that eligibility can change. If your circumstances change, you can look at it again.
Where we fit
We’re an NDIS provider, so we don’t decide your eligibility. That’s the NDIS’s job, not ours, and we won’t pretend otherwise.
What we can do is help you understand what daily support might look like once you’re approved, and help you put your first plan to work. If you’re already a participant and you’re trying to work out what support you can access, that’s a conversation we can have today.
Not sure where you stand?
Give us a call and we’ll talk it through. If we can’t help, we’ll point you toward someone who can.
Source: eligibility criteria checked against the NDIS website, “How to check your eligibility” and “What are the NDIS eligibility requirements”, current as of 9 June 2026. The NDIS is currently updating its information to reflect new legislation, so check ndis.gov.au for the latest before you apply.
