Pricing & costs
The NDIS 90-day claiming rule: what changes on 1 December 2026
Written by James, creator of BluetailPublished 22 October 2026
From 1 December 2026, a claim for an NDIS support has to be made within 90 days of the support being delivered. Until then the limit is 2 years. The change comes from the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Act 2026 and covers every claim, whoever makes it: providers claiming from NDIA-managed funding, plan managers and self-managed participants. This guide covers what changes, the older claims to get in before 1 December 2026, and what it means for how often you invoice.
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What changes, and when
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 3 October 2024 | A 2-year limit on claims came into the NDIS Act, with a 12-month grace period. |
| 3 October 2025 | The NDIA’s systems started rejecting claims more than 2 years after the support. |
| 15 October 2026 | Claims made more than 90 days after the support get extra checks and may be held for up to 28 days. The NDIA may ask for more information or evidence before paying. |
| 1 December 2026 | The limit becomes 90 days. A claim made later isn’t payable unless the NDIA accepts there were exceptional circumstances. |
The Act changes section 45A of the NDIS Act, which says a claim must be made within a set time of the support being provided. Only the time changes, from 2 years to 90 days. The exception for exceptional circumstances stays.
Work out your last day to claim
Enter the date a support was delivered to see the last day a claim for it can be made.
Pick a date to see the last day the claim can be made.
| Support delivered | Last day to claim | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 15 August 2026 | 30 November 2026 | Outside 90 days once the rule starts on 1 December 2026 |
| 2 September 2026 | 1 December 2026 | 90 days after the support |
| 1 October 2026 | 30 December 2026 | 90 days after the support |
| 1 December 2026 | 1 March 2027 | 90 days after the support |
| 15 January 2027 | 15 April 2027 | 90 days after the support |
These count 90 days from the day after the support. Don’t aim for the last day: if a claim is rejected for a wrong detail, you want time to fix it and claim again.
Get older claims in before 1 December 2026
The Government delayed the start to 1 December 2026 on purpose. The explanatory memorandum says it is to “allow sufficient time for claims older than 90 days to be made before the new timeframe takes effect”. So anything delivered before 2 September 2026that hasn’t been claimed needs to be claimed by 30 November 2026.
Those older claims are already getting the NDIA’s extra checks, which started on 15 October 2026. Allow for payment taking up to 28 days longer, and for the NDIA asking for evidence that the support was delivered.
Who has to claim within 90 days
- NDIA-managed funding. Registered providers claim through the myplace provider portal, so the 90 days are yours.
- Plan-managed funding. The plan manager makes the claim to the NDIA, so the limit runs on their claim. Your invoice has to reach them with time to spare. Ask each plan manager you invoice how quickly they need invoices from 1 December 2026.
- Self-managed funding. The participant or their nominee makes the claim, and needs your invoice quickly for the same reason.
If you’re unregistered, all of your claims go through a plan manager or a self-managed participant, so a late invoice from you becomes their late claim. Read more about who can pay an unregistered provider.
How to stay inside 90 days
- Invoice on a fixed cycle, weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and send each invoice as soon as the period ends. On a monthly cycle, a support from the first day of the month is already a month old by the time it’s invoiced.
- Get the details right first time.A claim needs the participant’s name, their NDIS number, the dates of support, the support item number and the price. One wrong detail and a rejected claim eats into the 90 days. Our list of therapy support items covers the separate items therapists now claim on.
- Keep the records behind every claim. The NDIA can hold a claim and ask for evidence, and gives you at least 14 days to provide it. The new NDIS laws will also require 7 years of records about NDIS payments.
- Plan around the holidays. The rule starts just before Christmas. If you close over the break, invoice before you go.
- Chase problems early.If a plan manager queries or rejects an invoice, fix it straight away while there’s still time to claim.
Late claims and exceptional circumstances
Section 45A(6) of the NDIS Act still lets the NDIA accept a late claim if it is satisfied there were exceptional circumstances and the claim was made within a reasonable time given those circumstances. The explanatory memorandum describes it as flexibility for people with genuine barriers to claiming on time. Don’t plan your invoicing around it.
Invoice from the notes you already write
In the Bluetail CRM, you pick a participant and a period and the invoice builds itself from submitted shift notes, at your agreed prices and never above the NDIS price limits. Batch mode invoices every participant for the period in one run. Free for your first 3 months, then a flat $25 + GST a month.
Common questions
Does the 90-day rule apply to supports delivered before 1 December 2026?
In practice, yes. The explanatory memorandum to the Act says the start was delayed to 1 December 2026 to allow time for claims older than 90 days to be made before the new timeframe takes effect. So claim anything delivered before 2 September 2026 by 30 November 2026.
Is it 90 days from the invoice date?
No. The 90 days run from the date the support was delivered, not from the date of your invoice or the date a plan manager receives it.
Does the 90-day rule apply to unregistered providers?
The limit applies to the claim made to the NDIA. For an unregistered provider, that claim is made by the participant’s plan manager or by a self-managed participant, so your invoice has to reach them in time for them to claim within 90 days of the support.
What happens to a claim made more than 90 days after the support?
From 1 December 2026 it can only be paid if the NDIA is satisfied there were exceptional circumstances and the claim was made within a reasonable time given those circumstances. Since 15 October 2026, claims made more than 90 days after the support have already been getting extra checks, and payment may be held for up to 28 days.
Are the 90 days business days?
No. The law says 90 days, so weekends and public holidays count.
Sources, checked 22 October 2026: the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 and its revised explanatory memorandum (commencement of Schedule 2, Part 5), the provider FAQs on the new laws, and the NDIA’s Increasing integrity checks on older claims (5 October 2026), Securing the NDIS for future generations and Guide to getting paid.
This guide is general information about NDIS claiming. It is not legal, financial or compliance advice, and Bluetail is not affiliated with the NDIA or the NDIS Commission. Check the NDIA's current guidance before relying on a deadline, and get advice for your own situation.