How do we check your application?

Before we can accept your application, we make sure it’s been made by the right person. That is, the application is from you, or someone who can apply for you.

We then check all the answers we need have been provided, and that it is the correct information. 

If you don’t have all the answers at the meeting, we’ll help you work out what to do. You can also let us know if there is a mistake. We can work with you to help complete the application properly. We can’t decide if you’re eligible until we have a complete application.

We’ll also let you know if we need more information and, if so, what you need to give us.

Once you have completed your application with all the right information, we’ll check whether you’re eligible. That is, we’ll check that:

• you meet the age and residence requirements
• you meet either the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements.

Learn more in the Applying to the NDIS factsheet .

Who can help you apply?

You can ask someone to help you apply if you want to. They can help you:

• make your decision to apply to the NDIS
• gather the information we need.

You can choose who helps you. For example, you could ask for help from:

• a family member
• a friend
• a carer
• a partner
• a support worker or service provider
• staff in a residential aged care facility
• your treating health professional
• hospital staff.

With your permission, we can share information with these people during your application. For example, they could call us to check how your application is progressing. You can let us know if you would like us to share information.

Can someone else apply for you?

If someone else has legal authority to make decisions for you, they can apply to the NDIS on your behalf.

If you’re younger than 18, the people with parental responsibility for you will apply for you.This is often your parents or legal guardian. In some situations, we can decide someone else has parental responsibility.

Learn more about child representatives.

If you’re an adult, these people may be able to apply to the NDIS on your behalf:

• a person you give consent to act as your authorised representative – this means you give them permission to apply for you
• your guardian
• a person with power of attorney who can make personal and health decisions for you
• a person with advance care health directive.

If you’re an adult and want someone else to apply for you, you can tell us in person, or over the phone.

When do we contact you to help you apply?

Sometimes, we’ll reach out to you to help you apply.

This might be if you live in a:

• group home or supported accommodation
• large residential facility
• residential aged care facility – also read our page on younger people in residential aged care
• rural or remote area.