How to change NDIS providers: a guide for families.

Can you change NDIS providers?

Yes. The NDIA says a person can change providers at any time. A change still takes planning, because care needs to keep going while it happens.

This guide explains how to change NDIS providers. It's for families and carers arranging care, not for people looking for support work. If the support no longer suits your family member, you can ask for changes, and they can choose to leave.

The choice belongs to the person getting the support. Someone they trust can talk to a provider for them, and that may be you. Australian Consumer Law applies to service agreements for NDIS supports, so they can ask questions, take their time and say no.

Supports can be paid from NDIS funding only if they're in line with the plan, whoever delivers them. The NDIA decides what goes in a plan.

How do I change NDIS providers without a gap in care?

These steps follow the NDIA's order, with a few tips added. Allow plenty of time. How long it takes depends on the person's needs and who is available.

1. Talk to the current providerIf you feel comfortable, say what isn't working and ask for changes. A my NDIS contact, support coordinator or someone you trust can help. If you're not comfortable, you can contact the NDIS Commission instead.
2. Read the current service agreementIt should say how many days' notice to give, sometimes called a notice period or cancellation period. Look for fees too. If there's no written agreement, ask what notice they expect and get the answer in writing.
3. Find a new provider firstDo this before finishing with the current provider, to help avoid a gap. Ask the my NDIS contact or support coordinator, use the NDIA's provider finder, check reviews and ask people you trust. Meet them before deciding. Our guide on how to find a support worker has questions to ask.
4. Sign a new service agreementAgree on a start date before you give notice. Ask the new provider to confirm it has workers for the days and times needed, and what happens if a shift can't be filled.
5. Tell the current providerAsk if they have a form or process for ending an agreement. Give notice in writing, with the last day you want. Check there are no outstanding payments, and ask how they'll plan the handover.
6. Tell the plan manager or support coordinatorIf the person has either one, let them know.
7. Update the NDIS portalCheck whether you need to end the service booking or my provider relationship, or whether the provider will.

The NDIS Practice Standards, for registered providers of higher-risk supports, call for a planned and coordinated transition to or from a provider. Ask both providers how they'll do that.

How much notice and what fees?

The NDIA says the service agreement sets the number of days. A fee may apply if the agreed notice isn't given.

What to look for

• Exit fees. The NDIA's 2025-26 pricing guide says people generally don't have to pay exit fees, even when changing providers part way through a plan.
• Cancelled shifts. These are separate. For support worker shifts such as personal care, the same guide lets a provider claim up to the full agreed fee if less than seven days' notice is given, the service agreement allows it, and the provider can't find the worker other paid work. Providers can waive this.
• Updates. The NDIA says updated guidance is coming, so ask a provider to explain any fee in writing.

Who do we tell when changing service providers?

It depends on how the funding in the plan is managed.

Funding also affects who you can choose. NDIA-managed funding must go to registered providers. With self-managed or plan-managed funding, you can usually choose registered or unregistered providers. Both must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. The NDIS Commission's Provider Register lists registered providers.

How do we end a service booking?

It depends on which NDIS portal the plan uses. Either way, ask the current provider who will do it.

Recording a my provider is a must for some supports, such as a plan manager or support coordinator. For others it's a choice.

What should we hand over to the new provider?

The person decides what gets shared.

Things to put together

• The daily routine, and the times that matter
• Likes, dislikes and how they communicate
• What has and hasn't worked with past workers
• Who to call: family, GP and health practitioners
• Any written plans from health practitioners

For anything medical, ask the person's GP or health practitioner what new workers need to know. For complex needs, see our guide to high-intensity supports. The person can choose which parts of the plan each provider sees. With their consent, ask if the current provider can share handover notes.

What should we check in the new service agreement?

The NDIA recommends one when starting with a new provider. In October 2026 it released a new template and checklist. The template is optional.

Look for

• Each support: item, hours, unit price and total cost
• How, where and how often each support happens
• Extra charges, like travel
• Start, end and review dates
• Cancellation rules, notice and fees
• What happens if the provider cancels, pauses or replaces a support
• How to change or end the agreement
• A clear complaints process

You can ask to change terms, and ask for plain words or an interpreter. Take time to read it. You can say no. A provider can't use an agreement to contract out of its duties under the NDIS Code of Conduct or Australian Consumer Law. The NDIA and the NDIS Commission can't enforce it, so keep a copy.

Also ask any provider about having the same worker each week, choosing a worker's gender, languages, what happens when a worker is sick, after-hours help and training. For personal care, read what personal care includes and how rates work.

What if the problem is a complaint?

Leaving and complaining are separate. Start with the provider if you feel comfortable. If not, or if that doesn't fix it, go to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

1. Raise it with the providerA provider must make people feel safe to raise concerns, deal with complaints effectively, not threaten anyone for complaining, and help report to the NDIS Commission when needed.
2. Go to the NDIS CommissionReport online, by phone or by letter. It can explain the person's rights, give information to help resolve the issue and, when needed, create a complaint. Examples include unsafe or poor-quality supports, supports not received, and a provider not responding to complaints.
3. Get independent helpAn independent disability advocate can speak, act or write for the person. You can search the Disability Advocacy Finder.

Good to know

• Names are optional. A report can be anonymous or confidential, but the Commission says it's harder to assess without your details.
• Some things go elsewhere. The Commission doesn't do individual dispute resolution. Plans, funding and NDIA decisions go to the NDIA.
• Threats are serious. The Commission's examples of harm include telling a person they'll be hurt if they stop using a provider. Call it as soon as possible.

What's changing in the rules?

The NDIS website says it's updating its pages for new laws.

Announced so far

• Claims, from 1 December 2026. Claims must be made within 90 days of the support, down from 2 years. Ask for final invoices soon after the last shift.
• Prices, from 1 December 2026. Maximum prices rise for four support items, including house cleaning. The person must agree before a service agreement changes because of this.
• Records, from 27 August 2026. The person or their plan manager must keep records of supports and payments for 3 years. More detail on how to keep them is still to come. Keep the old agreement and final invoices.
• Registration, from 1 July 2027. People getting higher-risk supports will need to choose a registered provider for them. This might include personal care. The government says it will publish a list, and the rollout runs to December 2030.

Who can we call?

• NDIS (NDIA)1800 800 110Plans, funding and recorded providers
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission1800 035 544Concerns about a provider or worker. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm in Victoria

If someone's life might be at risk, or there's an emergency, call 000.

This guide is general information, not advice about a particular plan.