If you invoice through the NDIS, you’ve probably noticed that every service you provide has a number attached to it – something like 01_011_0107_1_1 sitting next to “Assistance with Self-Care Activities.” That number is the support item code (also called a line item code, or support item number), and it’s not decorative. It’s what tells the NDIS what you did, what you’re allowed to charge for it, and which part of a participant’s plan it comes out of. This guide explains what these codes are, how they’re built, why they matter on your invoices, and where to find the current list – so the next time you’re setting up a new service, you know exactly what you’re looking at.
If you’re chasing a specific portal rejection right now, jump straight to our guide to common NDIS invoicing mistakes – this page covers the background those errors assume you already know.
Get the code right and the rest of the invoice – description, price, GST treatment – falls into place around it. Get it wrong and you’re looking at a rejected claim and a delay to getting paid.
What Is an NDIS Support Item Code?
An NDIS support item code is a standardised identifier for a specific type of support or service.
Every claimable support in the NDIS – from a support worker’s hourly rate to a physio consult to a piece of assistive technology – has one of these codes attached to it. When you invoice a participant, or when a plan manager or the NDIA processes a claim through the portal, the code is what identifies exactly what was delivered.
You’ll see it called a few different things depending on who’s talking:
- Support item code
- Line item code
- Support item number
- NDIS code
They all mean the same thing.
It sits underneath the broader “support category” (the general bucket, like Core Supports or Capacity Building) as the specific, granular item within that category.
In practical terms, you’re not billing the NDIS for “a support session.” You’re billing for a specific, numbered item that the NDIA has defined, priced, and made claimable against a participant’s plan.
How a Support Item Code Is Structured
Support item codes follow a set numeric structure – a string of numbers separated by underscores.
Example:
01_011_0107_1_1
(This happens to be the code for standard weekday daytime self-care assistance.)
Each segment of that number means something. Broadly, the code encodes:
- The support category the item sits under.
- A sequence number for that specific item.
- The registration group it belongs to.
- Further identifiers used for claim processing.
The first segment is the most useful one to recognise at a glance – items starting with “01,” for instance, sit under Assistance with Daily Life.
You don’t need to memorise the full breakdown to use the codes correctly. The important thing is knowing that the number isn’t arbitrary, and that a code beginning with a different prefix means a different support category with different rules attached.
The authoritative breakdown of what each segment represents is set out in the NDIS Support Catalogue itself (more on finding that below), so when in doubt, look it up rather than guess from the pattern.
Where the Code Appears on Your Invoice – and Why It Matters
On a compliant NDIS invoice, the support item code sits alongside the line description, usually in its own column or field, next to the date of service, quantity, and unit price.
It’s a required field, not an optional extra – plan managers and the NDIS portal both use it to process the claim. This matters because the code is what ties your invoice to the right place in the participant’s plan.
Participant budgets are split into categories and, within those, specific items. If the code on your invoice doesn’t match a support the NDIA (or the participant’s plan manager) recognises as claimable under that plan, the claim doesn’t go through – regardless of how accurate your description or price is.
The code is the thing the system actually reads; your written description is essentially there for the human to double-check.
Get the code right and the rest of the invoice – description, price, GST treatment – falls into place around it. Get it wrong and you’re looking at a rejected claim and a delay to getting paid.
How Price Limits Attach to a Code
Every support item code that’s subject to a price limit has its own maximum rate set out in the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Some items have a single national limit; others vary depending on location (remote and very remote areas typically attract higher limits) or the day and time the support is delivered.
This is also where one of the most common portal rejections comes from. If the amount on your invoice for a given code exceeds that code’s price limit, the claim gets knocked back – in the NDIS portal, this shows up as error code C06 (price exceeds limit). We’ve covered that error, along with the other common ones, in our guide to NDIS invoicing mistakes – worth a read if you’ve had a claim rejected and aren’t sure why.
Before you set your rates, it’s worth checking where you sit relative to the price limits for the codes you use most. Our NDIS hourly rate calculator can help you work out whether your required rate fits comfortably under the current cap, or whether something in your cost base needs adjusting.rate fits comfortably under the current cap, or whether something in your cost base needs adjusting.
How to Look Up Current NDIS Support Item Codes
Support item codes and their price limits aren’t fixed forever – the NDIA reviews and updates them, typically once a year, sometimes more often when there’s a mid-year adjustment.
Codes get added, retired, or renamed, and price limits move.
Working from an old PDF you saved eighteen months ago is a common way to end up quoting or invoicing against a code that’s no longer valid.
The authoritative source is the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL).
This is the document that used to be called the NDIS Price Guide, and it sets out every support item code, its category, and its price limit.
Alongside it, the NDIA publishes the NDIS Support Catalogue, a spreadsheet version of the same information that’s easier to search or filter if you’re just after the codes and prices without the surrounding detail.
You’ll find both on the NDIS website under:
- For Providers
- Pricing and payments
- Pricing
Search “NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits” or “NDIS support catalogue” directly on ndis.gov.au if you can’t find the current link.
The NDIA updates its URL structure from time to time, so a bookmarked link from last year isn’t a safe bet either.
Always check the “effective from” date on whatever document you’re looking at before you rely on it.
How Sole Helps With NDIS Codes and Pricing
Manually checking every code against the current catalogue, every time you invoice, isn’t a realistic Manually checking every code against the current catalogue, every time you invoice, isn’t a realistic workflow when you’re also doing the actual support work. Sole’s NDIS-specific invoicing tools are built around exactly this problem: a weekly-updated database of valid support item codes, so you can’t accidentally select one that’s been retired; an automatic check of your invoice amount against the current NDIS price limit for that code, before you send it; and mandatory-field validation that catches a missing code, ABN, or other required detail before the invoice goes out – not after it bounces back.
Add unlimited GST-ready invoicing, recurring invoices for regular clients, and BAS-ready reporting, and you’ve got one place to run the admin side of NDIS support work instead of juggling a spreadsheet and a PDF price guide. See how Sole works for NDIS sole traders.
For more on getting NDIS invoicing right, see our full NDIS resources hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a support item code and a support category?
A support category is the broad bucket a support sits in – for example, Core Supports, Capacity Building, or Capital Supports, and within those, groupings like Assistance with Daily Life or Improved Daily Living. A support item code (also called a line item code) is the specific, numbered item within that category – the exact service you delivered, priced and claimable on its own. You’ll always be invoicing against a support item code, not just a category.
Where do I find the correct support item code for a service I provide?
The definitive source is the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document, along with the accompanying NDIS Support Catalogue spreadsheet, both published on ndis.gov.au under Pricing and payments. Search by keyword (the type of support you provide) rather than trying to guess the code from memory, since codes and prices are updated periodically.
What happens if I use the wrong support item code on an invoice or claim?
The claim is likely to be rejected, because the code is what the NDIA portal or plan management software uses to match your invoice against the right part of the participant’s plan. You’ll need to correct the code and resubmit. If you’re seeing a specific rejection, our guide to NDIS invoicing mistakes covers the common portal error codes and what each one means.
Do NDIS support item codes and their price limits change?
Yes. The NDIA reviews pricing at least annually, and sometimes makes changes mid-year. Codes can be added, renamed, or retired, and price limits are adjusted. This is why it pays to check the current Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits rather than relying on a saved document or an old invoice template.
Can I charge more than the price limit listed against a support item code?
Not for participants who are NDIA-managed or plan-managed – the price limit is a hard cap for those arrangements. Self-managed participants can agree to pay above the price limit if they choose to, though it will draw down their budget faster. If you’re unsure which category a participant falls into, check with them or their plan manager before invoicing above the standard rate.
