Most service agreements get signed and never reread. That is fine, until a payment dispute, a sudden discharge, or a participant complaint reaches a stage where someone needs to point at a clause. The agreement that worked from a 2021 template, never updated, is the one that fails to do its job in 2026.
This guide is operational. Specifics depend on the participant’s circumstances and current NDIS price guide; have a lawyer or peak body review your template periodically.
Identify both parties clearly
Full names, business name and ABN, the participant’s NDIS number, who is signing on the participant’s behalf if they are not signing themselves. Names are easy to get wrong because they feel obvious; nominees and guardians require explicit naming.
Describe the service in plain terms
What service are you delivering, at what frequency, in what setting, by which discipline. “Therapy” is not enough; “Paediatric occupational therapy, fortnightly, in-home or at our clinic, by a qualified OT” is enough. Clarity here prevents a lot of downstream argument.
State the rates and what triggers a charge
- The hourly or session rate, aligned to the current price guide.
- Travel time charging — with kilometre or time caps if you have them.
- Cancellation policy — what counts as a no-show, what notice triggers a charge.
- Report writing — whether it is included or charged separately, and at what rate.
Set out the exit terms
How either party ends the agreement. Notice period. What happens to outstanding fees. What happens to the clinical record. The exit terms are the most-used clauses in any dispute; spell them out without ambiguity.
Privacy and consent
Consent for storing the participant’s health information, communicating with their plan manager, and sharing relevant clinical information with related providers (school, GP) where appropriate. The Privacy Act and the NDIS Code of Conduct both lean on these consents.
Review every plan cycle
When a participant’s plan renews, their service agreement should be reviewed. Funding lines change, goals shift, sometimes the management type flips. A service agreement that has not been reviewed in three plan cycles is a service agreement that is starting to lie.