How to read support item codes

What a support item number is

A support item number is the unique identifier that tells the NDIA’s payment system exactly which support you are claiming for official source (opens in a new tab). Using the correct code is not optional: a mismatched code will either be rejected outright or, worse, will be accepted but draw funds from the wrong budget category. The Support Catalogue lists every claimable support item alongside its code, unit of measure, price limit (where applicable), and the rules that apply to it.

Each support item sits within a support category and a registration group. The category aligns broadly to the Core, Capital, and Capacity Building budget structure in a participant’s plan; the registration group ties the support to the provider registration requirements that must be met before it can be delivered.

The parts of a code

A common item number has five underscore-separated parts, such as 01_011_0107_1_1. These identify the support category, item sequence, registration group, outcome domain and support purpose. Newer items may also have delivery-mode suffixes. Do not infer price, authorisation or eligibility from the digits alone.

The catalogue’s named columns are the practical reference. Verify the complete item number, support name, registration group, unit and conditions against the official workbook and current pricing schedule official source (opens in a new tab).

Units and price limits

Each support item specifies a unit of measure, such as hour, each, or day official source (opens in a new tab). The unit determines how the claim is quantified: an hourly support is claimed in hours (or fractions of hours), while a consumable item might be claimed per unit. Getting the unit right is important because mismatched quantities against the wrong unit type will cause a claim to fail or to draw an incorrect amount.

The price columns show the workbook’s published amounts. Check the current pricing schedule for the applicable maximum, including the service date and region. You can charge at or below this limit, but not above it for price-limited items. See the PAPL guide for more on how the limits are set and when they change.

Quote-required items

Some support items in the catalogue are marked as requiring a quote rather than having a fixed price limit official source (opens in a new tab). These are typically complex, bespoke, or high-cost supports, such as specialist equipment, major home modifications, or some behaviour support plans. These items may require an assessment, quote and NDIA approval before funding can be used. Participant agreement alone does not replace any required approval.

Quote-required items still have a support item number and must be claimed under the correct code. Follow the approved funding and quote conditions, participant agreement and applicable pricing rules. A quote flag does not establish an entitlement to claim any agreed amount.

Use the catalogue

The Support Catalogue is published on the NDIS website as a downloadable spreadsheet and may change during the financial year official source (opens in a new tab). OneForce Care’s claiming module uses the current catalogue to validate support item codes at the point of entry, which catches common coding errors before a payment request is submitted. For a broader look at how payment requests work and the most common reasons claims fail, see the claims guide.

When setting up a new service or adding support types, always cross-reference the catalogue to confirm the correct code, unit, and any special rules before delivering the support. The support catalogue in this hub also walks through how to navigate the spreadsheet.