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From 27 August, only an NDIS participant, their nominee, or their child representative can request a plan reassessment.
The request must be made using the correct NDIS form and include evidence explaining what has changed and why a reassessment is needed, which may include information from a GP or other health professional.
Once the NDIS has everything it needs, it has up to 90 days to decide whether to reassess the plan, decline the reassessment, or vary the plan instead.
If your situation is urgent, minor, or short term, a plan variation may be a more appropriate option.
If you're a carer or support coordinator helping someone through the process, make sure the participant or authorised representative is the person making the request and consider which pathway is appropriate before submitting it.
Need to understand the new reassessment process or manage your current NDIS supports? Here are some useful next steps:
If you've ever needed to ask the NDIS for a plan reassessment, you'll know it's not always a quick process. Since 27 August 2026, there are now clearer rules about who can request a reassessment and what needs to be submitted.
The changes are part of new NDIS legislation that has now come into effect. If you're a participant, nominee, child representative, carer or support coordinator helping someone navigate a plan change, understanding the new process now could save you time later.
Which NDIS Plan Change Do You Need?
Answer two quick questions to get an indication of which NDIS plan change process may be relevant to your situation.
Have your support needs or circumstances changed significantly, and is the change ongoing?
Who Can Request an NDIS Plan Reassessment?
From now on, only a participant, their nominee, or their child representative can request a plan reassessment. Previously, this may have felt a little more flexible, but the NDIS has tightened up exactly who's authorised to make this kind of request.
There's an important detail worth spelling out here. The NDIS has confirmed that a participant cannot simply give someone else, such as a provider, consent to submit a reassessment request on their behalf. Support coordinators, providers, and family members can still help prepare the information, gather evidence, and work through the details with the participant, but they cannot submit the request themselves just because the participant has agreed to it. The request itself must come directly from the participant, their plan nominee, or their child representative.
If you're a support coordinator or family member helping someone through this process, this is worth keeping in mind. You can do the groundwork, but when it comes time to actually submit the form, it needs to be lodged by the participant, their nominee, or their child representative, not on their behalf by anyone else.
What Do You Need to Submit for a Plan Reassessment?
Requesting a reassessment isn't just a phone call or a quick email anymore. There's now a specific process to follow:
The request needs to be submitted on the correct form, which is available to download from the NDIS website. This form needs to clearly explain what's changed for the participant and why a reassessment is needed.
It also needs to include evidence, and this is where it helps to know exactly what the NDIS is looking for. The evidence needs to demonstrate a significant change to the participant's ongoing support needs, not just confirm that something has changed, but show how meaningful that change actually is.
What evidence might you need?
Depending on the situation, evidence could include:
- Reports from treating health professionals
- Information showing how the participant's support needs have changed
- Evidence explaining how current supports are no longer meeting those needs
- Recommendations for supports or services needed in the future
The important thing to keep in mind is that the evidence should tell a clear story: what has changed, how significant that change is, and why the current plan may no longer be meeting the participant's needs. A single letter from a GP might be part of that picture, but on its own it's unlikely to cover everything the NDIS needs to see.
If you're preparing a request, it's worth thinking about the fuller picture early, so you're not scrambling to pull additional evidence together once the process is already underway.
Before You Request a Plan Reassessment
Before submitting your request, work through this checklist to make sure you have the information and evidence you need.
How Long Does an NDIS Plan Reassessment Take?
Once the NDIS has everything they need, they'll make a decision within 90 days. That decision will be one of three outcomes:
- They'll reassess your plan
- They won't reassess your plan
- They'll vary your plan instead
Whatever the outcome, they'll let you know the decision and explain the reasoning behind it. Ninety days can feel like a long wait if you're dealing with a genuine change in circumstances, which is exactly why it's worth understanding the alternative option available for more urgent situations.
Do You Need a Plan Reassessment or a Plan Variation?
Not every change calls for a full reassessment, and understanding the difference between the two options can save you a lot of time.
Plan reassessment
A plan reassessment is generally for significant and ongoing changes to a participant's support needs. This is the bigger, more formal process, which is why it comes with more detailed evidence requirements and a decision timeframe of up to 90 days.
Plan variation
A plan variation, on the other hand, is for smaller changes to your current plan. The NDIS can also use variations in certain crisis or emergency situations, which makes this the more appropriate path if something urgent has come up and you need a quicker response. Once the NDIS has the information and evidence it needs, it aims to make a plan variation decision within 21 days, a much shorter timeframe than a reassessment.
There's a separate form for requesting a plan variation, but you can also contact the NDIS directly to talk through your situation, particularly if things are time sensitive. This is a useful distinction to keep in mind: a reassessment addresses significant, ongoing shifts in support needs, while a variation is designed for smaller adjustments or urgent situations where waiting up to 90 days simply isn't practical.
If you're not sure which one applies to your situation, your my NDIS contact can help you work out whether you need a reassessment or a variation, and what kind of evidence you'll need to support your request either way.
What's the Difference Between a Reassessment and a Variation?
Understanding the difference between a reassessment and a variation could genuinely save you time. If your situation is urgent and you go down the reassessment path by mistake, you could be looking at up to 90 days for a decision, when a variation might have addressed the issue far more quickly.
Plan Reassessment vs Plan Variation: What's the Difference?
A plan reassessment and a plan variation can both result in changes to an NDIS plan, but they're designed for different circumstances. Understanding which process applies to your situation can help you request the right type of change and avoid unnecessary delays.
The key difference is generally the scale of the change you're asking for. A plan reassessment is used when there has been a significant and ongoing change in your circumstances or support needs, while a plan variation is intended for smaller changes to an existing plan.
| Feature | Plan Reassessment | Plan Variation |
|---|---|---|
| Generally used for | Significant, ongoing changes to your circumstances or support needs. | Smaller changes to your current plan. |
| Who can request it? | Participant, plan nominee or child representative. | Participant, plan nominee or child representative. |
| Form required? | Yes. | Yes. |
| Evidence required? | Yes, supporting evidence is required. | The NDIS may ask for supporting evidence. |
| Decision timeframe | Within 90 days once the required information and evidence have been received. | Within 21 days once the required information and evidence have been received. |
For carers and support coordinators helping someone navigate this, it's worth having this conversation early, ideally before you've submitted anything, so you're pursuing the right process from the start.
What Other NDIS Changes Are Coming?
These reassessment changes are part of a much broader set of NDIS legislative reforms. The NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026, but different parts of the reform package are commencing at different times.
For now, the guidance is simple: keep using your plan and supports as usual. If a future change is going to affect you directly, the NDIS has said they'll let you know.
What Should You Do If You Need a Plan Change?
If you're anticipating a change in your support needs, it's worth getting familiar with the new reassessment form and starting to gather any evidence you might need from your GP or health professional sooner rather than later. That way, if you do need to submit a request, you're not starting from scratch.
If your situation feels more urgent or short term, reach out and discuss a plan variation instead, either through the form or by speaking directly with the NDIS or your my NDIS contact.
What Does This Mean for Your Current NDIS Plan?
These changes add another process to keep track of, but understanding the distinction between a reassessment and a variation can make it easier to work out what to do when your circumstances change.
Your existing plan and supports don't automatically change simply because these new rules have come into effect. If you think your needs have changed, the important thing is to use the appropriate process and provide the information and evidence the NDIS needs to make a decision.
Need to plan for changes to your supports?
If your NDIS plan is changing, you may also need to think about whether your everyday health, continence or mobility supplies still meet your needs.
Platinum Health Supply can help you explore suitable products and understand your options while you work through your NDIS arrangements. Call us at 1300 60 44 99
FAQs About NDIS Plan Reassessments and Variations
Who can request an NDIS plan reassessment?
Under the new rules, a plan reassessment can be requested by the NDIS participant, their nominee, or their child representative. A support coordinator, family member or other person can help prepare the request, but the request itself needs to come from someone authorised to make it.
What evidence do I need for an NDIS plan reassessment?
You need to explain what has changed for the participant and why a reassessment is needed. Supporting evidence may also be required, including information from a GP or another relevant health professional depending on the circumstances. It's worth gathering this evidence early so you have it ready when submitting the request.
How long does an NDIS plan reassessment take?
Once the NDIS has received everything it needs to make a decision, it will decide whether to reassess the plan within 90 days. The outcome may be a plan reassessment, a decision not to reassess the plan, or a plan variation instead.
What's the difference between an NDIS plan reassessment and a plan variation?
A plan reassessment is the more formal process for a significant change in circumstances, while a plan variation can be used for certain urgent, minor or short-term changes. If your situation is time sensitive, it's important to consider whether a plan variation may be more appropriate rather than waiting for the reassessment process.
Can I request an NDIS plan variation if my situation is urgent?
A plan variation may be an option when a change is urgent, minor or short term. The process for requesting a plan variation has not changed. You can use the relevant form or contact the NDIS to discuss your circumstances, including with your my NDIS contact if you have one.
Can a support coordinator request a plan reassessment for a participant?
A support coordinator can help a participant prepare their request and gather supporting information, but under the new rules the request itself needs to be made by the participant, their nominee or their child representative. It's important to make sure the correct person is submitting the request.
Will my current NDIS plan and supports continue while I wait for a reassessment?
Yes. The current guidance says participants should continue using their plan and supports as usual while broader NDIS changes are introduced. If a future change is going to affect you directly, the NDIS has said it will let you know.
This article was updated in September 2026. NDIS processes and guidance may continue to change as the new legislation is implemented. Check the NDIS website for the latest requirements before submitting a request.
