An NDIS plan example is the quickest way to understand a plan before you hold your own. The NDIA publishes a sample plan of its own, built around a fictitious participant. This guide walks through that sample page by page and explains what each section means. It also shows what a plan approved in late 2026 includes that the sample does not.
Every point below comes from the NDIA’s own pages, factsheets and guidelines, read in October 2026. There are no dollar figures in this guide, because no two plans are funded alike. Instead, we show you where every amount in your own plan comes from.
NDIS plan example: quick summary
- The NDIA’s own NDIS plan example is a 34-page “New look plan example”, free to download as a PDF or Word file from ndis.gov.au.
- A plan covers your contact person and dates, your funded supports, information about you, your goals, your other supports, and what to do if something changes.
- Your funding sits in up to 4 support budgets: core, capacity building, capital and recurring. You may not have funding in all 4.
- Your plan marks every support as flexible or stated. That one word decides how freely you can spend it.
- Plans approved since 3 October 2024 also show funding periods, which generally run for 3 months for most supports.
- From 1 October 2026, a new or reassessed plan can show two amounts for some supports: the amount the planner decided, and the amount available after a budget reduction.
- There is no standard plan for an autism level, or for any other diagnosis. Plans are built from your own support needs.
Download a sample NDIS plan
Two free NDIS plan example documents are worth having open while you read. Neither one asks for an email address.
1. The NDIA’s sample plan (official)
The NDIA’s “New look plan example” shows the real layout of an NDIS plan, with fictitious details. Download the NDIA sample plan (PDF) or the Word version. It is published on the NDIA page What is an NDIS plan.
2. Our worked example for autism level 2 (Centre of Hope)
Our 7-page PDF shows an illustrative plan for a primary-school-aged child with a Level 2 autism diagnosis, costed line by line at the 2026-27 national price limits. Download the autism level 2 plan example (PDF).
The two NDIS plan example documents do different jobs. The NDIA’s sample shows the layout of an NDIS plan. Our PDF, on the other hand, shows how individual supports add up to a budget. It also lists the support item numbers, so you can check each price yourself in the NDIS Pricing Schedule. It is an illustration, not an entitlement, and it is not laid out like an NDIA plan.
What an NDIS plan looks like, page by page
The NDIA’s NDIS plan example follows a participant it calls Sally Smith, who goes by Sal. Every page carries the line “All participant information within this example plan is fictitious”. Here is what each part of this NDIS plan example contains, in order.
Page 1: what your plan includes
The first page is a contents list with seven parts. First come your My NDIS contact, plan start and reassessment dates. Next are your NDIS funded supports, then information about you, and then your goals. After that come your community, informal and mainstream supports, what to do if something changes, and a welcome section.
Page 2: your details and plan dates
Page 2 holds your name, your NDIS number and how you like to be contacted. It also names your My NDIS contact. Depending on your situation, that person is a local area coordinator, an early childhood partner or an NDIS planner.
Two dates sit on this page. The plan start date is when your plan begins. The plan reassessment date is the date by which the NDIA must reassess your plan. According to the sample, the NDIA will check in with you before that date.
Pages 3 to 7: your NDIS funded supports
In any NDIS plan example, this is the part most people look for first. It opens with the total budget amount and the dates it covers. Then it lists which of the 4 support budgets your plan includes.
Under each budget, the plan lists every support category with its own amount and a short description of what it pays for. Each line also carries two labels. The first says whether the support is flexible or stated. The second says how that funding is managed, for example self-managed or plan-managed.
Some lines carry conditions. In the sample, the speech pathology and occupational therapy lines say the therapist must send the NDIA a progress report 6 weeks before the next plan reassessment. Similarly, the assistive technology repairs line says a quote must go to the NDIA for repairs above a set amount. Read these conditions closely, because they are easy to miss.
Pages 8 to 10: information about you
This section describes you in plain words. In the sample it has headings for your strengths, your living arrangements, relationships and supports, and your daily life. There is also a notes space for things you want to raise with your My NDIS contact.
Check this section carefully when you get your plan. It is the NDIA’s picture of your life. If it is wrong or out of date, the supports built on it may not fit.
Pages 11 and 12: your goals
The sample explains that your goals are set by you and written in your own words. They can be big or small, short term or long term. You can also change or update them at any time. After each goal, the plan asks “How will you work towards this goal?” and records your answer.
In the sample, Sal’s goals include paid mentoring in digital art and more confident speaking. For help wording your own, see our guide to NDIS goals examples.
Pages 12 to 15: your other supports
Next, the plan lists the help you get outside the NDIS. It separates your current informal, community and mainstream supports from new ones you want to find. For each current support, it records who provides it, how often, and what kind of support it is.
This matters because, in the NDIA’s words, each plan is a package of NDIS supports that work alongside the informal, community and mainstream supports you also use. Our guide to the reasonable and necessary criteria explains why.
Pages 15 and 16: what to do if something changes
This page asks you to contact the NDIA about any change in your circumstances. Its examples include compensation, significant changes to your support needs, starting school, a new home and living situation, and looking for work. It then lists the NDIA’s phone, online and in-person contact options. For more detail, see our guide to an NDIS change of circumstances.
Pages 17 to 34: the welcome pack and glossary
The rest of the sample is reference material. It explains who can help you start your plan and how plan-managed and self-managed funding work. It also lists things you cannot spend NDIS funding on, such as day-to-day living costs and holiday travel.
After that, it explains four claim types: standard, in-kind, recurring and direct commissioning. A section on protecting your plan from fraud follows. Finally, a glossary runs from assistive technology to vehicle modifications.
The 4 support budgets in an NDIS plan
The NDIA says there are 4 kinds of support budgets, and together they make up your plan. You may not have funding in every one, because every plan is individual. The table summarises each budget from the NDIA’s own pages.
| Budget | What it is for | Flexible or stated |
|---|---|---|
| Core supports | Everyday activities and getting involved in your community. Up to 3 support categories: assistance with daily life, consumables, and assistance with social and community participation | Flexible, so you can move funding across its categories (though some core supports can be stated) |
| Capacity building supports | Building your skills and independence. Up to 9 support categories, including support coordination, improved daily living (such as therapy) and improved life choices (such as plan management) | Stated: you cannot move funding between its categories |
| Capital supports | More expensive assistive technology, equipment, home or vehicle modifications, and specialist disability accommodation | Stated; your plan says if your assistive technology needs a quote |
| Recurring supports | Recurring transport, the only category, for travel to work, study and community activities | Paid regularly to your bank account, or claimed through the portal or app; not included anywhere else in your budget |
Each budget has its own guide on our site. See NDIS core supports, NDIS capacity building supports, NDIS assistive technology and NDIS transport funding.
Flexible and stated supports: the word that matters most
An NDIS plan describes every support as either flexible or stated. In the NDIA’s words, flexible supports are described generally. As a result, you can usually choose what to buy within each support category’s description.
By contrast, the NDIA describes stated supports specifically. You must buy them exactly as your plan describes. A stated support can name a particular provider, a particular qualified person, or a particular way of delivering the support.
So when you read any NDIS plan example, look for that label on every line. It tells you more about what you can actually do with the money than the amount does.
What a plan approved in 2026 shows that the sample does not
The NDIA’s NDIS plan example covers August 2024 to August 2025. Its own download page notes that newer plans also include information about funding periods. Several other changes have arrived since, so a plan approved now can look different in four ways.
1. Funding components and funding periods
New and reassessed plans approved from 3 October 2024 include a total funding amount, funding component amounts and funding periods. A funding period is the time when part of your funding becomes available, and how long it must last. For most supports, funding periods generally go for 3 months, although they can be shorter or longer.
Unspent funds roll over into the next funding period within the same plan. However, they do not carry over into a new plan. If your plan is longer than 12 months, it will always have more than one funding period. Our guide to NDIS funding periods covers this in detail.
2. Budget reductions, shown as two amounts
Under the new NDIS laws, budgets for social, economic and community participation supports and improved daily living skills are being reduced. This applies to new and reassessed plans from 1 October 2026, and to renewed plans from 1 February 2027.
The NDIA’s Your plan guideline, dated 1 October 2026, explains the mechanism. Under the NDIS laws, the Minister can decide to reduce the funding available for some supports, and this is called a support determination. The guideline says a plan with a support determination will show two funding amounts. One is the reasonable and necessary amount decided by the planner. The other is the amount available for you to spend after the support determination is applied.
Some supports are not affected. The NDIA lists help with eating and drinking, education supports, employment supports and disability related health supports. Participants with high support needs who require 24-hour disability support can also ask for a plan variation within 90 days of a support determination applying to them. Our guide to the NDIS budget resets from October 2026 explains the detail.
3. Individual funding components instead of grouped budgets
The NDIA is moving to a new way of showing your budget. Its guideline says your next plan may not group capacity building, capital and recurring supports in the same way. Instead, supports may appear as individual funding components. Your plan will still show whether each support is flexible or stated.
4. Longer plans
The NDIA’s NDIS plan example runs for one year. In contrast, the NDIA’s Creating your plan factsheet, dated 1 September 2026, says plans will generally go for 5 years if you are aged 9 and over. For a child younger than 9, they generally go for 2 years. Both apply when your living and support needs are stable. The NDIA still uses shorter plans where needed.
NDIS plan example for autism level 1, 2 and 3
Many people search for an NDIS plan example by autism level. The honest answer is that no standard plan exists for any level. The NDIA says the supports in your plan will most likely be different to the supports in someone else’s plan. This is because they are specific to your situation and your support needs.
The level does matter at the access stage, however. The NDIA’s Applying to the NDIS guideline, dated 26 August 2026, puts autism assessed at Level 2 or Level 3 on List A. List A covers conditions likely to meet the disability requirements. Autism that does not meet that severity sits on List B, which covers conditions likely to result in a permanent impairment. A List B diagnosis mainly helps show that the impairment is likely to be permanent. You still need to show that your impairment substantially reduces your functional capacity, which is another of the disability requirements.
Our autism level 2 plan example PDF is a worked illustration for one child. It is not a prediction for anyone else. Our guides to NDIS autism level 2 and NDIS funding for autism level 1 explain access and evidence for each level.
The NDIS planning booklet: what the NDIA publishes now
If you are looking for an NDIS planning booklet, the place to start is the NDIA’s Booklets and factsheets page. It is current as of 7 October 2026. Its planning resources are short factsheets, grouped by stage. The only item on the page still called a booklet is about work.
| Stage on the NDIA page | Factsheets listed |
|---|---|
| Creating your NDIS plan | Creating your plan; Your plan meeting; Support categories (also in Easy Read); Recording my providers |
| Using your NDIS plan | Using your NDIS plan; Managing your funding; Working with providers |
| Changing your plan | Changing your plan; Check-ins |
The Creating your plan factsheet is the closest thing to a planning booklet. It is dated 1 September 2026 and runs to 7 pages. It covers how the NDIA creates your plan, how funding is set, how it can be managed, how long your plan will go for and when it is approved.
Prefer paper? The NDIA says you can order printed copies of some resources by calling 1800 800 110, or through its contact page or webchat. You can also ask for a printed copy at any NDIS office.
For the full rules, the NDIA’s guidelines are the detailed version. Our Guideline, Creating your plan, and Our Guideline, Your plan, are both on Our Guidelines. For practical preparation, see our tips for your first NDIS planning meeting.
What changes next for NDIS plans
The NDIA’s page on the new NDIS laws, current as of 1 October 2026, sets out several later dates. Three of them bear directly on how plans are claimed, renewed and created.
- December 2026: claims must be submitted within 90 days of delivering a support. Until then, the limit is 2 years.
- February 2027: when a plan is due to be reassessed, an NDIA planner will either reassess it or create a new plan with the same supports. This “plan renewal” replaces plan continuations. The NDIA will not carry over unspent funds from the previous plan.
- April 2027: the NDIA will begin introducing its new way of planning. It says it will share more information with participants before they move to the new process.
Meanwhile, the NDIA’s guideline describes every current plan as an “old framework” plan. So every current plan, and the NDIA’s own NDIS plan example, follows the old framework. For the full timeline, see our guide to the new NDIS laws.
How to check your own plan against the NDIS plan example
Once your plan arrives, use the NDIS plan example as a checklist. These steps rely only on what the NDIA publishes.
- Find your copy. The NDIA says it will send your plan within 7 days of approving it. You can also find it in the my NDIS portal and app.
- Check the dates. Note your plan start date and reassessment date. If your plan has funding periods, note when each one starts and ends.
- Read every label. For each support, note whether it is flexible or stated and how it is managed. Also note any condition, such as a report or a quote.
- Look for two amounts. If your plan was approved or reassessed on or after 1 October 2026, check whether a support determination has been applied.
- Check the information about you. Make sure the plan describes your goals, daily life and other supports correctly.
- Ask for the breakdown. The NDIA says you can ask for a funding breakdown of your total funding amount. You can also ask for written reasons for its decision.
- Act within 3 months if you disagree. You can ask for an internal review within 3 months of getting your plan.
To check a price, use the NDIS Pricing Schedule on the NDIA’s pricing page. Our NDIS price guide covers the most-asked rates and how to check a support item code.
Frequently asked questions
What does an NDIS plan look like?
It is a written document with your details and plan dates, your funded supports, information about you, your goals and your other supports. It also explains what to do if something changes. The NDIA’s own sample is 34 pages long, including a welcome pack and glossary.
Can I download an NDIS plan example as a PDF?
Yes. The NDIA’s “New look plan example” is free as a PDF or Word file on its What is an NDIS plan page. Our autism level 2 NDIS plan example is also a free PDF.
What are the 4 budgets in an NDIS plan?
Core supports, capacity building supports, capital supports and recurring supports. You may not have funding in all 4. The NDIA also says your next plan may show supports as individual funding components instead.
What is the difference between flexible and stated supports?
Flexible supports are described generally, so you can choose what to buy within each category’s description. Stated supports, on the other hand, must be bought exactly as your plan describes them. That can include a named provider or delivery method.
How long does an NDIS plan last?
If your needs are stable, the NDIA says plans will generally go for 5 years if you are aged 9 and over. For children younger than 9, they generally go for 2 years. The NDIA still uses shorter plans where needed.
Is there an official NDIS planning booklet?
The NDIA’s current planning resources are factsheets on its Booklets and factsheets page. The main one is the Creating your plan factsheet. You can ask the NDIA for printed copies of some resources.
Is there an NDIS plan example for autism level 2?
There is no official plan per autism level, because plans are built from individual support needs. Our free PDF shows one worked, illustrative example for a child with a Level 2 diagnosis.
Will my plan look different after October 2026?
It may. From 1 October 2026, new and reassessed plans can show two amounts where a support determination applies. Renewed plans follow from 1 February 2027.
What happens to unspent funds?
Unspent funds roll into the next funding period within the same plan. They do not carry into a new plan. From February 2027, the NDIA also says unspent funds will not carry over when a plan is renewed.
How Centre of Hope can help
Centre of Hope is a registered NDIS provider in NSW. The NDIA says your support coordinator or recovery coach can help you start using your plan. Through our support coordination and psychosocial recovery coaching services, we help you read your plan line by line and compare it with the NDIS plan example. We also help you find providers and make service agreements.
We also deliver daily living supports. If an option we discuss is one of our own services, we tell you plainly, talk through the alternatives and leave the decision with you. Read more about how we work, see all our NDIS services, or contact our team.
Related reading
- Preparing for your first NDIS planning meeting: what to bring and what to ask
- NDIS plan reassessment: when and how a plan is replaced
- How to choose an NDIS plan manager: the questions that matter
- Local area coordinators: who can be the My NDIS contact named in your plan
- Support coordination at Centre of Hope
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and does not replace personal advice about your circumstances. It is current as at 7 October 2026. This guide reflects the NDIA’s New look plan example (PDF, fictitious participant), its What is an NDIS plan page (current as of 2 October 2026), Our Guideline, Your plan (1 October 2026) and Our Guideline, Applying to the NDIS (26 August 2026). It also reflects the Creating your plan factsheet (1 September 2026), the Booklets and factsheets page (7 October 2026), the NDIA’s support budget pages, and its Securing the NDIS for future generations page (1 October 2026). Both plan examples are illustrative and are not an entitlement or a prediction of what anyone will be funded. Rules change, so always confirm the current position at ndis.gov.au before you rely on it.
