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NDIS travel limits have recently changed, and if you’re a therapy provider, staying updated is essential. These rules guide how much you can charge for provider travel time when offering disability services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). With the release of the 2025–26 PAPL, the way you handle travel claims—including charges for vehicle wear and tear, tolls, and time—has shifted significantly.
Whether you work in metro cities or rural and remote areas, understanding these changes helps avoid billing issues and ensures smooth service delivery. This article breaks down the new NDIS travel limits clearly so you can claim confidently and stay aligned with NDIA policy and compliance rules.
Understanding Travel Rules For NDIS Providers
NDIS provider travel rules are designed to manage how much providers can charge for travel time when they deliver services. NDIA wants to make sure participants get value for money and that travel claims are fair and reflect real service delivery.
The 2025–26 PAPL brings a big change. Before, therapy providers could claim their full hourly rate for provider travel time. Now, they can only claim 50%. This is a pro rata pricing rule. For example, if a speech pathologist had an hourly price limit of $193.99, they could only claim $97.00 for travel.
The Seven Mandatory Conditions
To be eligible for claiming NDIS travel costs, providers must meet seven specific rules.
Prior Consent and Agreement
The participant must agree in writing to travel charges before the service starts. This is usually done through a formal Service Agreement. You can’t claim for travel time after the fact if there’s no agreement in place.
Support Item Eligibility
The service being delivered must be listed in the PAPL as one that allows travel claims. Not all therapy supports include travel. Check the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits to see if your service qualifies.
Compliance with Price Limits
All claims must follow the current price limits. This includes following the hourly price limit, the maximum travel time allowed, and any rules about remote loadings based on MMM classification.
Face-to-Face Support Requirement
You can only claim travel time for services delivered in person. Telehealth or online services don’t count. The travel must be linked directly to face-to-face service delivery.
Value for Money Justification
Your travel costs must show that they are a fair and reasonable use of NDIS funds. If the same service could be delivered with less travel, the claim may be denied. The NDIA checks this carefully.
Separate Billing Requirement
Travel time must be listed as a separate item on the invoice. Your invoicing practices must show the cost of therapy time and travel time clearly. They cannot be grouped together.
Worker Payment Condition
You can only claim travel time if the worker is being paid for that time by their employer. If you’re a sole trader, then you must include travel time in your business model and rate. No unpaid labour costs can be passed on.
The Modified Monash Model
The Modified Monash Model (MMM) helps determine how much travel time can be claimed. It divides Australia into MMM1–MMM7 zones, based on how remote a place is. MMM1 covers major cities, and MMM7 includes very remote locations.
Each MMM classification allows a certain amount of travel. For example, in MMM1–MMM3 (metro areas), providers can only claim for up to 30 minutes of travel each way. In MMM4–MMM5 (regional towns), they can claim up to 60 minutes each way. In MMM6–MMM7, which are remote and very remote, the time is flexible, but providers receive 40% or 50% loadings to cover extra labour costs.
Here’s a quick view:
| MMM Zone | Location | Max Travel Time | Remote Loading |
| MMM1 | Major Cities | 30 minutes each way | None |
| MMM2 | Regional Centres | 30 minutes each way | None |
| MMM3 | Large Rural Towns | 30 minutes each way | None |
| MMM4 | Medium Rural Towns | 60 minutes each way | None |
| MMM5 | Small Rural Towns | 60 minutes each way | None |
| MMM6 | Remote Areas | Negotiable | 40% loading |
| MMM7 | Very Remote Areas | Negotiable | 50% loading |
Monitoring Travel Charge Limits For NDIS
One of the most important updates in the 2025–26 PAPL is the 50% travel cap. Before this, a therapy provider could claim the full hourly rate for travel. That’s no longer the case. This change was made to stop overcharging and to make NDIS travel limits consistent across the country.
Let’s look at a few examples to see how this works. If a physiotherapist earns $183.99 per hour, they can now only claim $92.00 for travel time. A psychologist with a rate of $232.99 can only claim $116.50. The same rule applies to every therapy support, including early childhood therapy under Capacity Building categories. This rule helps keep NDIS funds available for more participant support.
Upcoming Changes Based on 2025–26 PAPL
The 2025–26 Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits came from the 2024–25 Annual Price Review. These changes affect how therapy providers can claim travel time and non-labour costs like vehicle wear and tear and tolls. It’s part of a move to reduce costs and encourage better scheduling.
Although travel rate caps have changed, some things remain the same. For example, time limits based on MMM zones still apply. So do remote loadings for rural and remote areas. Disability Support Workers are not affected by this travel cap. They can still claim under the old rules.
How Travel Time Limits Change With MMM Zones
Your MMM zone determines how much travel time you can claim. In MMM1 to MMM3, the maximum claimable time is 30 minutes each way. That means 60 minutes round trip. In MMM4 and MMM5, it’s 60 minutes each way. That gives 120 minutes round trip.
For MMM6 and MMM7, time is flexible, but the NDIA applies a loading of 40% or 50% on the standard rate. This helps cover the extra costs of delivering therapy supports in very remote areas. The location of the participant, not the provider, determines the MMM classification used.
Getting Support For These Upcoming Changes
If these new NDIS travel limits are confusing, help is available. The NDIA has published new guides and fact sheets in the PAPL documents. You can visit www.ndis.gov.au for updates and tools to check MMM zones.
Several professional groups like Occupational Therapy Australia and the Australian Physiotherapy Association have spoken out. They’ve asked for further provider guidance and more time to adjust to the new rules. If you’re worried about staying within claiming thresholds, you can contact the NDIA at 1300 311 675 or email [email protected]. This helps ensure your compliance rules are up to date.
Final Thoughts
The changes to NDIS provider travel rules may feel overwhelming, especially if you’re operating in remote areas. But with proper planning and clear invoicing practices, you can still deliver great participant support while staying compliant. These new rules are about creating a more fair and sustainable system for everyone involved.
If you’re in the USA and work with NDIS providers or support organisations in Australia, staying informed helps you understand how these administrative updates impact real-world care. Bookmark this guide, share it with your team, and keep an eye on the NDIA policy changes as they evolve.
If you’re a provider check out Inficurex for expert guidance and innovative technology to navigate the complexities of NDIS pricing, operations and many administrative activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the travel time limits and hourly rates?
Providers can claim up to 30 minutes travel time in cities and 60 minutes in remote areas. Therapy providers get paid half their normal rate for travel time, while support workers get their full rate.
2. When can providers claim travel costs?
Providers can only claim travel costs if the participant agrees in advance and it’s written in the service agreement. The travel must be directly related to providing face-to-face support.
3. What types of travel does NDIS fund?
NDIS funds provider travel (when workers come to you) and participant transport (when you need to travel but can’t use public transport due to your disability). Participant transport funding ranges from $1,784 to $3,456 per year depending on your needs.
4. Do participants have to agree to travel charges?
Yes, participants must agree to travel charges before services start, and it must be clearly written in the service agreement. You can say no to travel charges or negotiate lower rates.
5. What’s the difference between provider travel and participant transport?
Provider travel is funding for workers to come to you, while participant transport is funding for you to get to activities or appointments. Provider travel comes from your support budget, while participant transport comes from your transport budget.