How to apply for SDA: getting SDA funding in your NDIS plan
By The Find My SDA Team · Updated 09 Aug 2026
There is no separate SDA application form you lodge on its own. SDA is funded as part of your NDIS plan, so applying really means asking the NDIS to include SDA and giving them the evidence to support it. This guide sets out the practical steps in plain language. It is general information, not advice, and the NDIS makes all funding decisions. If you are not sure you meet the bar yet, start with our guide on SDA eligibility.
Step 1: Get a housing goal into your plan
SDA is easier to request when your NDIS plan includes a clear goal about your housing, for example wanting to live more independently or in a home that suits your disability. If you do not have a housing goal yet, you can raise it at your next planning meeting or plan review.
Step 2: Gather your evidence
The NDIS decides SDA on evidence about your functional capacity, your support needs and your housing situation. The most important document is usually a Functional Capacity Assessment, most often completed by an occupational therapist, which describes what you can do day to day and why a specially designed home is needed.
Other evidence can help too, such as reports from medical specialists, a positive behaviour support plan, or a statement about your current housing and why it does not work for you. Clear, specific evidence tends to make the biggest difference.
Step 3: Complete the Home and Living Supports request
You and your support coordinator, or another trusted person, complete the NDIS Home and Living Supports request, which is where SDA and your support options are set out together. Your evidence is submitted alongside it for the NDIS to review.
A support coordinator is valuable here, because they do this regularly and can help present your needs clearly. Our guide on how to choose an SDA provider covers finding the right people around you.
Step 4: The NDIS reviews and decides
The NDIS considers your request against the SDA rules and decides whether to fund it. If SDA is approved, it appears as its own line item in your plan, usually naming a design category and building type. That line is what tells you which homes you can move into.
Decisions can take time, and the NDIS may come back with questions or ask for more information. It is worth starting well before you hope to move, because both the decision and any home search take a while.
Step 5: Once SDA is funded, find your home
When SDA is in your plan, the next step is finding a home built to your funded category. You can browse vacancies by suburb and category and enquire on the ones that fit. It also helps to understand the different types of SDA housing so you know what you are looking for.
Our guide on moving into an SDA home explains what happens from your first enquiry through to moving day.
If SDA is not approved
If your request is declined, you still have options. You can ask the NDIS to explain the decision, add stronger evidence, or seek a review. A support coordinator or advocate can help you prepare. Our guide on SDA eligibility covers what to do if SDA is not in your plan yet.
Common questions
Is there a separate form to apply for SDA?
Not on its own. SDA is requested as part of your NDIS Home and Living supports and funded through your plan, rather than through a standalone application you lodge separately.
How long does it take to get SDA funding?
It varies from person to person, and the NDIS may ask for more evidence along the way. Because both the decision and any home search take time, it is wise to begin several months before you hope to move.
Do I need an occupational therapist to apply for SDA?
An occupational therapist's Functional Capacity Assessment is usually the central piece of evidence, because it explains your day-to-day needs. Other allied health and specialist reports can support it, and the NDIS decides what evidence it needs.
Can Find My SDA apply for SDA on my behalf?
No. The NDIS decides SDA eligibility and funding, and that request is made through your plan with your support coordinator or planner. Once SDA is in your plan, Find My SDA can help you find a home that matches your funded category.
This guide is general information only and is subject to change. It does not describe any internal NDIS process and does not guarantee an outcome. The NDIS makes all eligibility and funding decisions, so always confirm the current requirements with the NDIS, your planner or your support coordinator.