Am I eligible for SDA? NDIS SDA eligibility explained
By The Find My SDA Team · Published 27 Jul 2026 · Updated 11 Sep 2026
Specialist Disability Accommodation is funded for only a small number of NDIS participants. This guide explains, in general terms, how SDA eligibility works and what to do next. It is general information, not advice, and the NDIA makes all eligibility decisions.
The three questions the NDIA asks
SDA is for participants with an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, whose housing needs cannot reasonably be met through ordinary housing or home modifications. To work out if you are eligible, the NDIA asks three questions. Do you have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs? Do you have an SDA needs requirement? Does SDA meet the NDIS funding criteria for you? The NDIA only funds SDA if it meets all the criteria set out in NDIS law.
SDA funding only goes to NDIS participants, so you need to be in the NDIS first. You must be under 65 when you apply to the NDIS, and you must live in Australia as an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a Protected Special Category visa holder.
What the two main tests mean
An extreme functional impairment means you have a lot of difficulty doing daily tasks on your own, or sometimes cannot do them at all. The NDIA looks at mobility (such as walking, getting in and out of bed and getting out of the house), personal care (such as washing, going to the toilet, dressing, eating and taking medication) and self-management (such as housework, following routines and managing your behaviour). The test is how much help you need from another person on top of any assistive technology or home modifications you already have.
Very high support needs means you need a lot of person-to-person support for a significant part of the day, and that support has to be with you or available straight away. One more thing must also be true. Either your family and friends cannot give you that support or keep it up, or SDA would reduce a safety risk to you or the people around you.
You can also have very high support needs if you have lived in SDA for a long time and that has made it hard to move to other housing.
Why the NDIA looks at other options first
SDA combined with your other supports has to be a better option than other supports on their own. The NDIA looks at what is stopping you from living in a standard home, and whether other NDIS supports such as home modifications or assistive technology could make that possible. Under the SDA Rules, SDA with your other supports must also represent better value for money.
How SDA gets into your plan
Your SDA funding is decided by the NDIA as part of your plan. It considers evidence about your functional capacity, your support needs and your housing goals. If SDA is funded, your plan names the design category, the building type and the location the NDIA has decided meet your needs.
Once SDA is in your plan and working well, you do not need to prove you still meet the criteria at every plan reassessment.
When you find a suitable enrolled home, tell the NDIA. You can browse current vacancies on Find a home.
The evidence that helps
Reports and assessments from your health team, such as an occupational therapist or medical specialists, help the NDIA understand your functional impairment and housing needs. Having a clear housing goal in your plan also helps.
The NDIA may also ask for reports about your daily support and housing needs.
If SDA is not in your plan yet
If you think you may be eligible but do not have SDA funding, raise it with the NDIA and give them supporting evidence. Every plan has a reassessment date, when the NDIA looks at your plan with you.
If your needs change in a significant and ongoing way before then, you can ask for a plan reassessment. You use the NDIA's request form and give recent evidence, which usually means from within 4 months of your request. A support coordinator can help you prepare, and our guide on how to apply for SDA walks through the practical steps.
If the NDIA decides SDA does not meet the funding criteria, it gives you written reasons for the decision. If you disagree, you can ask for an internal review. You need to ask within 3 months of the day you received the decision.
Common questions
Does everyone on the NDIS get SDA?
No. SDA is only funded for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
Can I ask for SDA at a plan reassessment?
Yes. You can raise SDA when your plan is reassessed, with supporting evidence. If you need a new plan sooner because your needs have changed significantly, you, your plan nominee or your child representative can ask for a plan reassessment. A support coordinator can help you gather evidence, but cannot make the request for you.
I lived in SDA before I joined the NDIS. Am I still eligible?
Yes. If you want to stay in that home, you can usually keep SDA funding for that home. If you want to move, the NDIA works with you to decide the design category and building type it will fund.
Who decides if I get SDA?
The NDIA decides SDA eligibility and funding. Find My SDA does not make eligibility decisions; we help you find a home once SDA is in your plan.