Understanding NDIS Travel Allowance for Support Workers

Why Understanding Travel Reimbursement Matters?

If you're an NDIS support worker, travel is often a regular part of your day, whether it’s driving to a participant’s home, taking them to an appointment, or commuting between shifts. But when it comes to being reimbursed for travel time and costs, things can quickly get confusing. What can you claim? How much? Who pays?

Understanding your entitlements under the NDIS travel allowance system helps ensure you’re fairly compensated, stay compliant with NDIS rules, and avoid common mistakes. Unfortunately, many workers miss out on eligible reimbursements or unintentionally overcharge due to unclear guidelines.

This guide will break it all down, clearly and simply.

What Is the NDIS Travel Allowance?

The NDIS travel allowance is the reimbursement support workers and providers can claim for travel related to delivering face-to-face services to NDIS participants. It's part of the broader NDIS Price Arrangements and Price Limits system and is designed to help improve access to support particularly in rural and remote areas.

a. For Participants:

NDIS participants may receive transport funding in their plan to help them travel to appointments, community activities, or work. This is typically included under the Transport Support category and is intended to help them stay independent and engaged.

b. For Support Workers/Providers:

Support workers and providers can claim travel costs when they travel to deliver face-to-face support. These claims may include both:

• Non-labour costs (e.g. fuel, tolls, parking)
• Labour costs (e.g. time spent travelling)

This blog focuses specifically on provider travel allowance, what support workers can claim, under what conditions, and how.
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Can Support Workers Charge for Travel?

Yes, but only under specific conditions set out by the NDIS.

You can claim for travel if:

• The travel is associated with delivering face-to-face support.
• The support item you're delivering allows for provider travel claims (as listed in the Pricing Arrangements).
• The participant has agreed in advance, ideally in writing, to be charged for the travel.
• Your travel time does not exceed the maximum allowable travel duration, based on your location’s MMM zone.
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What Travel Costs Can Be Claimed?

NDIS allows support workers to claim two types of travel costs:

a. Non-Labour Costs (Out-of-Pocket Expenses)

These include:

• Fuel or vehicle usage costs, charged per kilometer (currently $0.99/km as of 2025)
• Tolls
• Parking fees

You can only charge for the direct distance travelled to deliver a support (and sometimes to return, depending on the situation).

b. Labour Costs (Travel Time)

You may also claim the time spent travelling to the participant. This is billed at your standard hourly rate (up to a maximum limit). However, you cannot charge travel time if the support is delivered remotely (e.g. via phone or video).

For therapy support providers, including early childhood therapy, the price limit for provider travel time is 50% of the regular price limit for these items. For example, if a speech pathologist travelled for 1 hour in an MMM5 area to deliver support to a participant, the maximum claimable for this travel time component would be $97.00 (which represents 50% of the direct hourly price limit of $193.99). This does not impact the amount that can be claimed for non-labour costs.
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Understanding the Modified Monash Model (MMM) & Travel Time Limits

The NDIS uses the Modified Monash Model (MMM) to classify how remote an area is. Support workers can claim up to 30 minutes of travel time when visiting participants in MMM1 to MMM3 areas, and up to 60 minutes in MMM4 and MMM5 regions.

For remote and very remote areas (MMM6-MMM7), workers and participants can set their own travel time agreements, as long as the rate charged matches the appropriate hourly rate for the support being delivered. Additionally, if a support worker must travel through a remote or very remote area to reach a location from a major city, that location is now treated as MMM6-MMM7.

Support workers may also claim for the return travel time to their usual workplace after the final appointment of the day, but only if they are required to be paid for that time. This applies to those delivering both core and capacity-building supports, and the same time and cost limits apply as for the initial trip.
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Splitting Travel Costs Between Participants

When support workers provide services to multiple participants during a single trip, the travel costs must be split fairly among them.

What this means:

• Costs (both labour and non-labour) must be divided proportionally between participants.
• All participants involved must agree to the arrangement in advance.
• You should keep clear records of how the costs were calculated.

Example: If you travel 40 km and serve 2 participants during the journey, each participant may be charged for 20 km, unless otherwise agreed.
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How to Claim a Travel Allowance: 5 Simple Steps for NDIS Providers

Step 1: Check the Participant’s NDIS Plan Covers Travel

Not all plans automatically allow for provider travel charges. Confirm that the participant’s plan includes relevant support line items with travel provisions.

NDIS participants receive transport funding based on their activity level:

• Level 1: Up to $1,606/year for those not working or studying but aiming to improve community access.
• Level 2: Up to $2,472/year for those in part-time work, study (under 15 hrs/week), day programs, or community activities.
• Level 3: Up to $3,456/year for those working or studying 15+ hrs/week who can't use public transport due to disability.

Some may receive more funding in exceptional cases, such as for work travel needs.

Step 2: Get Participant Agreement in Advance

Document the agreement in a Service Agreement or care plan, including estimated travel frequency and cost-sharing arrangements (if any).

Step 3: Keep Detailed Records of Travel

Keep a clear record of travel to participants for accuracy and audit purposes. Your log should include:

• Service date
• Travel time
• Distance (if claiming per km)
• Toll/parking receipts
• Service provided

Using a travel tracking app like imploy can simplify this process.

Step 4: Calculate the Travel Costs per Session

Use NDIS-approved rates for:

• Travel time (labour cost)
• Kilometres (non-labour cost)
• Parking and tolls (if applicable)

Step 5: Submit Your Claim

Most providers use the NDIS myplace Provider Portal to submit claims. To claim travel, you'll need:

• Participant’s NDIS number
• Service date and type
• Travel time or km
• Relevant receipts

Always review your details before submitting.
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How to Calculate a Support Worker’s NDIS Travel Claim?

Let’s walk through a real-world example:

Scenario:
A support worker drives 30 km to provide face-to-face services to two participants living in Coombs, ACT (MMM2 area).

• Travel time: 40 minutes
• Parking cost: $6.60

Calculation:

• Petrol: 30 km × $0.99 = $29.70
• Parking: $6.60
• Travel time: Capped at 30 mins (MMM2), charged at $60/hr = $30.00
• Total: $66.30

Since the trip involves 2 participants, each pays $33.15 for their share.
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How Does imploy Help?

Keeping track of kilometres, MMM zones, claimable times, and splitting travel costs accurately can get messy - fast. That’s where imploy comes in.

imploy is a smart NDIS software solution that automates and simplifies provider travel claims by:

• Auto-calculating distance using GPS and postcode data.
• Applying MMM-based travel time limits automatically.
• Capturing participant consent digitally.
• Generating NDIS-compliant invoices in seconds.
• Integrating seamlessly with your rostering and payroll.

With Imploy, you don’t have to second-guess your travel claims. You stay compliant and get paid - accurately and fast.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid in Travel Claims

Here are the top pitfalls support workers and providers should watch out for:

• Charging travel without participant consent.
• Claiming both petrol and public transport fare for the same trip.
• Charging for non-face-to-face support.
• Exceeding travel time limits per MMM zone.
• Failing to split costs between multiple participants.
• Forgetting to include parking or tolls in cost breakdowns.

Avoiding these errors helps you stay compliant and builds trust with your clients.

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Final Thoughts

Travel is a key part of many NDIS support roles, but understanding how to charge for it properly is just as important as delivering the service itself. When you know the rules and use the right tools, you save time, avoid mistakes, and ensure fair compensation for your work.

Stay informed, stay compliant, and let platforms like imploy take the admin stress out of your day.
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FAQs

Q: Can I charge travel to and from my home?
A: Usually no. You can only charge for travel between your workplace and the participant's location, not for commuting to/from your home, unless you're in a remote region and it’s justified.

Q: What’s the current per-kilometre rate for travel?
A: As of July 2025, it is $0.90 per km, but this may change, check the NDIS Pricing Arrangements for updates.

Q: How do I know which MMM zone I’m working in?
A: Use the official Health Workforce Locator to find your MMM classification.

Q: Can I charge for waiting time between shifts?
A: No, waiting time is not claimable under NDIS travel allowances, only direct travel for face-to-face support is claimable.

Q: Can travel costs be included in service agreements?
A: Yes, and they should be. Include expected travel frequency, cost estimates, and cost-sharing info if applicable.

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