How to Start a Plan Management Business
How to start a plan management business: NDIS registration group 0127, what you can charge, real margins, and the 2027 panel reform risk explained.
What a plan management business actually does
What you need to start a plan management business
What you can charge versus what it costs
The economics: why plan management is a volume game
Software, claiming and the shift to "prove and pay"
Cash flow and the 90-day claim window
Conflict of interest and the Code of Conduct
The reform risk most guides don't mention: the plan management panel
Reforms that affect plan managers at a glance
Common mistakes when starting out
Your next step
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be a registered NDIS provider to start a plan management business?
Yes. Plan management is one of the supports you cannot deliver as an unregistered provider. You must register with the NDIS Commission under registration group 0127 (Plan management) and pass the applicable audit before you can claim the plan management line items. This requirement is not being removed by the current reforms.
How much can a plan manager charge?
You charge two NDIA-set fees: a one-off set-up fee (indicatively around $232 under the 2025-26 PAPL) and a monthly fee (indicatively around $104 per participant per month). You cannot charge above the price limit or take a percentage of the plan. Confirm the exact current figures in the 2026-27 PAPL, which applies from 1 July 2026.
Is plan management profitable?
It can be, but only at scale. With a fixed monthly fee near $104 per participant, your margin depends on managing hundreds of participants with efficient software and lean staffing. At low participant numbers, fixed costs like audit, insurance and software usually leave you unprofitable, so realistic growth planning is essential.
What is the plan management panel and should it stop me starting?
From 1 October 2027 the Government intends to commission plan management through a panel rather than an open market, which could restrict who can operate. It should not automatically stop you, but you should build a compliant, efficient, high-quality operation that could survive a panel selection, and confirm the final rules against primary sources before making major investments.
Can I run plan management and support coordination together?
You can, but it creates a conflict of interest you must disclose and actively manage, because you would both handle a participant's funds and influence their support choices. Some operators bundle the two for convenience; others stay a pure, independent plan manager to earn referrals from support coordinators. Whichever you choose, follow the NDIS Code of Conduct and conflict rules.