NDIS Business Tax Deductions: What Providers Can Claim
A practical guide to NDIS business tax deductions — wages, super, insurance, vehicles, registration and audit costs — plus the mistakes that draw ATO attentio
How NDIS business tax deductions actually work
Wages, super and SCHADS on-costs — your largest deduction
A worked example: where the deduction sits in the margin
NDIS-specific compliance costs you can claim
Insurance and professional cover
Vehicles and travel
Running the business from home
Equipment, assets and depreciation
Software, phone, subscriptions and professional fees
What you cannot deduct — and the mistakes that draw attention
Timing, cash flow and bad debts under the reforms
Deduction quick-reference and next step
Frequently asked questions
Are NDIS supports GST-free, and does that affect my tax deductions?
Most supports delivered to a participant with an NDIS plan are GST-free, which means you don't add GST to those invoices. It does not reduce your income tax deductions — you still claim wages, super, insurance and other business costs in full. GST-free supplies also still entitle you to GST credits on your business purchases, unlike input-taxed supplies. Deductions (income tax) and GST credits (BAS) are two separate systems; keep them separate in your records.
Can I deduct my NDIS registration and audit costs?
Yes. Registration application fees and your certification or verification audit costs are ordinary deductible business expenses, including the new SIL Supplementary Module audit against registration group 0138 that commenced 1 July 2026. Worker screening checks, mandatory training and compliance software are also deductible. Remember a deduction only returns a fraction of the outlay, so budget for the full cash cost of registration, especially with mandatory registration expanding to high-risk supports from 1 July 2027.
What's the difference between what I can charge and what I can deduct?
What you can charge is capped by the NDIA Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) — that price is your assessable income. What you pay staff is set by the SCHADS award (MA000100), and that wage plus super, workers comp and on-costs is your deduction. The two come from different sources and should never be conflated. The gap between the PAPL price and the wage is largely eaten by deductible on-costs, not profit.
Can I claim my car and home office as an NDIS support worker running a business?
Yes, for the business-use portion. For a vehicle, use either the cents-per-kilometre method (capped at 5,000 business km) or a logbook for actual costs; travel between clients is deductible but home-to-a-regular-workplace is private. For home office, claim running costs via the ATO fixed-rate or actual-cost method and keep a diary of hours. Avoid claiming home occupancy costs unless advised, because it can trigger capital gains tax on your main residence.
How long do I need to keep records for NDIS tax deductions?
The current ATO minimum is five years from when you lodge. The NDIS reform package includes a proposed seven-year retention duty for providers, which is Bill-dependent and not yet law. If you are setting up a system now, keeping records for seven years covers both, and the move to digital 'prove and pay' claiming from July 2026 makes contemporaneous, well-organised records more important than ever.