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Letters and decisions

Got a letter from the NDIA? Here's how to read it

Written September 2026 · 5 min read

NDIA letters are often long, formal, and written in their own language. The good news: most of them boil down to one of a few types, and each type has one thing that matters most.

First, find three things

  1. The date of the letter, and any date it mentions. Some deadlines count from the date of the decision, not the day you opened it.
  2. What it's asking you to do, if anything. Many letters are just confirming something.
  3. Who to contact, and any reference number. Write the number down somewhere you'll find it.

The common types

A request for more information. The NDIA needs something else before it can decide. Reply within the time it gives. Until you do, the decision is on hold.

An access decision. Whether someone has been accepted into the NDIS. If yes, the next stage is your first plan. If no, the letter should explain why, and you can ask for a review.

A plan approval. Your plan is ready. It lists what's funded, how much, and the dates the plan covers. You can usually start using it straight away.

A check-in or reassessment letter. The NDIA wants to see how the plan is going before it ends, or because something has changed. Recent reports help here.

If a letter is a decision you disagree with, you generally have 3 months from the date of the decision to ask for a review. Don't let that date slip past while you work out what the letter means.

If it still doesn't make sense

You're allowed to call and ask. The NDIA (1800 800 110), your Local Area Coordinator, or your support coordinator can explain what a letter means for you. Write down who you spoke to and when.

Sources NDIS rules and processes change. If anything here doesn't match what the NDIS says now, go with the NDIS, and let us know so we can fix it.

Not sure where you are in all this?

PaperCalm asks a few simple questions, then shows you the next step, explains your letters in plain language, and keeps everything in one place.

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PaperCalm is an independent tool. It isn't affiliated with the NDIS or the NDIA, and this isn't legal, medical, or financial advice.