Buying Equipment FAQs
Choosing, sizing, and buying assistive equipment, and the evidence rules by cost tier.
Where should I start when buying assistive equipment?
Start from the task, not the product. Name the exact thing that is hard, where it happens, and what would make it easier. A clear task description points you to the right category of equipment and saves you from buying something that looks helpful but misses the actual problem.
Do I need a quote before buying equipment?
It depends on the item and how it might be funded. Lower-cost assistive technology can often be bought without a quote, while higher-cost items usually need a quote and an assessment before the NDIS will consider them. The item's cost and your plan decide which path applies.
What are the assistive technology cost tiers?
Assistive technology is grouped into low-cost, mid-cost, and high-cost tiers. Low-cost items can be bought off the shelf, mid-cost items need a recommendation from an AT advisor, and high-cost items need a formal assessment from an AT assessor.
The Pricing Arrangements set the low-cost assistive technology threshold at $1,500. As of 2026-07-01 · NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits
Should I get an assessment before choosing?
For anything you will use daily or that carries a higher price, an assessment by an occupational therapist or other qualified assessor is worth it. It matches the equipment to how you actually move and live, and it produces the evidence that funding requests rely on.
Who can advise on choosing equipment?
AT advisors and AT assessors - allied health practitioners, continence nurses, rehabilitation engineers, and AT mentors among them. An occupational therapist is the common starting point. Higher-cost assistive technology usually needs a quote and an assessment from an occupational therapist or another qualified assessor before the NDIS will consider it.
How do I get sizing right?
Measure against the person and the setting, not a size chart alone. Doorway widths, seat heights, body measurements, and how the item will actually be used all matter. When a product must fit a body or a home, an in-person fitting or trial beats guessing from a listing every time.
Should I trial equipment before I commit?
Where you can, yes. A trial or short rental shows whether an item works in real life before a bigger purchase. For higher-cost assistive technology the NDIA may ask for a trial or rental first anyway, so treating it as a normal step rather than an obstacle helps.
Can I buy assistive equipment myself?
You can buy equipment yourself, and how it interacts with a plan depends on how your funding is managed and the item's cost. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can buy from any suitable supplier. If you intend to claim, check with your plan manager or support coordinator before purchasing.
Can I buy equipment second-hand or without the NDIS?
Yes. Anyone can buy assistive equipment directly, with or without a plan, and self-managed and plan-managed participants have wide choice of supplier. The buying decision and the funding decision are separate, and it helps to keep them that way in your head.