NDIS disability eligibility · Reviewed 27 October 2026
Which disabilities can the NDIS support?
People often search for a complete list of “NDIS-approved disabilities”. The important distinction is that the NDIS does not approve every person with a particular diagnosis automatically. Decisions are based on age, residency, disability or early intervention requirements, the permanence of eligible impairments, and how those impairments affect day-to-day activities.
The NDIA provides List A and List B to help explain conditions associated with likely eligibility or permanent impairments. These are guides to the evidence required, not a register of all eligible diagnoses and not a guarantee of funding for a particular service.
How NDIS eligibility is assessed
For the disability access pathway, the NDIA considers whether the applicant has a permanent or likely permanent intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical or psychosocial impairment. The impairment must substantially reduce functioning in at least one relevant activity, affect participation in social or economic life and create a likely need for NDIS supports for a lifetime. An early intervention pathway may apply in different circumstances.
Functional areas include communication, social interaction, learning, mobility, self-care and self-management. Applicants must also meet the relevant age and residence requirements. The condition's name alone does not establish the level of impairment.
List A: conditions likely to meet the disability requirements
List A covers conditions and specified levels of severity for which diagnostic evidence may be sufficient to establish some disability requirements. Where an entry includes a subtype, severity threshold or particular form, that restriction matters. The list below groups the NDIA entries for readability; see the complete official List A wording before relying on a particular classification.
Intellectual disability
Moderate, severe or profound, assessed using current DSM criteria.
Autism
Level 2 or Level 3 under the NDIA's published specialist diagnostic and severity criteria.
Cerebral palsy
Severe, for example Gross Motor Function Classification System levels 3, 4 or 5.
Genetic and rare conditions with qualifying severe impairments
Angelman syndrome; Coffin–Lowry syndrome (males); Cornelia de Lange syndrome; Cri du Chat syndrome; Edwards syndrome (full trisomy 18); Lesch–Nyhan syndrome; Leigh syndrome; Patau syndrome; Rett syndrome; and certain severe forms of epidermolysis bullosa.
Specified leukodystrophies
Infantile or neonatal Alexander disease; infantile Krabbe disease; Canavan disease; and connatal Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease.
Specified lysosomal storage and metabolic disorders
Gaucher disease types 2 and 3; Niemann–Pick disease types A and C; Pompe disease; infantile Sandhoff disease; Schindler disease type 1; and infantile Tay–Sachs disease.
Specified mucopolysaccharidoses
Hurler syndrome (MPS I-H) and Sanfilippo syndrome (MPS III), where the published List A entry applies.
Severe forms of osteogenesis imperfecta
The forms and diagnostic/severity details specified in the official list; not every case of brittle-bone disease.
Spinal muscular atrophy
Specified types, including SMA type I (Werdnig–Hoffmann), SMA type II (Dubowitz) and X-linked spinal muscular atrophy.
Spinal cord injury, brain injury or hemiplegia
Spinal cord or brain injury resulting in paraplegia, quadriplegia or tetraplegia; or hemiplegia with severe or total loss of movement and strength.
Permanent blindness
Both eyes meeting specified ophthalmology evidence and visual-acuity or visual-field thresholds.
Permanent hearing loss and deafblindness
Bilateral hearing loss above the NDIA's specified threshold in the better ear; or confirmed permanent, severe deafblindness.
Amputation or congenital absence of limbs
Two limbs, in the combinations and circumstances stated by the NDIA.
List B: conditions likely to result in permanent impairment
List B records conditions associated with permanent impairment, but the impact on daily living can vary. The applicant normally needs evidence of a substantial functional limitation, impact on participation and likely lifetime NDIS support needs. These groups provide an overview of conditions in the NDIA's official List B and include examples of historic names or synonyms retained in that publication.
Intellectual and developmental
Intellectual disability not meeting List A severity criteria; childhood autism, atypical autism and other autism presentations not meeting List A criteria; certain other pervasive developmental diagnoses.
Chromosomal, genetic and congenital
Aicardi–Goutières syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Cockayne syndrome, Cohen syndrome, Dandy–Walker syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome/22q11.2 deletion, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Kabuki syndrome, Menkes disease, Prader–Willi syndrome, Seckel syndrome, Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome, Smith–Magenis syndrome, Sturge–Weber syndrome, trisomy 9, tuberous sclerosis, Turner syndrome, Williams syndrome and Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome.
Degenerative neurological and dementia
Alzheimer's disease/dementia, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, HIV dementia, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, vascular/multi-infarct dementia, Lewy body dementia, Pick's disease and post-polio syndrome.
Neuromuscular, ataxia and movement
Motor neurone disease/ALS, primary lateral sclerosis, progressive bulbar palsy, Friedreich's ataxia, hereditary spastic paraplegia, spinocerebellar ataxias, multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, stiff-person syndrome, ataxia–telangiectasia, and the listed forms of spinal muscular atrophy.
Demyelinating and other neurological
Multiple sclerosis, adrenoleukodystrophy, Schilder's disease, specified stroke syndromes, Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, West syndrome, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, Dejerine–Sottas syndrome, Refsum disease and hydrocephalus.
Physical impairment, arthritis and muscle conditions
Amputation, congenital limb absence, epidermolysis bullosa, harlequin ichthyosis, juvenile arthritis/Still's disease, rheumatoid arthritis; Becker, Duchenne, congenital, distal, facioscapulohumeral, limb-girdle, myotonic and other specified muscular dystrophies or myopathies.
Paralysis and cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy outside the List A thresholds, diplegia, hemiplegia, monoplegia, paraplegia, quadriplegia and tetraplegia.
Visual and retinal
Optic atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, retinoschisis, Stargardt disease, Usher syndrome and specified related conditions such as Kearns–Sayre syndrome.
Hearing and sensory
Sensorineural hearing loss, cortical deafness, Pendred syndrome, Stickler syndrome, Usher syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome.
Multiple impairments and metabolic diseases
Albinism, congenital infections affecting function, glycine encephalopathy, homocystinuria, Lowe syndrome, Menkes disease, mucolipidoses II/III/IV, Niemann–Pick disease, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses including Batten disease, and other specified metabolic conditions.
Other mucopolysaccharidoses
Hurler–Scheie syndrome, Hunter syndrome (MPS II), Morquio syndrome (MPS IVA), Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome (MPS VI) and Sly syndrome (MPS VII), subject to the precise official entries.
Congenital conditions of varying severity
Arnold–Chiari malformations (specified types), microcephaly, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, fetal hydantoin syndrome, spina bifida and VACTERL association, where the relevant permanent impairment criteria apply.
What about conditions that are not in List A or List B?
An unlisted condition is not automatically excluded. A person with an acquired brain injury, a chronic health condition causing an eligible permanent disability, a rare genetic condition, a psychosocial disability, a sensory impairment or another qualifying impairment may still meet NDIS requirements. The NDIA considers evidence about the person rather than using diagnosis names as the sole decision.
For example, ADHD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, diabetes, fibromyalgia, epilepsy or other medical diagnoses do not on their own establish NDIS eligibility. Where one or more resulting impairments are permanent and substantially reduce functional capacity, the person can still be assessed against the relevant rules. Clinical diagnosis and treatment ordinarily remain responsibilities of the health system.
What disability-related supports can a participant receive?
Eligibility to join the NDIS and funding for a specific service are two separate questions. Depending on their approved plan and the NDIS supports rules, participants may receive assistance with daily living, community participation, skill development, eligible therapy, assistive technology, accessibility modifications or particular disability-related health supports.
Only eligible supports that are related to the participant's disability and consistent with their plan can be purchased with NDIS funding. General living costs, clinical treatment and many other mainstream responsibilities are not automatically funded. Read the NDIA's official NDIS supports lists.
How to prepare useful evidence
- Confirm the diagnosis and the impairments, using the relevant treating professional's assessment.
- Document whether those impairments are permanent or likely to be permanent and what treatment options have been considered.
- Give real examples of what cannot be done independently, the amount and type of assistance required, and how often support is needed.
- Explain the impact on work, study, relationships, community participation and managing everyday life.
- Describe the disability supports likely to be needed in the longer term. For List B and unlisted conditions, functional evidence is particularly important.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a complete list of NDIS-approved disabilities?
No. Lists A and B are official condition guidance, not an exhaustive list of diagnoses whose holders automatically receive access. Individual impairments and their functional impact remain central to access decisions.
Does autism automatically qualify for the NDIS?
The NDIA's List A refers to specified diagnostic criteria and autism Level 2 or 3, while other presentations can be assessed under applicable requirements. An autism diagnosis should not be advertised as guaranteeing funded services.
Is Down syndrome on List A?
Down syndrome appears in the published List B, not as a general List A entry. The NDIA considers the individual's evidence and functional support requirements.
Is muscular dystrophy included?
Specified muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne and Becker, appear in List B. Do not treat a muscular dystrophy diagnosis as a blanket List A classification.
Can a mental health condition qualify?
A mental health diagnosis alone is not sufficient. A permanent impairment resulting in psychosocial disability may meet the NDIS disability requirements when the functional and other eligibility tests are satisfied.
Can someone qualify even when their diagnosis is not listed?
Yes. The official lists are guides. People with unlisted conditions can provide evidence for an individual eligibility assessment, including evidence relevant to early intervention where applicable.
Does joining the NDIS mean every service is funded?
No. The supports included in a plan must meet NDIS support rules and the relevant reasonable and necessary criteria. The participant's funding arrangements also matter.
Let's talk about the support that matters to you.
Beyond Health Services welcomes enquiries from participants, families and support coordinators. We can discuss your needs, preferences and the next steps for exploring suitable services. If you would like to proceed, we can send you a referral form.
Sources: Current NDIS disability requirements · Official advice for health professionals · NDIA List A · NDIA List B · NDIS supports and exclusions. Checked 27 October 2026. The official guidance and its precise diagnostic criteria prevail if anything changes.
