The hourly rate in 2026-27
The NDIS sets a maximum price, called a price limit, for occupational therapy. For 2026-27 it is $193.99 an hour across most of Australia, with higher limits in remote and very remote areas. It has not changed since 2019.
Providers can't charge more than the price limit to participants whose plans are agency-managed or plan-managed. Self-managed participants aren't bound by the limit, so it's worth asking any provider what they charge before you book. Care Alliance charges the standard NDIS rate in the current Pricing Arrangements, and never more, however your plan is managed.
Where the hours go
The visit is only part of an FCA. A thorough assessment usually includes:
- Planning: understanding what the report is for, who will read it and when it's needed
- Assessment sessions, often across more than one visit, watching everyday tasks in your own home and community
- Standardised assessments, which take time to score and interpret
- Talking with the people who know you, such as family, support workers and other clinicians, with your consent
- Writing the report, which is usually the biggest single part
- Going through the draft with you before it is sent
Why the total varies
There's no standard number of hours for an FCA. A thorough assessment takes real time, and how much depends on the person: how many areas of daily life need to be assessed, how many settings, how many people need to be spoken to, and what decision the report is for. A report for a big decision, such as Supported Independent Living, usually needs more than a report about one piece of equipment.
Be wary of a price that seems too good to be true. A quick, low-cost FCA often means a thin report. Ask your OT for an estimate before you start, broken down into assessment time and report-writing time, so you can check it against your budget.
Travel
When an OT comes to you, the NDIS allows providers to claim some travel time, within its own rules. Whether travel applies, and how much, should be agreed in your service agreement before the first visit, so ask about it up front. Parts of an FCA done by telehealth involve no travel.
How it is paid for
An FCA is therapy, so it is usually funded from the Capacity Building budget, under Improved Daily Living, the same budget as other occupational therapy. Check how much is left before you book: an FCA can use a significant share of a therapy budget, and the report time comes from the same pot as ongoing therapy sessions.
If your plan doesn't have enough therapy funding left and the FCA is needed for a decision, such as a plan reassessment or a SIL application, talk to your support coordinator or planner before booking. Our guide to NDIS plan budgets explains how the budgets work.
Getting value for the money
A cheap, thin report is not a saving. If the NDIS can't see why support is needed, how much, and what happens without it, it may ask for more evidence, which means paying for more assessment time later. The money is well spent when the report gives a planner everything needed to make the decision the first time.
Reading what a functional capacity assessment involves before the first visit helps you prepare, and good preparation means less time spent gathering information that you already have.
FCAs at Care Alliance
Functional capacity assessments are a particular focus of our occupational therapy team. With three full-time occupational therapists, we complete FCAs every day, at home, in the community, at our Charlestown clinic or by telehealth, across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter. That includes FCAs for SIL and other housing applications. We charge the standard NDIS rate and never more, and your OT explains the split between assessment and report writing up front. Read more about our functional capacity assessments.
Common questions
How much does an NDIS functional capacity assessment cost?
It depends on how many hours it takes, and that varies from person to person. In 2026-27 the NDIS price limit for occupational therapy is $193.99 an hour in most of Australia, and the hours include the assessment and the report. Ask for an estimate before you book.
Which part of my NDIS plan pays for an FCA?
Usually the Capacity Building budget, under Improved Daily Living, the same budget as other occupational therapy. If the NDIS itself has asked for the assessment, check with your support coordinator or planner how it will be funded before booking.
Why does the report cost more than the visit?
Because the report is what the NDIS reads. Turning observations and standardised assessments into clear evidence of what you can and can't do, the support you need and what happens without it takes time, and it is the part that decides how useful the FCA is.
Will I pay a gap on top of my NDIS funding?
For agency-managed and plan-managed participants, providers can't charge more than the NDIS price limit. Care Alliance charges the standard NDIS rate and never more, whichever way your plan is managed.
Can I get an estimate before the FCA starts?
You should. Ask for the expected hours split into assessment and report writing, and whether any travel applies. At Care Alliance your OT explains this up front, so there are no surprises against your budget.
This guide is general information about the NDIS, not advice about your individual situation, and scheme rules change over time. For decisions about your plan, check the current guidance at ndis.gov.au or talk to your support coordinator, planner — or call us on 1300 206 309.
