PACE
PACE is the computer system the National Disability Insurance Agency uses to hold NDIS participants' information, plans and budgets and to pay providers. Rolled out from 30 October 2023, it replaced service bookings with "my providers" and requires bulk payment requests for claims against PACE plans.
Also called: NDIS PACE, PACE system, NDIA new computer system, NDIS new computer system
Key takeaways
- PACE is the NDIA's computer system for participant records, plans, budgets and payments, rolled out from 30 October 2023.
- It is a system, not a plan type: it doesn't change eligibility or what the NDIS funds.
- Plans moved into PACE gradually, mostly when participants received a new plan.
- PACE has no service bookings; participants with NDIA-managed funding record their chosen providers as "my providers".
- The NDIA says claims for PACE plans must be made as bulk payment requests; valid my provider claims are usually paid within 2 to 3 business days.
What is PACE in the NDIS?
PACE is the computer system the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) uses to run the NDIS: it holds participants' information, enquiries, plans and budgets, and connects to the participant and provider portals so providers can be paid from plans. The NDIA started rolling it out on 30 October 2023, together with a new my NDIS provider portal. PACE is a system, not a type of plan or funding, and it doesn't change who is eligible or what the NDIS funds.
People usually notice PACE because something about their plan or claiming changed when their plan moved into it. For participants, the most visible change is "my providers": recording which providers they use for NDIA-managed funding. For providers, it is a new way of getting paid, without the service bookings that the older system relied on.
A common search is what PACE stands for. The NDIA's materials use "PACE" as the system's name and describe it as its new computer system, so treat it as a name rather than an acronym you need to decode.
You will hear the term from several groups. Participants and families meet it in the app and portal. Support coordinators and local area coordinators use it when explaining why a plan looks different or why a provider needs to be recorded. Provider finance teams use it to mean "plans we claim for with bulk payment requests and my provider status" as opposed to older plans with service bookings.
How PACE works
According to information published by the NSW Trustee and Guardian when the rollout began (NDIS introduced a new computer system, PACE), the system:
- Holds participant records: personal details, enquiries, plans and budgets.
- Connects the portals: the participant portal and app, and the my NDIS provider portal, draw on the same system.
- Pays claims: payment requests for NDIA-managed supports are checked against the plan in PACE and paid from it.
The NDIA's stated reasons for the change were to improve the participant and provider experience, give clearer and more consistent information about how decisions are made, make processes more consistent nationally, and make it easier to put changes to the NDIS Act into practice.
How plans move into PACE
Plans moved into PACE gradually rather than on one day. New participants received their first plan in PACE, and existing participants generally moved across when they received a new plan, usually at their next plan reassessment. That is why, for a period, a provider could have some participants' plans in PACE and others still in the older system, and had to claim in two different ways.
- 30 October 2023PACE rollout beginsNew computer system and my NDIS provider portal introduced.
- From late 2023Plans move acrossNew participants get plans in PACE; existing participants generally move when they get a new plan.
- 19 May 2025Three-monthly funding periodsNew and reassessed plans usually release funding every three months.
- From April 2027New framework planningParticipants start moving to new framework plans, according to the Department's timeline.
My providers: the biggest change for participants
In the older system, a provider created a service booking to set aside funding before claiming. In PACE there are no service bookings. Instead, participants with NDIA-managed funding record the providers they choose to use as their "my providers", for the relevant support category and dates.
- It applies to NDIA-managed funding. If funding is plan-managed or self-managed, providers keep invoicing the plan manager or the participant as before.
- It is the participant's choice. The participant or their nominee records the provider, usually through the participant portal or app, or by asking the NDIA, their local area coordinator or support coordinator to help.
- It affects how fast providers are paid. The NDIA says valid claims from my providers are usually paid within 2 to 3 business days; claims from providers who aren't a my provider, or claims that are checked, can take about 10 business days.
For participants, it is worth checking your my providers list whenever you start with a new provider or your plan changes, so claims aren't held up.
What participants and nominees should do
- Know how each budget is managed. Your plan shows whether funding is NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed. The my provider step only matters for NDIA-managed funding.
- Record providers before they start. When you sign a service agreement with a provider who will claim from NDIA-managed funding, record them as a my provider for the matching support category and dates.
- Re-check after a new plan. A reassessment creates a new plan with new dates. Check your my providers list then, so your regular providers can keep claiming without delays.
- Keep the list current. When you stop using a provider, update your my providers so the list reflects who you actually use. It is part of staying in control of who claims from your plan.
- Watch your budgets. The participant portal and app show your plan and what has been paid from it, which helps you spot claims you don't recognise. A budget tracker helps you see whether each budget will last.
If you aren't confident using the app, your nominee, local area coordinator or support coordinator can help, or you can contact the NDIA.
What PACE means for providers
For registered providers claiming from NDIA-managed funding, PACE changed three things: how you are connected to a participant, how you submit claims, and what errors you see.
| Step | Older system | PACE |
|---|---|---|
| Before you deliver | Create a service booking | Participant records you as a my provider |
| How you claim | Against the service booking | Bulk payment request through the provider portal |
| Common error | No service booking or dates outside it | Not a my provider for that category or dates |
| How to fix it | Create or extend the service booking | Ask the participant to record you, then resubmit |
Claiming
The NDIA says providers must use a bulk payment request to claim for supports delivered to participants whose plans are in PACE (how to make a payment request). A bulk payment request is a CSV file uploaded through the provider portal, with one row per support. Each row still needs the correct support item number, dates, quantity, unit price and, where relevant, claim type, and the price must be within the price limit in the NDIS price guide.
Errors and rejections
Rejected claims show an error code. Codes starting with V mostly relate to plans in PACE; codes starting with C, M, P and S mostly relate to the older system. The most common PACE rejection is that the provider isn't recorded as a my provider for that participant, support category or date range. The fix is for the participant or nominee to record you, after which you resubmit. A rejected claim can't be edited, so it has to be submitted again. The NDIA's claims troubleshooting page lists the codes.
Building PACE into your operations
Most claiming problems in PACE come from the order of events, not the system itself. A support delivered before the participant records you, or under a support category that doesn't match the plan, will be rejected later. Providers that claim smoothly usually make three habits routine:
- Onboarding: the intake checklist confirms the plan, management type and dates, and asks the participant to record you as a my provider before the first shift.
- Plan changes: when a participant tells you about a reassessment or plan variation, someone checks the new plan dates, budgets and my provider status before the next claim run.
- Claim runs: claims are built from delivered, documented supports by date of service, uploaded on a regular cycle, and every rejection is worked the same week while the details are fresh.
The NDIA's guide to getting paid sets out the full payment process for registered providers.
Getting ready
- Confirm whether each NDIA-managed participant's plan is in PACE
- Ask participants to record you as a my provider for the right support category and dates
- Match service agreement dates and categories to the plan
- Prepare claims as bulk payment requests in the NDIA's CSV format
- Check support item numbers and prices against current price limits
- Review rejection codes after every upload and resubmit corrected rows
- Track claims by date of service, not payment date
PACE vs the older NDIS system
| Feature | Older system | PACE |
|---|---|---|
| Link between provider and participant | Service booking created by the provider | Provider recorded as a "my provider" by the participant |
| Claiming NDIA-managed supports | Single claims or bulk upload against a service booking | Bulk payment request (required) |
| Typical rejection codes | C, M, P and S codes (for example, no service booking) | V codes (for example, not a my provider) |
| When a plan moved | Not applicable | First plans from the rollout, and existing participants at a new plan |
| Plan-managed and self-managed funding | Invoices go to the plan manager or participant | No change: invoices go to the plan manager or participant |
PACE is often confused with policy changes that happened around the same time. Three-monthly funding periods (introduced for new and reassessed plans from 19 May 2025), the "NDIS supports" lists and new framework plans come from changes to the law and NDIA policy, not from the computer system. PACE is the system that carries them out. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's reform timeline lists the policy dates, including the move to new framework planning from April 2027.
- Participant and provider portals that sit on top of PACE
- Claims for PACE plans go in as bulk payment requests
- The agency that runs PACE
- Older-system step that PACE replaced with my providers
- The funding type the my provider rules apply to
Common misunderstandings about PACE
- "PACE is a new kind of plan." It is the NDIA's computer system. Your plan type, budgets and rules come from the NDIS Act and your plan, not from PACE.
- "PACE cut my funding." Funding is decided at planning or reassessment. A new plan may have arrived at the same time as the move to PACE, but the system itself doesn't set funding.
- "Every provider must be a my provider." Only providers claiming from NDIA-managed funding are affected. Plan-managed and self-managed claiming works as before.
- "Providers can record themselves." The participant or their nominee chooses and records their my providers.
- "Service bookings still work for PACE plans." They don't exist in PACE; a claim against a PACE plan goes in as a bulk payment request.
Example
Illustrative example (fictional). A small community access provider supports twelve participants. Eight have NDIA-managed funding. After several participants have plan reassessments, the provider's finance officer notices that their usual claims for three of them are rejected with a "not a my provider" code.
The finance officer checks the participants' plans and confirms they are now in PACE. The provider's coordinator contacts each participant and their families, explains what a my provider is, and asks whether they want to record the provider for the support category and dates in their service agreement. Two participants do this in the app that day; the third asks their support coordinator to help.
The finance officer then rebuilds the rejected claims as a bulk payment request, checks each price against the current price limits, and resubmits. The claims are paid, and the provider adds "check my provider status" to its onboarding checklist for every new NDIA-managed participant.
Frequently asked questions
What is PACE in the NDIS?
PACE is the computer system the NDIA uses to run the NDIS. It holds participants' information, enquiries, plans and budgets, and connects to the participant and provider portals to pay claims. The NDIA began rolling it out on 30 October 2023.
What does PACE stand for in the NDIS?
The NDIA uses PACE as the name of its new computer system rather than explaining it as an acronym. What matters is what it does: it holds NDIS plans and budgets and processes payments, and it replaced service bookings with my providers.
What is a my provider in PACE?
A my provider is a provider that a participant with NDIA-managed funding has recorded as one they use, for a support category and dates. Claims against NDIA-managed funding can be rejected if the provider isn't recorded, and recorded providers are usually paid faster.
How do I know if my NDIS plan is in PACE?
New participants since the rollout and most participants who have received a new plan since late 2023 have plans in PACE. Providers can see the difference when claiming: PACE plans have no service bookings. If you're unsure, ask the NDIA, your local area coordinator or support coordinator.
Do providers still need service bookings with PACE?
No. Service bookings belong to the older system. For plans in PACE, the participant records the provider as a my provider and the provider claims with a bulk payment request through the provider portal.
Does PACE affect plan-managed or self-managed participants?
Not for invoicing. The my provider and bulk payment request rules apply to claims from NDIA-managed funding. Providers supporting plan-managed or self-managed participants keep sending invoices to the plan manager or participant.
Why was my NDIS claim rejected in PACE?
The most common reason is that you aren't recorded as a my provider for that participant, support category or date range. Other reasons include dates outside the plan, not enough funds, the wrong management type or a price above the limit. Fix the cause, then resubmit.
Related terms
- NDIA-managed fundingNDIA-managed funding, also called agency-managed funding, is the NDIS funding option where the NDIA pays providers directly from a participant's plan. Only registered NDIS providers can be used, price limits apply, and providers claim through the NDIA's provider portal instead of invoicing the participant.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the Australian Government agency that runs the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It decides who can join, approves participants' plans, sets price limits and pays for supports. It is separate from the NDIS Commission, which regulates providers.
- Payment requestAn NDIS payment request is a claim for payment lodged with the NDIA for a support delivered to a participant. Registered providers lodge them for NDIA-managed supports and plan managers for plan-managed supports, through the myplace provider portal, often as a bulk upload file.
- Plan reassessmentA plan reassessment is the NDIA's review of a participant's whole NDIS plan to decide whether it still meets their disability support needs, ending in a varied plan or a new one. It happens before the plan's reassessment date, or earlier if needs change significantly and for good. It was once called a plan review.
- Registered NDIS providerA registered NDIS provider is a person or organisation approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, after a Practice Standards audit, to deliver specific NDIS supports. Registration lets them serve NDIA-managed participants and deliver supports such as SIL and SDA, subject to ongoing conditions.
- Service bookingAn NDIS service booking was a record in the NDIA's older computer system that set aside part of a participant's NDIA-managed funding for a specific registered provider, support category and period. Providers needed one to claim. PACE plans don't use them; providers are recorded as my providers instead.
- my NDIS portalThe my NDIS portal is the NDIA's secure online portal for NDIS plan information. Participants use the my NDIS or older myplace participant portal through myGov, or the my NDIS app; providers use the myplace provider portal for claims and the my NDIS provider portal for reports, signing in with myID.
Go deeper
Sources
- nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/trustee-guardian/news-stories/ndis-introduced-a-new-computer-system-pace
- ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-and-payments/payments/how-make-payment-request
- ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-and-payments/payments/guide-getting-paid
- ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-and-payments/payments/how-troubleshoot-claims-and-payments
- health.gov.au/resources/publications/securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations-timeline-0
General information, not legal, clinical or financial advice. NDIS rules change — check the official source before you act.
Suppora editorial team
NDIS operations and compliance writers
The Suppora editorial team writes practical guides for NDIS providers, checked against the NDIS Commission, NDIA and Fair Work sources cited on each page.
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