For NDIS support workers

NDIS Consent Forms: Free Templates for 2026

Three audit-ready NDIS consent forms for sole trader support workers: third party information sharing, photos and recordings, and representative authority. Structured to NDIS Practice Standards and the Privacy Act 1988. Free, no email, yours to keep.

Three forms. Three situations workers actually face. Pick the one that fits.

Which consent form do I need?

Sole trader support workers run into the same three consent situations again and again. Each form below covers one of them.

1

Sharing information with a third party

The participant wants you to share information about them with a named third party: their plan manager, support coordinator, family member, allied health professional, or the NDIA. This is the NDIS third party consent form, and it is the one workers need most often. Go to the form →

2

Photos and recordings

You want to take a photo, video, or audio recording of the participant. For case notes, training, or marketing. Each use is consented separately, because marketing is a very different thing from internal records. Go to the form →

3

Communicating with a representative

A family member, advocate, or partner needs to deal with you on the participant's behalf for everyday matters. Not a formal NDIS Plan Nominee, which is a separate NDIA process. Go to the form →

NDIS plan nominee consent: what a form can and cannot do

A lot of workers go looking for an “NDIS plan nominee consent form” to download. It is worth knowing why you will not find one, and what you actually need instead.

A plan nominee is not appointed by signing a consent form. A plan nominee is appointed by the NDIA, either at the participant's request or, in limited circumstances, on the NDIA's own initiative. The appointment is a formal decision under the NDIS Act, and it gives that person legal authority to act on the participant's NDIS plan. No form you or the participant sign can create that authority.

What you can document with a form is everything short of that: who the participant is happy for you to talk to, about what, and for how long. That is the Consent to Communicate with a Representative form above.

Three different roles, often confused

1

NDIS plan nominee

Appointed by the NDIA. Has legal authority to act for the participant on plan matters: making plan decisions, dealing with the NDIA, and in the case of a plan management nominee, managing funding. You cannot create or verify this with a consent form. If someone tells you they are the plan nominee, ask for the NDIA appointment letter and record the date on the participant's file.

2

Guardian or court-appointed decision maker

Appointed under state or territory law, not by the NDIA. Has legal authority over the decisions named in the order, which may or may not include NDIS matters. Again, not something a consent form creates. Record the order reference on the participant's file and note which decisions it actually covers.

3

Representative (what the form covers)

A family member, partner, or advocate the participant chooses to involve in day to day matters. No legal authority over the plan. This is the one you document yourself, with a signed consent form that says exactly what they can and cannot be told. This is what most workers actually need.

What to do when a nominee is involved

  • Ask for the appointment evidence. The NDIA letter for a plan nominee, or the order for a guardian. Note the reference and date on the participant's file.
  • Still involve the participant. A nominee appointment does not remove the participant's right to be consulted. The NDIS Act requires nominees to act in a way that develops the participant's capacity to make their own decisions.
  • Use the consent forms as normal. Where the participant lacks capacity, the nominee or guardian signs in the authorised representative section, and you note the basis of their authority.
  • Do not assume scope. A plan management nominee is not automatically authorised for everything, and a guardian's order may not extend to NDIS supports at all. Read what the document actually says.
If you need a plan nominee appointed, that is an NDIA process, not a form. The participant can request one by contacting the NDIA on 1800 800 110. Nothing on this page substitutes for that appointment, and no worker should be arranging it on a participant's behalf.

The five elements of valid consent

Every NDIS consent — whether on a printed form, in an email, or written into a service agreement — has to pass these five tests. Each form on this page is structured around them.

1

Capacity

The participant has the decision-making capacity to consent. If they don't, consent comes from their authorised representative — a legal guardian, formal NDIS Plan Nominee, or person responsible under the relevant state law. Each form has a representative section that asks for the basis of the authority.

2

Voluntary

Consent must be given freely, without pressure. This includes the unintended pressure of the worker-participant power dynamic. Participants must understand that declining consent will not affect their supports. Every form states this explicitly.

3

Informed

The participant understands what they're agreeing to: who gets the information, what information, for what purpose, for how long. Generic “I consent to information sharing as needed” wording does not meet this test. Specific, named, plain language does.

4

Specific

Consent applies to the actual sharing being proposed, not blanket consent for the future. If the situation changes — a new third party, a different category of information — you need fresh consent. The tickbox structure on each form keeps the specifics explicit.

5

Current

Consent has a shelf life. A form signed at intake in 2022 does not authorise information shared today in 2026. Refresh consent on annual review at minimum, or whenever the situation changes. Each form lets the participant set how long the consent applies.

The forms are templates, not legal advice. They are structured to meet NDIS Practice Standards and the Privacy Act 1988, but you remain responsible for ensuring the completed form is appropriate for your specific situation. For complex matters (formal nominees, court-appointed guardians, contested consent), seek legal advice or contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Running supports for more than a handful of participants?

Downloading PDFs and storing signed copies in folders gets old fast. Clio Care keeps your participant records, service agreements, signed consent documents, case notes, invoices, and shift schedule all in the same app. You upload the signed consent form once and it stays linked to the participant's file. When an auditor asks, you can find it.

The templates on this page stay free forever, with or without a Clio account. The app is free for 30 days, no credit card.

NDIS consent, answered

What is an NDIS third party consent form?

A third party consent form records a participant's permission for you to share their information with a named person or organisation outside the support relationship: a plan manager, support coordinator, allied health professional, family member, or the NDIA. The Consent to Share Information form on this page is that form. The key word is named. Blanket consent to share information with whoever needs it does not meet the informed and specific tests, so the form asks the participant to name the third party and tick the categories of information the consent covers.

Is there an NDIS plan nominee consent form I can download?

No, and it is worth understanding why. A plan nominee is appointed by the NDIA under the NDIS Act, not created by anyone signing a form. If a participant wants a plan nominee appointed, they contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110. What you can document is day to day communication with a family member or advocate, which is the Consent to Communicate with a Representative form on this page. If someone tells you they are already the plan nominee, ask for the NDIA appointment letter and record it on the participant's file.

Do I have to give my email address to download these forms?

No. All three templates are direct PDF downloads with no email gate, no sign-up, and no payment. They are free to use, edit, and keep whether or not you ever use Clio Care.

Are these consent forms NDIS Commission compliant?

The templates are structured to align with the NDIS Practice Standards (Core Module: Rights and Responsibilities), the Privacy Act 1988, and the NDIS Code of Conduct. They include the five elements of valid consent that auditors look for: capacity, voluntary, informed, specific, and current. The forms are templates, not legal advice. You remain responsible for ensuring the completed form is fit for your specific situation.

Can I modify the consent form templates?

Yes. The PDFs are designed as a starting point. You can edit them, add fields, or change the wording to suit your participants. Just make sure any changes still meet the five elements of valid consent, and that the form remains plain language so the participant can genuinely understand what they are agreeing to.

How long do I need to keep signed consent forms?

There is no single fixed period under NDIS rules, but registered providers should retain consent records for at least seven years, in line with broader Australian record-keeping standards. Sole traders should keep records for as long as the consent applies plus seven years after it ends. Store them somewhere secure and retrievable, because auditors and the NDIS Commission can request them.

What if the participant has a guardian or formal nominee?

If the participant does not have capacity to consent for themselves, their authorised representative (legal guardian, court-appointed administrator, or formally appointed NDIS Plan Nominee) signs the form on their behalf. Each template has an authorised representative section for this. You should also note the basis of their authority on the form (for example, the guardianship order reference, or the date of NDIS Plan Nominee appointment).

When do I need to refresh a consent form?

Consent is not permanent. A form signed years ago does not automatically cover information shared today. Refresh consent when circumstances change (new third party involved, different type of information being shared, the participant's situation changes), on an annual review at minimum, or any time the participant asks. The forms include a duration section so the participant can choose how long the consent applies.

What is the difference between this representative form and a Plan Nominee?

The Consent to Communicate with Representative form authorises a trusted person (family member, advocate, partner) to exchange day-to-day information with the worker on the participant's behalf. It does not give them legal authority to make decisions about the NDIS plan. A formal Plan Nominee is appointed through the NDIA, has legal authority to act on the participant's NDIS plan, and requires a separate NDIA process. Call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 if a Plan Nominee is what you need.

Three free forms. One less thing to worry about.

The templates are free. If you ever want to keep everything in one place — participant records, service agreements, signed consents, case notes — Clio Care is built for that.

No credit card. No commitment.