What specialised driver training is
Specialised driver training is one of the support categories in the NDIS supports rules. It covers two things:
- Driver training with a specialised vehicle driving instructor
- Training to use adapted equipment or vehicle modifications, such as hand controls, a spinner knob, a left foot accelerator or a wheelchair loading system
Who can deliver it
Under the rules, a specialised vehicle driving instructor is someone who is registered or licensed as a driving instructor in your state or territory and has experience and training in teaching people with disability to drive.
Lessons are often in the instructor's dual controlled, modified vehicle, so you can learn with the controls your occupational therapist recommends before any changes are made to your own car.
When the NDIS funds it
The NDIS considers driver training when it relates to what you can and cannot do because of your disability, meaning that without it you could not drive, or travel in a vehicle, safely. It can fund:
- Extra lessons you need because of your disability, beyond what any learner would need
- Lessons to learn new controls or modifications after a change in your disability
- Training to use vehicle modifications the NDIS has funded or is considering
What the NDIS does not fund
The NDIS does not fund the standard driving lessons any new driver needs to get a licence. It also does not pay for the vehicle itself, registration, fuel or general repairs, which are everyday costs of owning a car. Modifications and equipment for the car are a separate support, covered by vehicle modifications.
How to get it in your plan
- See a driver trained occupational therapist for a driving assessment. They check your medical, physical and cognitive fitness to drive, try out controls, and recommend lessons and any modifications
- The assessment is usually paid from the improved daily living skills part of your Capacity Building budget
- The NDIA uses the OT's evidence to decide whether lessons are reasonable and necessary, and how many
- Specialised driver training is a stated support, so it needs to be included in your plan before you book lessons
- Your licensing authority may also need medical reports or a test before you drive with new conditions or controls
Driver training and the 2026 changes
The government's August 2026 consultation on new NDIS supports rules keeps specialised driver training as its own category, with the same description. The proposal reduces the number of categories from 36 to 18, but it is not intended to remove this support.
The OT's driving assessment usually comes from improved daily living skills, which is reduced by 10% when your plan is created, reassessed or renewed from 1 October 2026. Ask for a quote and check your remaining funding before you book.
Tips
- Ask your OT how many lessons they expect you to need, and why, so the NDIA has a clear request
- Choose an instructor with experience in your type of disability and the controls you will use
- Keep your OT and instructor in touch, so the lessons match the recommended setup
- Think about when you will drive and where, and say so in your goals