A functional capacity assessment (FCA) is a clinical evaluation by an allied health professional, usually an occupational therapist, that measures how your disability affects everyday activities across domains like self-care, mobility, communication, and community participation. The NDIS uses the report as evidence to decide which supports are reasonable and necessary.

This guide covers what an FCA is, who can do one, what it costs under the 2026-27 pricing arrangements, the 7 domains it assesses, 40 sample questions assessors ask, and how to prepare. For a worked example of a finished report, see our functional capacity assessment report example.

On Carevo, therapy supports, the category that includes the occupational therapists who most often conduct these assessments, draw 461 requests, among the most-requested supports on the platform.

Get assessment-ready: Use the free FCA Prep Checklist online, or download the printable NDIS FCA Prep Pack (PDF) to work through before your appointment.

Key Points

  • What it is: an FCA measures your abilities in daily life across 7 domains: self-care, mobility, communication, social interaction, learning, home management, and community participation
  • Who conducts it: allied health professionals, most often occupational therapists, sometimes physiotherapists, psychologists, or speech pathologists
  • Duration: most FCAs take 2 to 4 hours, in one session or split across appointments
  • Cost: you pay nothing when the NDIA requests the assessment; self-arranged FCAs are usually funded from Capacity Building at the assessor’s hourly price limit ($193.99 for an OT in 2026-27)
  • Preparation matters: knowing the question types in advance helps you give a complete, accurate picture of your support needs

What Is an FCA for the NDIS?

A functional capacity assessment is a detailed evaluation conducted by an allied health professional that examines how your disability affects your ability to perform everyday activities. The report it produces is evidence for your NDIS access request or plan review.

Who performs it? Qualified allied health professionals:

  • Occupational therapists (most common for NDIS FCAs)
  • Physiotherapists (for mobility-focused assessments)
  • Psychologists (for cognitive or psychosocial disabilities)
  • Speech pathologists (when communication is a primary concern)

Where does it happen? Usually your home, because it lets the assessor observe your real environment. Some assessments happen in the assessor’s clinic, in community settings relevant to your goals, or across a combination of locations.

Why does the NDIS want one? For initial applications, the report shows how your disability affects daily life and supports the case that funding is reasonable and necessary. For plan reviews, it documents changes in function, justifies increased supports, and identifies new needs like assistive technology or home modifications.

What happens afterwards? The assessor writes a report setting out your functional abilities, limitations, and recommended supports, which goes to the NDIA. Our breakdown of what a good FCA report looks like, section by section shows the finished product.

FCA vs Functional Assessment

People searching for help often mix up three related terms. They overlap, but they are not identical.

FeatureFunctional Capacity Assessment (FCA)Functional AssessmentOT Report
What it isDetailed evaluation of how disability affects daily functioning across 7 domainsGeneral term for any evaluation of how you function in daily tasksA report written by an occupational therapist after assessing you
Who conducts itOT, physiotherapist, psychologist, or speech pathologistAny allied health professionalOccupational therapist specifically
ScopeBroad: self-care, mobility, communication, social, learning, home, communityCan be narrow (one domain) or broadOften focuses on daily living, equipment, and home modifications
Main NDIS useEvidence for access requests and plan reviewsBuilding block that may feed into an FCAEvidence for assistive technology, home mods, and daily living supports
Typical length2 to 4 hours plus report writingVaries by scopeReport length depends on complexity

In short: an FCA is a comprehensive functional assessment, and an OT report is one common format an FCA is delivered in. For NDIS purposes the terms are frequently used interchangeably. If the NDIA has asked for a specific document, check the exact wording of their request.

What Does an FCA Cost in 2026-27?

If the NDIA requests the assessment as part of your access request or plan review, you do not pay for it. If you arrange an FCA yourself to support a plan review or funding request, it is usually funded from your Capacity Building budget under Improved Daily Living, billed by the hour at the assessing professional’s price limit.

These are the current hourly price limits for assessment, recommendation, therapy or training under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2026-27, effective 1 July 2026:

ProfessionalSupport item codePrice limit (per hour)
Occupational therapist15_617_0128_1_3$193.99
Physiotherapist15_055_0128_1_3$183.99
Psychologist15_054_0128_1_3$252.99
Speech pathologist15_622_0128_1_3$193.99
Other therapy professional15_056_0128_1_3$156.16

Remote and very remote loadings apply on top: the occupational therapy limit rises to $271.59 per hour in remote areas and $290.99 in very remote areas.

What the total looks like. An FCA is billed for all the hours it takes, not just the face-to-face sessions. Report writing can be claimed as non-face-to-face time under the same support item where your service agreement allows it, and providers can also claim travel. As a worked example, an FCA involving 3 hours of assessment and 3 hours of report writing at the OT rate comes to $1,163.94. Complex assessments take more hours, so always ask for an itemised quote covering assessment time, report writing, and travel before you book.

What Are the 7 FCA Domains?

Assessors structure the FCA around 7 areas of daily life. The report addresses each domain that is relevant to your disability.

DomainWhat it covers
Self-care and daily livingShowering, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, managing medication
Mobility and motor skillsMoving around the home and community, transfers, stairs, fine motor tasks, mobility aids
CommunicationUnderstanding others, expressing yourself, phone and digital communication, communication aids
Social interactionForming and keeping relationships, group settings, managing conflict
Learning and problem-solvingMemory, concentration, planning, learning new tasks, handling the unexpected
Home managementCleaning, cooking, laundry, shopping, finances, paperwork, home safety
Community participationTransport, appointments, community activities, accessing services

What Questions Will They Ask?

Below are 40 sample questions organised by domain, drawn from the kinds of interview questions assessors commonly use. You will not be asked all of them; assessors focus on the domains your disability affects.

1. Self-Care and Daily Living

  1. “Can you describe your morning routine from waking up to leaving the house?”
  2. “What parts of showering or bathing are difficult for you?”
  3. “How do you manage medication without assistance?”
  4. “What strategies do you use for meal preparation?”
  5. “How do you manage dressing yourself, particularly with items like buttons, zippers, or shoelaces?”
  6. “Do you need reminders or assistance with personal hygiene tasks?“

2. Mobility and Motor Skills

  1. “How do you move around your home? Do you use any mobility aids?”
  2. “What difficulties do you experience with steps or uneven surfaces?”
  3. “Can you use public transport independently? What challenges arise?”
  4. “How far can you walk before needing to rest?”
  5. “What activities require fine motor skills that you find challenging?”
  6. “Do you experience fatigue or pain that limits your movement? How often?“

3. Communication

  1. “How do you typically communicate with friends and family?”
  2. “What difficulties do you experience when communicating with unfamiliar people?”
  3. “Do you use any communication aids or technologies?”
  4. “How do you handle phone calls or virtual meetings?”
  5. “What environments make communication more difficult for you?”
  6. “How do you ensure you have understood important information correctly?“

4. Social Interaction and Relationships

  1. “How often do you socialise with friends or family?”
  2. “What challenges do you experience in group settings?”
  3. “How do you manage conflict or disagreements in relationships?”
  4. “How comfortable are you meeting new people or in unfamiliar social situations?”
  5. “What aspects of maintaining friendships are difficult for you?“

5. Learning and Problem-Solving

  1. “How do you learn new information most effectively?”
  2. “What strategies help you remember important information?”
  3. “How do you approach solving unexpected problems?”
  4. “What difficulties do you experience when planning and organising activities?”
  5. “How do you manage tasks that require concentration?”
  6. “How do you break down complex tasks into manageable steps?“

6. Home Management

  1. “Which household tasks can you complete independently?”
  2. “What aspects of home maintenance require assistance?”
  3. “How do you manage household finances and paperwork?”
  4. “How do you ensure your home remains safe and hygienic?”
  5. “How do you handle shopping for household necessities?“

7. Community Participation

  1. “What community activities do you currently participate in?”
  2. “What barriers prevent you from accessing community facilities?”
  3. “How do you navigate unfamiliar environments?”
  4. “How do you manage appointments or commitments outside your home?”
  5. “What aspects of community participation cause anxiety or difficulty?”
  6. “How do you access services like banking, medical care, or government agencies?”

Other Question Formats You May See

Alongside interview questions, many assessors use written questionnaires. Two common formats:

Self-rating scales. You rate your level of difficulty with activities like showering independently, preparing a simple meal, using public transport, maintaining concentration for 30 or more minutes, or managing household finances, usually on a scale from “no difficulty” through to “cannot do”.

Open-ended and scenario questions. For example: “Describe a typical day from when you wake up until you go to bed, including any challenges you face and supports you require”, or “If your usual support person was unavailable for a week, what aspects of your daily routine would be most affected?”

Assessors also gather information through observation of how you perform tasks in your own environment, and through standardised tools such as the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0), the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).

How Do I Choose an Assessor?

The assessor you choose shapes both the assessment experience and the strength of the report. Four checks matter most.

Registration. Confirm the assessor holds current AHPRA registration (for OTs, physiotherapists, and psychologists). If your funding is agency-managed, the provider also needs to appear on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission register.

NDIS experience. Ask how many FCA reports the assessor has written for NDIS purposes, and whether they have worked with your type of disability. An assessor who knows how planners read reports will link findings to the “reasonable and necessary” criteria rather than just describing your function.

Pricing transparency. Ask for a written estimate of total hours against the hourly price limit for their profession, and confirm whether report writing and travel are included in the quote. A vague quote now often becomes a budget problem later.

Logistics. Check whether the assessor does home visits, since observing you in your own environment usually produces stronger evidence than a clinic session, and ask for the expected report turnaround in writing if you have a planning meeting coming up.

If the first available appointment is months away, ask to go on a cancellation list, and get the wait time in writing so you can factor it into any plan review deadline.

How Do I Prepare for an FCA?

Preparation is about accuracy, not performance. The goal is for the assessor to see your everyday reality, including your hardest days.

Before the assessment:

  • Document daily challenges: keep a diary of difficulties for 1 to 2 weeks before the assessment
  • Gather relevant reports: collect previous assessments, diagnosis letters, and medical documentation
  • Consider all environments: think about functioning at home, work, study, and in the community
  • Identify fluctuations: note how your functioning varies between good days and bad days
  • List current supports: document the formal and informal supports you receive, and what they actually do

During the assessment:

  • Be honest and thorough: describe your actual experiences, not what you think the assessor wants to hear
  • Focus on challenging days: explain what happens when your condition is at its worst
  • Provide specific examples: use real situations to illustrate difficulties
  • Describe the full picture: cover the physical, cognitive, and emotional sides of completing tasks
  • Explain adaptations: outline modifications or strategies you have developed, and what they cost you in time and energy

Work through the interactive FCA Prep Checklist before your appointment, or print the FCA Prep Pack (PDF), which includes the document checklist, note prompts for each of the 7 domains, and questions to ask your assessor.

How Long Does an FCA Take?

Most FCAs take 2 to 4 hours of assessment time. This may run as a single session or be split across multiple appointments, particularly if fatigue is a concern. Report writing adds further hours on top of the sessions.

Assessors commonly deliver the report within 2 to 3 weeks of the final session, but turnaround varies with the assessor’s workload and the complexity of your situation. If the report is needed for an upcoming planning meeting, say so before you book and confirm the timeframe in writing.

What Happens After the FCA?

The assessor compiles their findings into a report that sets out your functional abilities and limitations domain by domain, then links them to recommended supports with a “reasonable and necessary” justification for each. The report goes to the NDIA, your planner, or your support coordinator as evidence for your access request or plan review.

The quality of that document matters as much as the assessment itself. See our FCA report example showing each section a strong report includes, so you can check your own report before it is submitted. If the report does not accurately reflect your needs, raise it with the assessor first; most will correct misunderstandings or add an addendum.

What Changes From Mid-2026?

The NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024 legislated a new way of planning, with plans made under it called new framework plans. The rollout is phased: the NDIA has said a small number of participants will move to the new approach from mid-2026, and most participants will not see changes for some time.

The main differences relevant to functional assessments:

  • A support needs assessment replaces participant-sourced reports as the basis of the plan. A trained assessor, arranged and paid for by the NDIA, works with you to understand your support needs. You do not pay for this assessment.
  • The assessment tool is built on the I-CAN, the Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs, a strengths-based tool developed by the Centre for Disability Studies and used in the disability sector for over two decades.
  • Plans are built around your assessed support needs rather than a collection of individually justified supports, with the stated aim of more consistent and transparent outcomes.

Until you are moved to a new framework plan, the current process applies, and FCA reports remain central evidence for access requests, plan reviews, SDA and SIL applications, and assistive technology requests. For current details, see the NDIA’s update on new framework planning and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s framework rules page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a functional capacity assessment?

A functional capacity assessment is a professional evaluation that measures how your disability affects your ability to perform everyday activities. For NDIS purposes, an FCA assesses your functional abilities across 7 key domains (self-care, mobility, communication, social interaction, learning, home management, and community participation) to determine what supports are reasonable and necessary.

How much does a functional capacity assessment cost for NDIS?

If the NDIA requests the assessment as part of your access request or plan review, you do not pay for it. If you arrange an FCA yourself, it is usually funded from Capacity Building (Improved Daily Living) at the professional’s hourly price limit. For an occupational therapist that limit is $193.99 per hour under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2026-27, and the total depends on how many hours the assessment and report writing take. Ask for an itemised quote before you book.

What is the difference between a functional capacity assessment and a functional assessment?

The terms are used interchangeably in NDIS contexts. Both refer to the same evaluation process. Some professionals use “functional assessment” as shorthand, while the full term “functional capacity assessment” is more formally correct.

How do I prepare for an NDIS functional capacity assessment?

Keep a diary for 1 to 2 weeks noting daily challenges, gather medical reports and previous assessments, list your current formal and informal supports, note how your functioning varies between good and bad days, and prepare specific examples of difficulties in each life area. The FCA Prep Checklist walks you through each step.

Can I bring someone with me to my functional capacity assessment?

Yes, you can and should bring a support person who knows you well. They can provide additional information, help you remember important details, and offer support during what can be an emotionally challenging process.

What if my functioning varies significantly from day to day?

This is very common and important to communicate. Describe both your best and worst days explicitly, explain what drives the variation (fatigue, pain, stress, sensory overload), and emphasise that NDIS supports should account for your functioning on difficult days, not just your best days.

How long does a functional capacity assessment report take?

Assessors commonly deliver FCA reports within 2 to 3 weeks of the final session, but turnaround varies, so confirm the timeframe before you book. If the report is needed for an upcoming NDIS planning meeting, tell the assessor up front.

How will new framework plans affect functional assessments?

New framework plans are the next way of planning legislated under the 2024 NDIS Act changes. Under them, the NDIA arranges and pays for a support needs assessment with a trained assessor, using a tool built on the I-CAN. The rollout is phased, starting with a small number of participants from mid-2026, so most participants will see no change for some time. Until you move to a new framework plan, FCA reports remain key evidence for access requests and plan reviews.

Can I provide written information in addition to answering questions?

Yes. Notes, diaries, or prepared information about your functioning are usually welcomed by assessors and strengthen the assessment. Written documentation helps ensure you do not forget important information on the day.

What if I do not understand a question during the assessment?

Always ask for clarification. Assessors want you to fully understand what information they are seeking. There are no wrong answers; the goal is accurate information about your functioning.

Will I need to physically demonstrate activities during the assessment?

This depends on your disability and the assessment purpose. You may be asked to demonstrate activities such as preparing a meal or moving around your home, but only activities that are safe for you to perform. You can decline to demonstrate anything you are concerned about.

Sources

Find an OT for Your FCA

Carevo connects NDIS participants and families with vetted occupational therapists and other allied health professionals who conduct functional capacity assessments. Carevo does not conduct assessments itself; it helps you find and compare registered assessors who service your area.

Find occupational therapists for a functional capacity assessment through Carevo, compare response times and coverage, and get matched with an assessor who fits your needs.