How Much Does a Hearing Test Cost?
It only takes one minute and it's free.
Many Australians pay nothing for a hearing test. Through the government Hearing Services Program, assessment, fitting and follow-up are free or subsidised for eligible clients, including most pensioners and DVA card holders. Under the NDIS, audiology is capped at $193.99 per hour. Private clients pay the provider's own assessment rate, which varies, so get the quote in writing.
Audiologist
- NDIS audiology cap $193.99/hour (2026-27 NDIS Pricing Schedule, single national rate); other routes (Support at Home, Hearing Services Program, DVA) free or government-subsidised for eligible clients; private rates vary
- Hearing tests and hearing aids
- Free. One request, providers contact you.
Free tests: who qualifies
The Hearing Services Program covers hearing assessment, hearing aid fitting and follow-up for eligible people, most commonly Pensioner Concession Card holders, DVA card holders and NDIS participants referred through the program. If you hold one of those cards, check your eligibility before paying privately, because the covered pathway includes the same clinical steps a private assessment does.
NDIS audiology rates
For NDIS participants whose plan funds audiology, the 2026-27 price limit is $193.99 per hour in the standard pricing zone, where NDIS limits apply. Agree any travel charges before booking under the current NDIA travel rules. Home-visit audiology therefore costs the plan more than clinic audiology for the same clinical time, which is worth weighing if travel distances are long.
Support at Home and private fees
Support at Home clients pay no contribution for clinical supports approved in their care plan, and audiology delivered as clinical care sits in that category. Private clients pay the provider's own assessment rate, which varies between providers; ask whether the assessment fee is offset against a later hearing aid purchase, because many providers credit it.
Hearing aid fitting costs
Fitting is free or subsidised through the Hearing Services Program for eligible clients. Privately, fitting is usually bundled into the hearing aid purchase price rather than billed separately, so the comparison that matters is the bundled device-plus-fitting quote across providers, not the fitting fee alone. Ask each provider to itemise the device, fitting and follow-up appointments in the quote.
How these rates have moved
These are the published price limits at the end of each NDIS pricing year, from the NDIA support catalogues, with a dashed line showing where each limit would sit had it tracked inflation (ABS Consumer Price Index, All Groups Australia) from 2020-21.
Provision of Hearing Services by an Audiologist15_502_0134_1_3
Unchanged at0% since 2020-21. Against CPI that is a 22.1% decline in real terms.
Solid line: published limit. Dashed line: the 2020-21 limit indexed to CPI.
| Pricing year | Published limit | If CPI-indexed |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | $193.99 | $193.99 |
| 2021-22 | $193.99 | $201.36 |
| 2022-23 | $193.99 | $213.64 |
| 2023-24 | $193.99 | $226.46 |
| 2024-25 | $193.99 | $235.08 |
| 2025-26 | $193.99 | $240.00 |
| 2026-27 | $193.99 | $249.12 |
Provision of Hearing Services by an Audiometrist15_503_0134_1_3
Unchanged at0% since 2020-21. Against CPI that is a 22.1% decline in real terms.
Solid line: published limit. Dashed line: the 2020-21 limit indexed to CPI.
| Pricing year | Published limit | If CPI-indexed |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | $166.83 | $166.83 |
| 2021-22 | $166.83 | $173.17 |
| 2022-23 | $166.83 | $183.73 |
| 2023-24 | $166.83 | $194.76 |
| 2024-25 | $166.83 | $202.16 |
| 2025-26 | $166.83 | $206.40 |
| 2026-27 | $166.83 | $214.24 |
Sources: NDIA Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits support catalogues (each item's page carries its full history and remoteness loadings) and the ABS Consumer Price Index, All Groups Australia. Where the NDIA adjusted a price mid-year, the value shown is the last limit that applied in that year; the NDIA pricing archive carries every version with effective dates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hearing test cost?
Free through the Hearing Services Program for eligible clients, including most pensioners and DVA card holders. Privately, the provider sets the assessment fee, and many credit it against a later hearing aid purchase.
What does the NDIS pay for audiology?
Up to $193.99 per hour under the 2026-27 standard price limit, where price limits apply. Agree travel charges separately under the current NDIA rules.
Are hearing aids free for pensioners?
The Hearing Services Program provides fully subsidised hearing aids for eligible clients, with the option to pay extra for higher-specification devices. Eligibility is tied to concession and DVA cards.
Does a home hearing test cost more?
Ask whether travel is charged and which scheme covers it. Under Support at Home, approved clinical care has no participant contribution, but charges still draw on the available budget. Confirm Hearing Services Program coverage with the contracted provider.
Sources and content responsibility
Carevo maintains this service guide. The funding and directory wording was checked on 15 September 2026. This is not a clinical review. Confirm a practitioner's qualifications, suitability, fees and current availability before booking.
- Audiology Australia
- Hearing Services Program
- NDIS and hearing supports
- Support at Home: approved services and budgets
Travel must be agreed before booking under the applicable funding rules. Carevo does not publish a verified 2026-27 per-kilometre cap. Ask for an itemised quote. Send a correction.
In-Home Audiology costs by city
For eligible NDIS supports, standard-zone price limits do not vary by capital. Regional pages show relevant local listings; confirm service coverage, fees and availability directly.
Families never pay Carevo. Providers pay a subscription to connect with families, with no commission or paid ranking. How Carevo works
Activity figures describe Carevo enquiries, not appointments or care quality. Acceptance timing excludes unclaimed enquiries. Confirm current capacity directly. Measurement period and method.
Compare in-home audiology providers
Prices only mean something next to a provider who services your area. The in-home audiology page ranks providers on the Carevo platform with current coverage and measured response times, and the cost and funding section there covers how each funding type applies. Carevo is a connection platform: it connects you with providers and does not deliver care itself.