Strengthening the driver licensing process for NDIS participants
A DISCUSSION PAPER
May 2026
Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia
Suite 302, Level 3 Lawson Place
165 -167 Phillip St Sydney NSW 2000
02 8006 7357
www.atsa.org.au
Project Lead - Karen Larsen-Truong
karen.truong@atsa.org.au
Contents
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5. Challenges affecting driver licensing under NDIS
Lack of recognised professional framework for specialised driving instruction 13
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Appendix A: Members of the ATSA Driver Licensing Working Group
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About Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia (ATSA)
Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia (ATSA) is Australia’s national peak body representing the needs of assistive technology suppliers, distributers, manufacturers and technicians. We also work closely with the allied health sector, with allied health professionals being eligible for affiliate membership.
ATSA requires our members to adhere to a comprehensive Code of Practice on the provision, sales and servicing of assistive technology (AT).
We are a registered not-for-profit organisation with charitable status, ensuring we advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and older persons to access the most appropriate assistive technology to provide for their ongoing independence and individual needs.
Our Purpose is to support the assistive technology industry to enhance the lives of Australians with disability by:
- Ensuring the provision of quality equipment
- Upholding ethical business practices
- Conducting research
- Promoting education
- Cultivating partnerships
- Advocating for positive change with government and other stakeholders
We are also a member of the Australian Ethical Health Alliance.
Acknowledgements
This paper is an output of the work of ATSA’s dedicated Driver Licensing Working Group, established to identify challenges and develop practical solutions to support people with disability in learning to drive. The group comprises vehicle modification suppliers, Occupational Therapy Driving Assessors (OTDAs) and specialised driving instructors from across Australia (see Appendix A).
ATSA also acknowledges the significant contribution of the Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) National Driving Taskforce, whose expertise and collaboration have been instrumental in shaping the development of this paper and its recommendations.
We further acknowledge the many stakeholders from across the occupational therapy and specialised driver training sectors who provided feedback on earlier drafts. Their insights have strengthened the content and ensured that this paper reflects a broad, cross-sector perspective.
ATSA extends its sincere thanks to all contributors for generously sharing their time, knowledge and expertise.
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1. Introduction
The problem
Obtaining a driver license is a milestone for many Australians that unlocks independence, education, work and social connection. For many people with disability, however, the path to a driver licence is far more complex. Under the NDIS, delays and inconsistencies in funding decisions for driving instruction and vehicle modifications can turn the journey into an overly long and fragmented process. These disruptions can impact outcomes for learner drivers and those returning to driving after injury, place strain on providers and ultimately increase costs to the NDIS.
The experiences of stakeholders involved in drafting this paper suggest that several factors contribute to these inconsistencies and delays including:
- Inconsistent understanding of the driver licensing process, and the roles, skills and expertise of specialised driving instructors and occupational therapy driver assessors (OTDAs)
- Insufficient written guidelines and updated education for NDIS staff, Plan Managers, Support Coordinators and participants
- Continued reference to outdated pricing guides and standard hours for driving instruction by Plan Managers and NDIA staff
- A lack of trust in the clinical judgement and expertise of OTDAs
- Permitting NDIS participants to access driving instruction without OTDA assessment and oversight
Purpose of this paper
This discussion paper, developed by ATSA’s Driver Licensing Working Group, in consultation with the Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) National Driving Taskforce and other stakeholders, provides a high-level overview of driver licensing processes under the NDIS. The purpose is to provide a greater understanding of:
a) the complexity involved in supporting NDIS participants to obtain their driving license b) the role that specialised driving instructors, OTDAs and vehicle modifiers play c) the factors that support or hinder timely and effective support to learner drivers and licensed drivers who due to disability need to re-learn to drive
Recommendations for strengthening the driver licensing process for NDIS participants are also given.
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2. Who learns to drive and what are the expected benefits?
People with disability requiring NDIS support to obtain a driver license have unique needs and each person undertakes a unique journey. For simplicity these unique needs can be categorised as the following:
New learners and people returning to driving
Many learner drivers requiring NDIS support are new to driving. Others, however, are returning to driving after catastrophic physical injury or an acquired condition. The hours of specialised driving instruction needed to obtain a driver license differ for each person. While some only require a small amount of hours to regain their skills, others may need to conduct all of their lessons in a dual controlled vehicle with a specialised driving instructor.
People with neurodivergence or cognitive impairment
People with neurological conditions such as stroke or traumatic brain injury, as well as those with neurodevelopmental conditions and neurodivergence, may face a range of challenges when learning to drive. These can include difficulties with attention, memory, visual processing, motor coordination, or decision-making under pressure. For some, sensory sensitivities or challenges with executive functioning can make managing the demands of driving more complex.
Despite these challenges, evidence shows that many people with cognitive impairment or neurodivergence can successfully achieve their driver license and practice safe driving in the long term, with specialised driving instruction and occupational therapist support¹’²’³’⁴’⁵. Benefits include increased independence, greater employment opportunities and community integration⁵’⁶’⁷.
People who require vehicle modifications for driving
People with certain physical impairments may require driving instruction in a vehicle that has been modified with standard vehicle modifications for driving such as hand controls, left-foot accelerators, spinner knobs, or pedal extensions (See table 1 for detail of standard vs complex driving aids).
Others require more complex modifications that are custom-built to match their specific physical abilities, posture, mobility device and functional capacity. In this case, the participant must usually first purchase their own vehicle, which then undergoes major structural changes, such as a floor cut or chassis alteration, before specialised equipment like joystick steering or wheelchair docking systems can be installed. These modifications are permanent and high cost, requiring precise alignment with the user’s needs to ensure safety, usability and long-term value.
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Vehicle modifications for drivers with physical disabilities enhance personal independence and community participation but require occupational therapy assessments and post-implementation reviews for safety and maintenance issues⁸.
Note: Some learners experience both cognitive and physical challenges, which can significantly increase the complexity of assessment and training. For example, a participant with a neurological condition such as cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury may require both vehicle modifications and tailored cognitive strategies to learn to drive safely and effectively. Coordinating supports across multiple professionals including the OTDA, specialised driving instructor and vehicle modifier is essential to ensure the vehicle setup, training approach and funding align to the participant’s individual needs and learning capacity.
3. Understanding vehicle modifications for driving
In regard to vehicle modifications, we distinguish between standard vehicle modifications for driving that are less expensive and require less customisation and more complex vehicle modifications for driving which are more expensive, bespoke and complex to install, as per the table below.
Table 1: Standard vs complex vehicle modifications
| Type | Description | Typical cost range | Typical installation time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard vehicle modifications | Installation of driving aids such as left-foot accelerators, pedal extensions, non-electronic steering devices, electronic hand controls. | Up to $15,000 | Days to weeks |
| Complex vehicle modifications | High-level modifications and complex driving aids including joystick controls, floor-cut vehicles (often drive from wheelchair). | $50,000–$150,000+ | 6–18 months |
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4. Navigating the driver licensing process under the NDIS
The process of obtaining a driver licence for NDIS participants is often complex and may require coordination between multiple professionals, service systems and funding pathways. Unlike the standard licensing process, NDIS participants who need assistive technology (AT), vehicle modifications, or specialised instruction must navigate both state or territory licensing requirements and NDIS funding rules.
NDIS funded roles and supports
Occupational therapist driver assessors (OTDAs)
The OTDA plays a central role in the driver licensing process for people with disability. They assess whether a person requires NDIS support to obtain their licence, determine whether standard or complex driving aids are needed, trial and recommend appropriate vehicle modifications and develop a plan for safe skill development through specialised driving instruction. OTDAs also prepare the detailed reports required for both NDIS funding applications and for state or territory driver licensing authorities, with some variation in requirements across states and territories.
OTDAs are qualified occupational therapists with additional postgraduate training and expertise in driver assessment and rehabilitation, usually completed through an approved professional training provider. However, their skills, qualifications and experience vary across the field. Some OTDAs work primarily with clients who have mild physical or cognitive conditions and require minimal adaptation or support. Others possess advanced expertise in neurological rehabilitation, complex vehicle modifications, or adaptive technology and work closely with engineers, vehicle modifiers and specialised driving instructors on highly individualised solutions. OTDAs specialising in complex vehicle modifications are required to have a deep technical understanding of adaptive equipment, compliance with vehicle standards, and collaboration with modifiers to ensure safety and functionality.
Across all levels of practice, OTDAs apply professional reasoning to evaluate a participant’s physical, cognitive, sensory and psychosocial abilities, determine medical fitness to drive and identify appropriate compensatory strategies. They also provide value for money to the NDIS by screening participants early in the process - preventing costly or unsafe progressions for those who may not have the capacity or resources to obtain or maintain a licence, or to purchase a suitable vehicle for modification.
Specialised driving instructors
A specialised driving instructor provides tailored, on-road training that responds to the individual needs of the participant. This may include the use of adaptive controls, phased exposure to increasingly complex traffic environments or the introduction of compensatory strategies for cognitive, sensory or psychosocial differences.
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Specialised driving instructors are guided by the OTDA’s assessment findings and recommendations and continually collaborate to ensure that lesson plans evolve to meet the participants functional capacity, clinical goals and any prescribed vehicle modifications. This coordinated approach enables learners to build confidence, integrate new skills and meet the requirements set by driver licensing authorities. A limited number of OTDA’s hold additional qualifications as a driving instructor and deliver services as both an OTDA and driving instructor.
Mainstream driving instructors typically teach neurotypical learners who don’t require vehicle modifications and don’t have complex medical or neurological issues. Licence testing is conducted at the local licencing authority office, meaning mainstream instructors also don’t collaborate with OTDAs. In contrast, specialised disability driver training requires advanced expertise in (among other things):
- executive functioning scaffolding
- cognitive load modulation
- hazard perception adaptation for processing-speed differences
- emotional regulation strategies
- fatigue-pacing
- graded exposure models
- technical understanding of adaptive controls
- knowledge of medical conditions and how they present in relation to driving
- collaboration with OTDA’s, vehicle modifiers, support coordinators and plan managers
- report-writing
- NDIS related administration and supporting NDIS participants
Specialised driving instructors possess different knowledge skills and expertise compared to mainstream driving instructors and may instruct one or more of the following broad categories of NDIS participants:
- learners with cognitive, psychosocial or neurodiverse needs These instructors rely on specialist understanding of behavioural, cognitive and sensory-based learning approaches. They tailor training to address attention, processing speed, executive functioning and emotional regulation differences.
- learners requiring standard driving aids A smaller cohort of instructors have the expertise to teach learners who use driving aids such as spinner knobs or left-foot accelerators. They require additional technical knowledge to use and explain adaptive equipment safely. In the absence of a formal credential, instructors often rely on manufacturer training, peer support or informal professional networks to build this capability.
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- learners who require complex vehicle modifications An even smaller group of specialised driving instructors possess the advanced skills necessary to train drivers who use customised or highly specialised vehicle modifications. This work requires deep technical understanding of adaptive driving systems, close collaboration with OTDAs and vehicle modifiers, and extensive experience supporting participants with significant physical or multisystem impairments. These skills are typically developed over many years, since no accredited qualification currently exists to standardise training for these complex instructional demands.
Vehicle modifiers
Vehicle modifiers and suppliers design, install and test the required driving aids or vehicle modifications. They ensure that modifications comply with road authority requirements and standards. Their technical expertise ensures modifications are safe, reliable and compatible with each participant’s functional needs and the vehicle’s design. Communication between the modifier, OTDA and specialised driving instructor is essential to ensure the modifications support the participant’s driving goals and meet regulatory requirements.
The process
The driver licensing process is unique for each participant with some requiring more assessment, extra support and a tailored timeline for achieving their driver license or returning to driving. However, there are elements of the driver licensing journey common to all NDIS participants including:
- Medical fitness to drive assessment If a person has a physical or cognitive condition that may affect their ability to drive safely, they must disclose this to the state driver licensing authority and may need to undergo a ‘fitness to drive’ medical assessment with their general practitioner (GP) in accordance with their state or territory driver licensing authority. The GP will typically refer the person for an occupational therapy driver assessment, in order to assess the functional impact of their condition on driving performance.
- OTDA assessments
The OTDA conducts ‘in clinic’ and ‘on-road’ driver assessments throughout the driver licensing journey to support:
- access to funding and supports
- matching tailored supports to a participant’s abilities and needs
- facilitating access to fit for purpose driving aids and vehicle modifications
- monitoring progress and adjusting supports if necessary
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Assessment is essential at all stages of the driver licensing journey. Early assessment of a participant’s capacity to drive and to achieve their license can set realistic expectations. Early assessment ensures that funding is not wasted on lessons for participants who are not capable of achieving their license, and participants who are capable receive the right type and level of support to achieve their license.
- NDIS funding requests OTDA reports, often supported by quotes from the specialised driving instructor and vehicle modifier, form the basis of NDIS funding applications. The number of lessons recommended will vary from person to person, their experience, their performance, and clinical reasoning and goals for lessons. Vehicle modifications and driving aids are recommended based on comprehensive trials, professional experience and clinical reasoning.
- Training and skill development Once funding is approved, the participant undertakes tailored driving lessons with a specialised driving instructor to build safe driving skills using any required aids or modifications and/or individualised compensatory techniques. The OTDA conducts regular assessments to ensure ongoing progress. If no improvements are observed or issues arise with engagement or participation the OTDA will recommend that lessons be ceased.
- Vehicle modification and certification Vehicle modifiers install and certify the approved driving aids and modifications. OTDA re-assessment or license authority testing is conducted post vehicle modification depending on state-based license authority rules. In addition, the participant sometimes requires additional familiarisation training in their own vehicle post-modification.
Each participant’s driver licensing journey is resource intensive, involving coordination between professionals, careful documentation and strict compliance with both NDIS and state or territory licensing standards. In addition to the key roles identified above, plan managers, support coordinators and NDIS planners are involved in securing funding approvals and managing budgets. Each funding request must align with NDIS criteria for “reasonable and necessary” supports, which can lead to requests for additional evidence or reports. This intersection between clinical assessment, technical modification and administrative approval contributes to the overall complexity of the process.
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Note on complex vehicle modifications
For complex vehicle modifications a 2-3 day NDIS funded On-Road Trial Drive⁹ is required to ensure that the participant has the financial capacity to purchase their own vehicle, can safely operate a modified vehicle and that the recommended equipment meets both their physical and cognitive needs. This assessment is led by an OTDA in collaboration with a specialised driving instructor and a vehicle modifier.
The process begins with a comprehensive in clinic assessment by the OTDA.
Following this assessment, the participant trials different configurations of controls or adaptive technologies in a controlled, on-road setting. The team evaluates factors such as strength, reaction time, coordination, attention and decision-making under real driving conditions. This multidisciplinary approach helps determine whether the participant can use complex driving aids, such as joystick controls, electronic braking systems, or secondary function interfaces, safely and effectively. The participant is progressively exposed to more challenging conditions. At the end of the capacity assessment process final decisions are made on the vehicle modifications required.
At any stage in the process, from initial in clinic assessment to final determinations, if it is likely that the participant will not be able to achieve their driver license the process is stopped.
Because of the expertise, equipment setup and extended testing required, these assessments are time and resource intensive. They are, however, essential to ensuring safety, functionality and long-term independence for participants who rely on highly customised vehicle solutions.
5. Challenges affecting driver licensing under NDIS
Currently, NDIS participants seeking to learn or re-learn to drive can face significant barriers at every stage of the process, including:
Delays and fragmentation in the driver licensing journey
Participants often experience disruptive “stop-start” progress in their journey to learn or re-learn to drive due to fragmented and delayed funding approvals. After undergoing initial assessments, participants may face long waits for plan variations or funding to be approved for specialised driving instruction or necessary vehicle modifications. Despite the NDIA’s guarantee that they will make a decision on vehicle modifications within 28 days (for vehicle mods under $15,000) or 50 days (for high cost vehicle modifications)¹⁰, suppliers report wait times of up to 12 months for a decision (over 300 days beyond the target).
During these gaps in time, participants are often unable to continue lessons, lose confidence, or require refresher sessions to regain lost skills. State licensing authorities also set time limits for medical approvals and delays in the driver licensing process can be exacerbated if medical approvals need to be renewed.
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Lack of recognition for OTDA assessment and specialist driving instruction
A further barrier arises from poor understanding of the expertise required to deliver safe and effective driver rehabilitation services. OTDAs provide clinical assessments that determine a participant’s functional capacity, risks and support requirements, while specialised driving instructors translate these recommendations into graded, real world skill development. When the significance of this combined expertise is not fully understood or acknowledged within funding decisions, the journey can be significantly delayed, and participants may not receive the quality and amount of lessons they need. Even after thorough clinical assessment and trials, OTDAs report that they are often challenged by NDIA planners on their recommendations for driving instruction and vehicle modifications. This significantly increases delays in the driver licensing journey and costs to the NDIS for the extra OTDA time needed to respond.
It has also come to ATSA’s attention that some participants are circumventing OTDA assessment before beginning driving lessons. This is in direct contrast to the NDIS’ guidelines that state that specialised driver training is a stated-support, added following approval in response to an OTDA report/request. This is particularly prevalent in the cohort of NDIS participants who do not require driving aids or vehicle modifications such as people who are neurodivergent, individuals who have experienced cognitive changes and those returning to driving after a prolonged break related to chronic health conditions or illness. Although these learners may not need physical modifications to a vehicle, they require an OTDA assessment to determine their readiness, identify functional considerations and establish an appropriate pathway to obtaining a driver license or returning to driving. Early and ongoing OTDA assessments ensure that participants who are not ready or capable of achieving their driver license are identified. When OTDA assessment is absent, participants may receive inappropriate, poor quality and/or insufficient driving instruction. This can impact safety, increase delays in the driver licensing journey and increase the risk that the participant will not achieve their driving goals and add to NDIS costs.
Inconsistent decisions on funding for driving instruction
At present, specialised driver training funded by the NDIS is subject to quotation, meaning that driving instructors set their own hourly rates. Specialised disability driving instruction is inherently individualised influencing the duration, intensity and nature of instruction. Therefore, the fees charged by these instructors differ according to a range of factors including:
- Lesson frequency and duration, as prescribed by the OTDA
- Presentation (Cognitive presentation (e.g. ABI, neurodivergence) or physical impairment complexity)
- Use of driving aids or vehicle modifications
- Emotional regulation needs
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- Vehicle setup and maintenance cost, including modified vehicles
- Differing insurance and compliance obligations in different states and territories
Despite these factors, plan managers frequently deny quotes for specialised driving lessons citing an outdated price limit of $102.97. This illustrates a lack of consistent education regarding appropriate funding for specialised driver training.
Lack of recognised professional framework for specialised driving instruction
There are currently no nationally consistent standards, accreditation mechanisms or recognised professional pathways specifically for specialised driving instruction for people with disability. Most instructors develop the required skills through a combination of general driving instructor qualifications, additional professional development, mentorship and accumulated experience. The Potential to Drive workshop¹¹ is an online workshop designed specifically for OTDAs and driving instructors requiring information on driving assessment for people with autism and/or executive function problems (e.g. mild intellectual impairment, stroke, ABI). The Institute of Driver Health also offers a two-day, online information course (Driver Assessment & Rehabilitation: A Course for Driving Instructors¹²), which provides information on a broad range of topics relevant to driving instruction for people with disability. However, both of these courses are informational only and do not assess the knowledge, skills or competency of driving instructors.
These gaps do not diminish the expertise of instructors currently working in this space. However, they highlight the need for stronger sector structures to ensure capability, consistency and recognition, and to support new instructors entering the specialised driving instruction field. Establishing clearer training pathways, professional standards and accreditation mechanisms would strengthen the field of specialised driving instruction and provide greater confidence for participants, clinicians and the NDIA that services are being delivered by appropriately skilled professionals.
We have heard of instances where NDIS funding for specialised driver training has been used by participants to fund lessons with a mainstream driving instructor. It is the lack of accreditation and/or registration processes for specialised driving instructors that allows this to occur.
Supporting the development of nationally consistent training and competency standards for specialised driving instruction represents an opportunity to strengthen the driver rehabilitation sector and improve the quality, safety and efficiency of the driver licensing pathway for people with disability.
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Unintended consequences of changes to NDIS funding periods
Changes to NDIS funding periods introduced in 2025 mean that, for some new plans, only one quarter of a participant’s annual budget is released every 12 weeks. While intended to support sustainable spending, this approach creates significant challenges for driver training, which relies on regular, sequential lessons to build and retain skills. For example, a participant funded for 12 hours of lessons per year can access only three hours each quarter, potentially leaving a gap of up to nine weeks before further training can occur. This stop–start pattern leads to loss of skills, delays in progress, frustration for participants and families and inefficient use of NDIS funds. It also heightens the risk that participants abandon their goal of obtaining a licence or are not allocated further driving supports in future plans.
These issues are compounded for learners who are required by licensing authorities to drive only with a qualified instructor in a dual-controlled vehicle, which prevents supervised practice outside paid lessons. Even where this condition does not apply, participants who require vehicle modifications rarely have access to a suitably equipped family vehicle until after they obtain their licence.
Although the NDIA has advised that funding periods are set through discussion with participants and can be reviewed, many participants do not learn about the implications of quarterly funding until they engage a provider. By that time, the review window has often passed and, even when reviews are successful, the process introduces further delays.
6. Recommendations
Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, ATSA recommends the following actions to strengthen access, quality and efficiency in the driver licensing process under the NDIS.
Recommendation 1: Improve consistency and timeliness in funding decisions
- Streamline decisions on standard vehicle modifications to meet the 28 day target for low/mid cost AT.
- Streamline decisions on complex vehicle modifications to meet the 50 day target for high cost AT.
- Establish clear, nationally consistent NDIS criteria and processes for approving funding for driving assessments, lessons and vehicle modifications to prevent the “stop–start” delays that currently interrupt the learning process.
- Educate plan managers on ‘subject to quotation’ nature of specialised driver training and removal of the indicative $102.97 price limit.
Recommendation 2: Recognise the expertise of OTDA and specialist driving instructors and their associated costs
- Recognise the expertise and additional qualifications of OTDA’s and adequately fund OTDA reassessments throughout the driving instruction period and during/after vehicle modification.
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- Build greater NDIA confidence in OTDA reports and recommendations, reducing the need for repeated evidence requests.
- Recognise the existence of variable client complexity, variable needs for vehicles fitted with driving aids, variable instructor capability and the effects of these on pricing for specialised driver training.
- Acknowledge additional state-based regulatory requirements and costs incurred by specialised driving instructors.
Recommendation 3: Strengthen understanding of the end-to-end process
- Provide clearer NDIA, plan manager and support coordinator education on the driver licensing process. This includes updating NDIA operational guidelines and the development of shared resources or training materials.
- Develop materials for prospective drivers and their families/supporters to outline what to expect when working with OTDA, specialised driving instructors, and vehicle modifiers to empower them in self-advocacy.
- Enforce strict compliance with the requirement for OTDA assessment before specialist driving instruction, modification and certification.
- Streamline communication between providers (OTDAs, driving instructors, vehicle modifiers) and NDIS decision-makers to reduce duplication and support timely approvals. In particular, provide direct communication channels between OTDAs and NDIA technical advisors to ensure more efficient decision making on driving instruction and vehicle modifications.
Recommendation 4: NDIA recognise driver training as a support type requiring upfront or flexible access to allocated funding
- Larger funding amounts should be made available early to prevent the “stop–start” delays that currently interrupt the learning process.
Recommendation 5: Support the sector to establish a baseline formal qualification for specialised driving instruction
- Support the development of a nationally standardised baseline qualification for specialised driving instruction for people with disability.
- When available, ensure that all driving instructors delivering NDIS funded lessons have an appropriate disability-specific qualification.
7. Benefits to the NDIS
Aspects of the current driver licensing process such as rigorous OTDA assessments and the 2-3 day complex vehicle modification On-Road Trial Drive are already providing significant value for money to the NDIA. These assessments ensure that those who are deemed unsuitable to drive are identified early, saving the NDIA money on unnecessary funding of paid lessons and modifications.
Further to this, we also expect that implementation of the above recommendations will result in significant cost savings to the NDIA in the following ways:
- OTDA assessment of all participants requesting funding for driving lessons will ensure more efficient use of funds
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- More consistent, timely and informed decisions on funding for driving instruction and vehicle modifications can reduce the need for costly OTDA rebuttals and reassessments, and requests for updated vehicle modification quotes.
- Timely access to their own modified vehicle can reduce private instructor and hire vehicle fees, allowing participants to undertake some of their learner driving hours with family supervision.
- Formal qualifications for specialised driving instruction would ensure a consistent level of driving instruction quality, supporting efficient use of funds and reducing drop-out rates.
8. Conclusion and next steps
Access to safe, timely and tailored driving instruction is essential for many NDIS participants seeking independence, community participation and employment. However, the current process under the NDIS is often long, fragmented, and inconsistent, with excessive delays in approvals and uncertainty around funding for assessments, instruction, and vehicle modifications. This paper highlights the vital role of OTDAs, specialised driving instructors, and vehicle modifiers in ensuring a rigorous, evidence-based and participant-centred approach to driver licensing.
Implementing the recommendations in this paper offers a practical pathway to a more consistent, efficient and evidence informed driver licensing process for NDIS participants. The ATSA Driver Licensing Working Group are ready to work collaboratively with the NDIA to ensure the driver licensing journey can better support people with disability to achieve safe, sustainable and meaningful participation in their communities.
As a next step, we invite the NDIA to engage in targeted consultation with the Working Group and relevant professional bodies to better understand the need for change and our recommendations.
References
- Bassingthwaighte, L., Gustafsson, L., Molineux, M., Bell, R., Pinzon Perez, W., & Shah, D. (2024). On-road driving remediation following acquired brain injury: a randomized controlled trial. Brain Injury, 38(13), 1113–1124. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2024.2376763
- Fahmi, A., Garon, M., Ribon-Demars, A., Dubois, L., Caouette, M., Lamontagne, M.È., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S. (2024). Learning to drive with neurological conditions: profile of users of an adapted driver training program and cognitive factors associated with success. Disability and Rehabilitation, 46(17), 3869-3877. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2258332
- Myers, R.K., Carey, M.E., Bonsu, J.M., Yerys, B.E., Mollen, C.J., Curry, A.E. (2021). Behind the Wheel: Specialized Driving Instructors’ Experiences and Strategies for Teaching Autistic Adolescents to Drive. American Journal of
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Occupational Therapy,75(3), 7503180110p1–7503180110p11. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.043406 4. Rapport, L.J., Bryer, R.C., Hanks, R.A. (2008). Driving and community integration after traumatic brain injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89(5), 922-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2008.01.009 5. Ross, P., Ponsford, J.L., Di Stefano, M., Charlton, J., Spitz, G. (2016). On the road again after traumatic brain injury: driver safety and behaviour following on-road assessment and rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 38(10), 994-1005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2008.01.009 6. Erler, K.S., Juengst, S.B., Smith, D.L., O’Neil-Pirozzi, T.M., Novack, T.A., Bogner, J.A., Kaminski, J., Giacino, J.T., Whiteneck, G.G. (2018). Examining Driving and Participation 5 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 38(3), 143-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449218757739 7. Bassingthwaighte, L., Gustafsson, L., Molineux, M. (2025). Changes in lifespace and participation in community-based occupations of people with acquired brain injury: A mixed methods exploration 6 months following occupational therapy driving assessment. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 72(2):e70017. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.70017 8. Di Stefano, M., Stuckey, R., Kinsman, N. (2019). Understanding Characteristics and Experiences of Drivers Using Vehicle Modifications. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(1):7301205050p1-7301205050p9. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.023721 9. OTA National Driving Taskforce. Australian Competency Standards for Occupational Therapy Driver Assessors currently in draft form - due for final completion in June 2026. Occupational Therapy Australia 10. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), (2023). How can you get assistive technology in your plan? Available at: https://ndis.gov.au/our-guidelines 11. “Potential to Drive” – assessment and implementation workshops for OT driver assessors and driving instructors. Available at: https://www.drivingwell.com.au/potential-to-drive-assessment-and-implementation-workshops-for-ot-driver-assessors-and-driving-instructors/ 12. Driver Assessment & Rehabilitation: A Course for Driving Instructors. Available at: https://driverhealth.com.au/courses/#driving-instructors
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Appendix A: Members of the ATSA Driver Licensing Working Group
Project Leads: Karen Larsen-Truong & Serena Ovens ATSA
Nik Witcombe, former Chair of the Board, ATSA
Omid Akbarian, Vehicle Solutions Specialist, Mobility Engineering
Paul Crake, Director, Total Ability
Ryan Waterman, Managing Director, Independence Automotive
Mark Fraser, Licenced Motor Driving Instructor, Drive Smart Driving School
Wendy Garman, Business manager, Driving Matters Pty Ltd
Beth Cheal, OT Driving Assessor, Institute of Driver Health and University Lecturer, Western Sydney University.
Nicholas Marshall, OT Driving Assessor & Driving Instructor, OT Solutions
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