Fully Accessible SDA: what the design category requires for new builds in NSW
Fully Accessible is housing designed to incorporate a high level of physical access provision for people with significant physical impairment. That is the NDIA wording in the SDA Design Standard (Edition 1.1, October 2019). If you are building new, the Design Standard is the test, not a blog checklist of door widths. Fully Accessible sets the physical-access baseline. High Physical Support builds on that baseline.
Fully Accessible in one paragraph
Fully Accessible is one of four NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation design categories, alongside Improved Liveability, Robust and High Physical Support. It is for participants who need a high level of physical access. New Build and New Build (refurbished) dwellings enrolled from 1 July 2021 must be certified by an accredited SDA assessor against the SDA Design Standard at design stage and again as built. Exact clause applicability is shown by the icons in the Design Standard PDF. Category definitions and the wider comparison sit on SDA vs livable vs adaptable.
Two rule sets, and which one applies to your dwelling
Most short guides still quote informal dimension lists. Those lists go stale. For a new build enrolling today, the Design Standard is the minimum.
New Build and New Build (refurbished) enrolled from 1 July 2021
The SDA Design Standard (October 2019, Edition 1.1) is the minimum design requirement. An accredited SDA assessor certifies the nominated category at provisional design stage, when the design is lodged for approval, and again at final as-built stage. Final as-built certification is mandatory for enrolment. Certification is not enrolment. The registered SDA provider enrols the built dwelling. The process is set out on SDA design and as-built certification.
Existing and Legacy Stock, and new builds first enrolled before 1 July 2021
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements for SDA 2026-27 apply the category descriptions in the Table regime to this older stock. New SDA enrolment uses the Design Standard, not the older table wording.
| Dwelling | Minimum design test |
|---|---|
| New Build, or New Build (refurbished), enrolled from 1 July 2021 | SDA Design Standard, Edition 1.1 (October 2019), certified by an accredited SDA assessor at design and as-built stages |
| Existing or Legacy Stock, and new builds first enrolled before 1 July 2021 | Pricing Arrangements 2026-27 category descriptions |
What Fully Accessible requires under the Design Standard
The clauses that apply to Fully Accessible are those whose applicability icon in Edition 1.1 is Fully Accessible. Icons were read from the published Standard. A clause that applies only to Improved Liveability or Robust is not a Fully Accessible requirement. Dimensions are minimums unless the Standard states a range. Designers should not rely on informal lists.
Fully Accessible requires a high level of physical access. Participants in Fully Accessible dwellings may require a wheelchair for mobility. Step-free access from the front boundary is required. Door clearances, corridor widths, sanitary layouts and kitchen interfaces follow the Fully Accessible figures in the Standard, which are larger than those for Improved Liveability and Robust. Sanitary facilities follow AS 1428.1 provisions where the Standard calls for them. The participant bedroom sits on the entry or lift-served level.
Fully Accessible does not automatically include the life-support power, ceiling-hoist readiness or emergency-power suite. Those sit with High Physical Support. See the comparison below.
A single dwelling may be certified under more than one design category. All shared areas must comply with the minimum requirements of every enrolled category.
Fully Accessible vs High Physical Support vs Improved Liveability vs Robust
| Category | Who it is for | Physical access level | Headline design driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Accessible | Significant physical impairment; wheelchair use expected | High. Participant bedroom on the entry or lift level. Larger door and corridor clearances, AS 1428.1 sanitary layout | Wheelchair circulation and transfer |
| High Physical Support | Significant physical impairment requiring very high levels of support | High, same baseline as Fully Accessible, plus hoist and life-support provisions | Ceiling hoist readiness, emergency power and higher support features |
| Improved Liveability | Sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment; wheelchair use not assumed | Reasonable. Bedroom may be on a stepped level. Smaller door and corridor clearances | Contrast, wayfinding and a usable entry-level living core |
| Robust | Participants who need a very resilient dwelling | Reasonable, closer to Improved Liveability | Impact resistance and fittings that survive heavy use |
Improved Liveability is covered in full on Improved Liveability SDA. High Physical Support is covered on the High Physical Support page when published. Robust is covered on the Robust page when published. The wider housing comparison sits on SDA vs livable vs adaptable.
How Fully Accessible certification works (design stage to as-built)
The Design Standard allows certification at two stages. Provisional design certification is when the design has been submitted for building approval. Final as-built certification is when the dwelling is built, and it is mandatory for enrolment. An accredited SDA assessor certifies compliance with every clause that applies to the nominated category. The assessor must be independent of the provider, developer and owner.
Sydney Access Consultants can advise the design, or be the independent certifying assessor, on a given development. Not both on the same project. Design documentation, when the practice is not the certifying assessor, sits on SDA architectural documentation. The certification path sits on SDA certification.
Designing Fully Accessible SDA in Sydney and NSW: practical notes
NCC still applies. Where the NCC and the Design Standard conflict, the NCC takes precedence, except for spatial requirements of the Design Standard. NSW assesses building work against NCC 2022 Amendment 2 until NCC 2025 adoption on 1 May 2027. See NCC 2025 in NSW.
SDA is not Livable Housing. NSW leaves the Livable Housing Design Standard blank for Class 1a and Class 2 sole-occupancy units, so it is not a mandatory Deemed-to-Satisfy path. SDA Design Standard enrolment is a separate regime. Sydney Access Consultants does not hold Livable Housing assessor registration. See Livable Housing only for that distinction.
For Class 2 apartments, common-area access under NCC Part D4 is separate from the dwelling Fully Accessible features. See SDA apartment compliance example.
The Design Standard review is underway. Do not assume outcomes. See SDA Design Standard review.
FAQ
What is Fully Accessible SDA?
Fully Accessible is one of four NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation design categories. It is housing designed to incorporate a high level of physical access provision for people with significant physical impairment, certified against the SDA Design Standard for New Build dwellings enrolled from 1 July 2021. An accredited SDA assessor certifies the dwelling at design stage and again as built.
How does Fully Accessible relate to High Physical Support?
Fully Accessible sets the physical-access baseline. High Physical Support builds on that baseline and adds the life-support, hoist and emergency-power suite required by the Design Standard for the High Physical Support category. Choosing Fully Accessible versus High Physical Support is an early design decision.
Does an Fully Accessible new build follow informal dimension lists?
No. For New Build and New Build (refurbished) enrolled from 1 July 2021, the SDA Design Standard (October 2019, Edition 1.1) is the test. Informal lists go stale.
Can one dwelling be Fully Accessible and another category?
Yes. The Design Standard allows a single dwelling to be certified under multiple design categories. All shared areas must comply with the minimum requirements of every enrolled category.
Talk to an accredited SDA assessor
Gary Finn of Sydney Access Consultants is listed on the NDIS find-an-assessor register as SDA00039, and is an Accredited Member of the Access Consultants Association, member 435. Ask about a design-stage review or independent certification on (02) 9586 3111. The practice can advise the design or certify it. Not both on the same development. See locations for Cronulla, Sutherland Shire, Hurstville and other areas.