Companion Card guides
What Is the Companion Card?
Understand what the Companion Card does, who it is designed for and how to find the official program in your state or territory.
The starting point: the Companion Card helps eligible people who need attendant care take part in activities at participating venues, with a companion ticket at no charge. The card belongs to the person with disability.
What the card is designed to do
An outing can involve more than one admission when you need someone alongside you to provide support. The Companion Card addresses the companion admission at participating venues and events. It is a way of identifying a recognised need for attendant care, rather than a general discount for every person who accompanies someone.
Your own admission and the companion ticket are separate parts of the booking. Before paying, ask the operator how it handles Companion Card bookings, what is included and whether any separate activities need to be arranged. Our guide to using the card walks through that conversation.
Who the card is for
State and territory programs assess applications against their own published criteria. The Victorian and WA programs focus on significant, permanent disability and a lifelong need for attendant care to participate in community activities. A diagnosis on its own does not describe all the practical support a person needs. The official program decides eligibility, not this website.
Attendant care can involve help with tasks such as mobility, communication, self-care or learning. If you are considering an application, read the exact wording for your home state or territory and ask the program about anything unclear. Avoid relying on another person’s outcome as a prediction of your own.
Who can be your companion?
The ACT Government describes a companion as the person providing attendant care support. This may be a paid or unpaid carer, a friend, partner or family member, and it does not have to be the same person for every outing. The important question is whether the person can provide the support you need for that activity. Check your own program’s terms when planning.
What it does not tell you about a venue
Card acceptance and venue accessibility answer different questions. An organisation might accept the card but still have a route, seating arrangement, toilet or sensory environment that does not work for you. Look at both before booking. A directory listing is a useful starting point for a conversation, not a personal access assessment.
- Ask about the whole journey, including the entrance, activity area, toilets and exit.
- Describe the access features you need rather than asking only whether a venue is accessible.
- Confirm seating and the process for obtaining the companion ticket.
- Check details with the actual event operator if it is using a hired venue.
Companion Card and other kinds of support
The Companion Card is not the same as an NDIS plan, a parking permit or a Carer Card. These have different purposes and application processes. Do not assume a decision under one program automatically establishes eligibility for another. If you need help finding wider services, our disability support starting guide links to national information services.
A sensible next step
New to the program? Start with how to apply. Already have a card? Read how to find participating venues and keep the official terms for your issuing program handy. We also have focused starting points for Victoria and Western Australia.
Sources and further reading
Official source pages checked on 7 October 2026. Programs and booking arrangements can change. Use the linked official service for current rules and individual enquiries.