Becoming a registered NDIS provider

Registered vs unregistered

Unregistered providers may deliver supports to self-managed and plan-managed participants only where the support does not itself require registration official source (opens in a new tab). Registered providers, however, can work with participants whose funds are managed by the NDIA (agency-managed), and they can deliver certain higher-risk supports that are restricted to registered providers regardless of how the plan is managed.

Unregistered providers are still bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct, and can be subject to complaints handled by the Commission. Registration, though, brings formal quality obligations: compliance with the NDIS Practice Standards, an obligation to have an incident management system, worker screening requirements, and periodic audits against those standards.

Why register

Registration opens access to a larger participant base. Agency-managed participants, who make up a significant portion of NDIS participants, can only engage registered providers. Registration is also mandatory for specified services regardless of funding management, including plan management, specialist behaviour support, regulated restrictive practices, SIL and NDIS digital platform services. Check the Commission’s current requirements and any applicable transition conditions.

Registration also signals quality. Participants and their families frequently use registration status as a proxy for trustworthiness when choosing a provider. For organisations operating at scale, the structured compliance requirements that come with registration can also help embed consistent quality practices across a workforce.

The application

From 12 October 2026, new applications begin in the new NDIS Commission Portal; existing work may remain in the earlier portal. Check the Commission’s task guide before starting. Applications are submitted through the Commission’s portal official source (opens in a new tab). The application asks you to identify the registration groups (categories of support) you want to be registered to deliver. Each registration group is mapped to a set of NDIS Practice Standards modules and an audit type.

Before you can submit, you will need to provide information about your organisation’s structure, key personnel, and existing quality systems. The Commission reviews the application and determines which audit pathway applies. Your organisation will then need to engage an approved quality auditor to conduct that audit before registration can be granted.

The audit

The NDIS Commission requires either a verification audit or a certification audit, depending on the registration groups you have applied for official source (opens in a new tab). Verification audits are lighter-weight: they focus on documentary evidence and are typically used for lower-risk or less complex supports such as transport or some therapeutic supports. Certification audits are more thorough, involving site visits, interviews with staff and participants, and a review of your policies and processes against all applicable Practice Standards modules.

Audits are conducted by auditing bodies approved by the Commission. You will need to arrange and fund the audit yourself. The auditor provides a report to the Commission, which uses it to decide whether to grant registration. If non-conformities are identified, you will need to address them before registration proceeds or as a condition of ongoing registration.

After approval

Once registered, your provider registration is valid for a period set by the Commission and must be renewed official source (opens in a new tab). Renewal involves a further audit to confirm you are still meeting the Practice Standards. During your registration period you must continue to meet all compliance obligations: maintaining your incident management system, keeping worker screening current, notifying the Commission of reportable incidents, and operating in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

The Commission may also conduct compliance monitoring between audit cycles, particularly if a complaint is received or a concern is identified. Providers are expected to cooperate with any Commission inquiry and to make records available on request. Keeping your internal quality documentation current and up to date makes renewal, and any unscheduled review, considerably smoother.