To become an NDIS provider, set up a business with an ABN, decide which supports you will offer, then choose whether to register. Registered providers apply through the NDIS Commission Portal, complete a self-assessment, pass a verification or certification audit with an approved quality auditor and receive a certificate of registration. Unregistered providers skip the audit but can only support self-managed and plan-managed participants.
Key takeaways
- You can deliver many NDIS supports without registering, but only to participants who self-manage or plan-manage their funding.
- Registration is compulsory for some supports, including specialist behaviour support, SDA, plan management and, since 1 July 2026, SIL and NDIS digital platforms.
- The NDIS Commission charges no registration fee. Your main costs are the audit, insurance, worker screening and your documentation.
- Registered providers are audited against the NDIS Practice Standards, so your policies must reflect how you really operate.
- The government has announced that more supports will need registration from 1 July 2027, so plan for it early.
Becoming an NDIS provider is one of the most common ways people turn disability support experience into a business. The process is well defined, but it has a lot of moving parts, and several of them changed in 2026. This guide walks through each decision in the order you will face it, so you know what to do first and what can wait.
Registered or unregistered: decide this first
An NDIS provider is any person or organisation delivering supports to NDIS participants. You do not have to be registered to be a provider, but the choice decides who you can work with and what you have to prove.
| Registered provider | Unregistered provider | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you can support | All participants, including NDIA-managed | Only self-managed and plan-managed participants |
| Audit | Verification or certification audit, then ongoing audits | No audit |
| NDIS Practice Standards | Must meet the standards that apply to your supports | Not assessed against them |
| NDIS Code of Conduct | Applies | Applies |
| Worker screening | Required for key personnel and risk-assessed roles | Recommended, not legally required |
| Incident management and reportable incidents | Required | Not required |
| Listed on the NDIS Provider Register | Yes | No |
Registration takes more work up front, but it opens up NDIA-managed participants, supports that can only be delivered by registered providers, and the trust that comes with appearing on the Provider Register.
Which supports must be registered?
For some supports registration is not optional. As at October 2026 you must be registered to:
- support participants whose funding is managed by the NDIA
- deliver specialist behaviour support, or use regulated restrictive practices
- provide specialist disability accommodation (SDA)
- provide plan management
- deliver Supported Independent Living, now class of support 0138 (mandatory since 1 July 2026)
- operate an NDIS digital platform, class 0137 (mandatory since 1 July 2026)
More supports are coming. The government has announced that mandatory registration will expand from 1 July 2027 to higher-risk activities such as personal care, daily living supports and supports in closed settings, with everyone in scope registered by December 2030. The final list of supports has not been published yet, and the "general" and "advanced" registration tiers you may have read about are proposals, not law. If you plan to offer personal care, it is sensible to build toward registration now.
How to become a registered NDIS provider in 9 steps
- Choose your supports and registration groupsEvery support you offer belongs to a registration group (also called a class of support), and each group carries an audit type. Groups such as daily personal activities (0107), community participation (0125) and SIL (0138) need a certification audit. Others, such as household tasks (0120) and therapeutic supports (0128), need verification. If even one group needs certification, your whole application goes to certification, so only apply for what you will actually deliver.
- Set up your businessGet an ABN and choose a structure: sole trader, partnership, company or trust. You also need a myID digital identity to log in to the NDIS Commission Portal.
- Arrange insuranceThe Practice Standards require appropriate insurance, including public liability, professional indemnity and accident cover. Get quotes early, because auditors ask for certificates of currency.
- Get worker screening for your key personnelEvery key person (owners, directors, CEO and similar) needs an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, or an application in progress, before the Commission will accept your application. Our support worker guide lists screening costs in every state.
- Prepare your policies, procedures and recordsYour self-assessment and audit are judged against the NDIS Practice Standards, so you need a documented system for governance, risk, incidents, complaints, HR, information management and service delivery. See where to buy NDIS policies and procedures for your options.
- Apply in the NDIS Commission PortalFrom 12 October 2026, new applications are made in the new NDIS Commission Portal. Part 1 verifies your ABN, records your supports and adds key personnel. Part 2 is a self-assessment against the Practice Standards plus suitability questions. You must finish within 60 days of starting or the draft is deleted.
- Choose an approved quality auditorWhen you submit, you are emailed your initial scope of audit, which confirms your audit type, registration groups and the standards that apply. Get quotes from approved quality auditors, then select one in the portal. Our guide to how much an NDIS audit costs covers typical prices.
- Complete your auditA verification audit is a desktop review of your documents. A certification audit has a desktop Stage 1 and an onsite Stage 2 with staff and participant interviews. Follow our guide on how to get ready for NDIS certification or verification.
- Get your registration decisionThe auditor sends a recommendation, and the Commission assesses your suitability and that of your key personnel. If approved, you receive a certificate of registration and appear on the Provider Register. Read how to get your NDIS certificate for the detail.
Once registered, set up the NDIA's provider portal so you can claim payments, use service agreements with every participant, and keep claim records for seven years. From 1 December 2026, claims must be lodged within 90 days of delivering the support, down from two years.
How much does it cost to become an NDIS provider?
There is no NDIS Commission fee to register. What you pay for is everything around it.
| Cost item | Typical cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| NDIS Commission registration fee | $0 |
| Verification audit | $900 to $1,800 |
| Certification audit (initial) | $3,000 to $15,000+ |
| NDIS Worker Screening Check | $112 to $163 per person, depending on state |
| Insurance | Roughly $1,200 to $3,500 a year for a small provider |
| Policies and procedures | Free if you write them, $500 to $5,000+ for templates, $2,500 to $7,000+ for a consultant |
The full breakdown, including mid-term and renewal audits, is in our guide to NDIS audit costs.
How long does it take?
The Commission does not publish an end-to-end timeframe because it depends on your size and the supports you offer. The fixed points are:
- You have 60 days to complete your application once you start it.
- For certification, Stage 2 should happen within three months of Stage 1.
- Auditors must report within 14 days of a verification audit and 28 days of a certification audit.
- In April to June 2026, the Commission's median time from audit recommendation to decision was 46 days for new certification applications and 76 days for new verification applications.
Most well-prepared providers are registered in roughly three to six months. The biggest variable is how long it takes you to get your documents and systems ready.
Common mistakes that slow new providers down
- Applying for registration groups you do not need. One certification group turns the whole application into a certification audit.
- Key personnel without worker screening. The application cannot proceed until every key person has a clearance or an application in progress.
- Copying generic documents. The Commission says responses must be specific to your organisation and not a direct copy of purchased documents.
- No evidence of implementation. Auditors look for registers, records and trained staff, not just policies.
- Starting documentation too late. Writing a full policy suite takes weeks. Start before you apply.
Start with a complete set of editable Core Module policies and procedures, then tailor them to your business.
See what's in the packStarting as an unregistered provider
Many sole traders start unregistered to build a client base. You still need an ABN, you must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and the Commission can take complaints about you. You can only work with self-managed and plan-managed participants, and you cannot deliver supports that require registration.
Two things to keep in mind. First, the NDIA has recommended lower price limits for unregistered providers of some supports from 2027; the government is consulting and nothing is confirmed. Second, if you deliver personal care or daily living supports, the announced 2027 expansion may require you to register anyway. Building registration-ready systems from day one makes either change easier.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be registered to be an NDIS provider?
No. Unregistered providers can support participants who self-manage or plan-manage their funding. You must be registered to support NDIA-managed participants or to deliver supports such as specialist behaviour support, SDA, plan management, SIL and NDIS digital platforms.
How much does it cost to register as an NDIS provider?
The NDIS Commission charges no registration fee. You pay an approved quality auditor, usually $900 to $1,800 for verification or $3,000 to $15,000+ for certification, plus insurance, worker screening and the cost of your policies and procedures.
How long does NDIS registration take?
Most prepared providers are registered in about three to six months. In April to June 2026 the Commission's median decision time after the audit recommendation was 46 to 76 days for new applications.
Can a sole trader become a registered NDIS provider?
Yes. A sole trader is both a key person and a worker, so you need an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, an ABN, insurance and documented systems that meet the Practice Standards for your supports.
Do I need qualifications to become an NDIS provider?
It depends on your supports. Some registration groups, such as therapy supports, require specific qualifications or professional memberships. For all applications, the Commission assesses whether you and your key personnel are suitable to provide NDIS supports.
How long does NDIS registration last?
Registration is generally granted for three years. You can apply to renew up to six months before it expires, and if you apply before it expires your registration stays in force until the Commission decides.
Further reading on the blog
Sources and official resources
- NDIS Commission: About registration
- NDIS Commission: Apply for registration
- NDIS Commission: Registration groups and classes of support
- NDIS Commission: Types of audits
- NDIS Commission: Mandatory registration
- NDIS Commission: NDIS worker screening
- NDIS Commission: Quarterly Performance Report Q4 2025-26
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Code of Conduct
Information is general in nature and current as at 12 October 2026. NDIS rules change, so always confirm requirements with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission before you act.