NDIS Reportable Incidents & the Incident Management System
NDIS reportable incidents: what to report, the 24-hour and 5-day deadlines, your incident management duties, and how to notify the Commission.
What counts as an NDIS reportable incident
Reportable incidents vs general incidents — and who the scheme covers
The deadlines: 24 hours and 5 business days
How to notify the Commission, step by step
What your incident management system must actually do
Restrictive practices: the category providers get wrong
How this plays out in practice
Common mistakes that turn into compliance findings
Records, retention and the digital-claiming shift
Where reportable incidents fit in your compliance system
Your next step
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a reportable incident and an incident on the NDIS?
Every incident connected to your supports — including near misses and events that could have caused harm — must be recorded in your incident management system. A reportable incident is a serious subset (death, serious injury, abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, sexual misconduct, or unauthorised restrictive practice) that registered providers must also notify to the NDIS Commission. All reportable incidents are incidents, but most incidents are not reportable.
How long do I have to report a reportable incident to the NDIS Commission?
Most reportable incidents must be notified within 24 hours of your key personnel becoming aware, with a more detailed report due within 5 business days. Unauthorised use of a restrictive practice has a 5-business-day initial window. The 24-hour clock starts on awareness, not after your investigation, so lodge the initial notification early even if you do not yet have every fact. Confirm current timeframes on ndiscommission.gov.au, as enforcement reforms reference shortened windows.
Do unregistered NDIS providers have to report reportable incidents?
The reportable incidents notification scheme applies to registered providers. Unregistered providers are not required to notify the Commission in the same way, but they remain bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct and can be investigated on complaint. This is changing: mandatory registration commenced for SIL and digital-platform providers from 1 July 2026 and expands to high-risk supports from 1 July 2027, so many more providers will fall under the scheme.
Is a participant's death always a reportable incident?
If the death occurred in connection with the provision of your NDIS supports, it is reportable, even if the cause appears unrelated to your service — for example a participant in your SIL who dies of illness. The connection to your support, not fault or cause, is what triggers the obligation. When unsure, notify within 24 hours and let the Commission determine how it is handled.
What happens if I miss the reporting deadline or under-report?
Late or missed notifications, and a pattern of under-reporting, are treated as serious compliance failures. The NDIS Commission can require corrective action, tighten your audit cycle, and now suspend a registration pending investigation. Because the Commission also reads your internal incident records, a system that plainly is not being used can be as damaging as a missed notification. Over-reporting a borderline case is far safer than under-reporting a genuine one.