Apply for NDIS provider registration

Register your business to deliver NDIS supports and appear as a registered provider.

Who fills it in

Businesses and sole traders that want to become registered NDIS providers.

When you’d use it

When you want to work with agency-managed participants, or your supports require registration (for example SDA, SIL or behaviour support).

How to submit it

Apply through the NDIS Commission, complete a self-assessment against the relevant NDIS Practice Standards, and arrange an audit and worker screening for key personnel.

What it is

NDIS provider registration is formal approval to deliver supports and services as a registered NDIS provider. It applies to businesses of all sizes as well as sole traders who want to work within the scheme as a registered provider.

Registration is granted through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. It confirms that a provider has been assessed against the relevant NDIS Practice Standards and meets the requirements for the supports it wants to deliver.

What it does

Being registered lets you work with agency-managed participants, whose funding is handled by the NDIA, which opens you up to a wider group of people to support. Some supports can only be delivered by registered providers, such as Specialist Disability Accommodation, Supported Independent Living and behaviour support.

Registration also signals that your service meets nationally consistent quality and safety standards, which can help build trust with participants, their families and the people who refer to you.

Who needs to use it

Registration isn't always required. You can operate as an unregistered provider and work with participants who self-manage or use a plan manager, and many providers do exactly that.

You'll need to register if you want to support agency-managed participants or deliver supports that require registration. Weigh up the participants you want to reach and the supports you plan to offer against the time and cost involved in becoming registered.

When and how to use it

Apply when you're ready to grow into agency-managed work or to offer registration-only supports, and allow time for the process. You apply through the NDIS Commission and complete a self-assessment against the Practice Standards that apply to your supports.

You then arrange an audit by an approved quality auditor, with the type of audit depending on the supports you deliver, and organise worker screening for your key personnel. Once the Commission is satisfied, it issues your certificate of registration.

About the Apply for NDIS provider registration

How do I apply to become a registered NDIS provider?
Apply through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. You complete an application, do a self-assessment against the NDIS Practice Standards that apply to your supports, and then arrange an audit by an approved quality auditor. You'll also need worker screening for your key personnel. Once the Commission is satisfied you meet the requirements, it issues your certificate of registration.
Do I have to be registered to work as an NDIS provider?
Not always. You can operate as an unregistered provider and support participants who self-manage or use a plan manager. However, you must be registered to work with agency-managed participants or to deliver certain supports, such as Specialist Disability Accommodation, Supported Independent Living and behaviour support. Registration widens the participants and supports you can offer.
What are the NDIS Practice Standards?
The NDIS Practice Standards are the quality and safety benchmarks registered providers must meet. During registration you complete a self-assessment against the standards that apply to your supports, and an approved auditor checks how well you meet them. They cover areas like rights, governance and service delivery, plus specialist requirements for certain higher-risk supports.
What kind of audit do I need?
The audit type depends on the supports you plan to deliver. Lower-risk supports generally require a lighter verification audit, while higher-risk or more complex supports require a more thorough certification audit against the relevant Practice Standards. You arrange the audit with an approved quality auditor, and the Commission uses the results as part of deciding your registration.
How long does provider registration take?
It varies depending on the supports you offer, the type of audit required and how prepared your business is. Certification audits for complex supports take longer than verification audits for simpler ones. To keep things moving, have your policies, worker screening and self-assessment ready before you apply, and respond promptly to any requests from the Commission or your auditor.

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