Mandatory registration is here: what SIL and platform providers must do from 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, SIL and platform providers must register with the NDIS Commission. What's required, who's in scope, and the steps to get registered.
NDIS mandatory registration has moved from talk to law. From 1 July 2026, supported independent living (SIL) providers and platform providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This is the first wave of a wider expansion, and it is the group regulators see as carrying the most risk for participants.
If you deliver SIL or run a platform that connects participants with workers, this guide walks through what the change means, who is in scope first, and the steps to get registered.
What mandatory registration means
Until now, many disability providers could choose whether to register. That choice is ending for higher-risk supports. Mandatory registration brings providers under the full oversight of the NDIS Commission, which means meeting the NDIS Practice Standards, passing an independent audit, and being expected to clear reporting and conduct obligations.
The change was announced in December 2025 as part of the broader Securing the NDIS for future generations reforms. The aim is to lift safety and quality for the participants most at risk of harm.
Who is in scope first
Two groups are first to register from 1 July 2026:
- SIL providers. If you deliver supported independent living, including help and supervision for people in shared or individual living arrangements, you are in scope.
- Platform providers. If you run an online platform or marketplace that connects participants with support workers, you are in scope. These services often involve high volumes of work with limited day-to-day visibility, which is why they are included early.
A new registration group, 0138 Assistance with Supported Independent Living, takes effect for SIL, along with a new SIL-specific supplementary module of the NDIS Practice Standards.
What is required for registration
Registration is not a form you fill in once. It is an ongoing commitment to a set of standards. In scope providers will need to meet:
- The NDIS Practice Standards, including a new set of SIL Practice Standards that make obligations clearer and more measurable. These cover four areas specific to in-home and shared living: supported decision-making, safeguarding, practice governance, and agreements about tenancy and housing.
- An independent audit. Higher-risk supports like SIL require certification, which is a two-stage audit: a documentation review, followed by an on-site audit against the standards.
- Worker screening. Every worker in a risk-assessed role must hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check. Clearances last five years and are recognised nationally.
- Suitability assessments of your organisation and key personnel.
- Reporting obligations, including incident and complaints management.
The steps to get registered
Here is the path from where you are now to an approved registration.
- Confirm you are in scope and get the basics ready. Check that your supports fall under SIL or platform services, and make sure you have an ABN.
- Apply through the NDIS Commission portal. Log in to the Applications Portal and start a new application to be registered as an NDIS provider.
- Complete your self-assessment against the relevant NDIS Practice Standards, including the SIL module if it applies to you.
- Get your worker screening and key personnel in order. Confirm that workers in risk-assessed roles hold current clearances, and that your records are easy to produce.
- Prepare your evidence. Compile your policies (duty of care, incident and complaints management), proof of worker training, and your quality improvement processes.
- Engage an approved quality auditor and complete your audit. For SIL, this is the two-stage certification audit.
- Receive your outcome and registration. The Commission reviews your audit and application, then confirms your registration and the supports you are registered to deliver.
Give yourself time and budget
Registration takes longer than most providers expect. The audit is usually the largest single cost, and processing can run to several months, with certification taking longer than verification. Build the time and the budget into your 2026 plans now, and engage an auditor early before the rush closer to the deadline.
A simple first move: have every team member complete the free, 90-minute NDIS Worker Orientation Module run by the Commission. It is a low-effort step that supports your readiness and your evidence trail.
How etrainu can help
The part of registration that trips providers up most is workforce evidence: showing that your team is trained to the standards, and being able to prove it at audit. That is where the right training and clear records save you time and stress.
etrainu's disability support training library, Disability Essentials, is mapped to the NDIS Practice Standards and built around the real work of support teams, with reporting that makes compliance easy to demonstrate when the auditor arrives. It is a straightforward way to close training gaps and keep your evidence in one place.
Explore the NDIS compliance training solution to see how it supports your registration.
Sources
- Apply for registration, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Mandatory registration, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission - Mandatory registration for supported independent living and platform providers, NDIS Commission
- Securing the NDIS for future generations, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Worker screening, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
This article is general information for NDIS providers and is current as at June 2026. Registration requirements and transition arrangements may change as the NDIS Commission releases further details. Always check the latest guidance from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
.avif)
.avif)
