Every NDIS provider question answered, A to Z. (100 entries.)
Yes — you can request a review or appeal within 30 days, but appeals are rarely upheld unless the auditor made a factual...
No — you're either registered or unregistered for a service type. You can be registered for one service type and un...
Travel time is claimable only if specified in the participant's plan. Generic travel-time claims are usually reject...
Yes — you can refuse or terminate service. But you must follow proper process: give written notice, identify alternate p...
Currently yes for self-managed and plan-managed participants. From July 2027, sole-trader support workers will need to r...
Yes — sole traders can contract to multiple providers simultaneously. Declare all concurrent work in your Worker Screeni...
Yes — increasingly the first place coordinators and families research you. A simple, fast website outperforms no website...
Not required by law, but increasingly essential for coordinator and family research. A basic site outperforms no site 10...
Yes — every NDIS provider, registered or unregistered, needs an ABN to invoice for services.
Yes — Public Liability ($20M) and Professional Indemnity ($5M) are minimums. Add Workers Comp if you have employees.
Currently no — unregistered providers can serve self-managed and plan-managed participants. From July 2027, mandatory re...
No — self-managed participants can choose any provider, registered or unregistered. The mandatory registration reform ch...
Only if you're over the $75,000 annual turnover threshold and choose to register voluntarily. Most NDIS invoices ha...
Complete a mental health or peer support qualification. Register with the recovery coaching accrediting body in your sta...
Apply to the NDIS Commission as a provider with 'Plan Management' in your scope. Pass a Certification audit. T...
Complete a Master's degree in disability or related field. Register as a support coordinator. Get specialist accred...
Lodge an application with the NDIS Commission, complete a self-assessment, engage an Approved Quality Auditor, pass the ...
Provide written notice to the NDIS Commission. Usually effective immediately or 14-28 days depending on participant impa...
NDIA-managed claims through the PRODA portal. Plan-managed claims to the plan manager. Self-managed claims to the partic...
Provide documentary evidence you've fixed the issue. Submit via auditor within 90 days. Avoid re-testing by focusin...
Use accounting software (Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks) integrated with your rostering platform (ShiftCare). Reconcile weekly. ...
Research the plan manager or contact the NDIS directly. Ask existing participants or families for referrals. Build relat...
Choose from the NDIS Commission's published list of Approved Quality Auditors. Get quotes from 3+ before committing...
The strongest sources are support coordinator referrals, plan-manager preferred-provider lists, and direct family market...
Deliver superior service and outcomes. Ask existing providers' participants for referrals. Never poach directly wit...
Build relationships with 3-5 local support coordinators. Ask for referrals explicitly. Use Mailshake outreach + Meta ads...
The fastest channels are coordinator outreach, plan-manager partnerships and intake from a paid traffic funnel (Meta ads...
Focus on the constraint. Most NDIS providers can attract leads — they fail to convert and retain. Tighten intake, matchi...
Acknowledge within 24 hours. Investigate and respond within 21 days. Log every complaint in your register. Analyse trend...
Run carousel or video ads targeting carers and families. Optimise for conversions (lead form fills). Test creative forma...
Brief all staff on what auditors will ask. Organise evidence binders by module. Ensure live records match documentation....
Run a mock audit at least 60 days before. Map your evidence to every quality indicator. Brief your team on what auditors...
Seek and Indeed for active job seekers; Facebook Groups for sole traders. Personality-match interviews outperform skills...
If unauthorised, report immediately to the NDIS Commission (within 24 hours). If authorised, log monthly reports. Both a...
Acknowledge within 24-48 hours. Prepare detailed response addressing each finding. Submit action plan with specific time...
The constraint shifts from lead generation to service delivery. Fix your intake, matching and worker-scheduling systems ...
Use the NDIS Price Guide as your ceiling. Most providers charge at the cap. Below-cap pricing only makes sense for speci...
Give written notice (typically 14-28 days as per your agreement terms). Provide reasons. Transition to alternate provide...
Apply to the NDIS Commission to add or remove a service type. Requires a variation assessment or mini-audit if expanding...
Work with a behaviour support practitioner. Plans must cover triggers, strategies, data tracking and participant rights....
Major non-conformities are public on the provider register for 3 years post-closure. Closed minor non-conformities are t...
Typically 12 to 20 weeks from application lodgement to receiving your Provider Number. Verification audits are faster (8...
Initial plans are 6-24 months. Ongoing plans are typically 12 months. Age-limited participants get longer plans.
Base rate ~$34/hr for personal care, with penalty rates for nights (15%), Saturdays (50%), Sundays (100%) and public hol...
Casual personal care worker base rate is around $34/hr in 2026 plus penalty rates. Allied health professionals earn $90-...
Verification audits cost $1,500 to $3,000. Certification audits cost $4,000 to $12,000+ depending on size and travel.
Public Liability $20M costs $800-$2,000/yr. Professional Indemnity $5M costs $400-$1,500/yr. Total for SMB: $1,500-$3,50...
Verification audits run $1,500 to $3,000. Certification audits range $4,000 to $12,000. Total cost including consultancy...
Start your registration process now. Audit demand is rising and timelines are lengthening. Aim to be registered 6 months...
Lower-intensity supports outside the NDIS that the federal government has committed to fund from 2026 — autism, mental h...
Records of each support session — what was done, by whom, and how the participant responded. Required for audit and as l...
A booking is a scheduled appointment between a support worker and participant. Must be tracked in your rostering system ...
Short-notice cancellation (within 7 days) — 100% claimable. Long-notice cancellation — non-claimable.
The four-module quality framework every registered NDIS provider must meet — covering rights, governance, service delive...
Your registration expires. You can re-register by re-applying and passing another audit (Verification or Certification d...
Your complaints process must acknowledge within 24h, investigate impartially, respond in writing within 21 days. Log it ...
Public Liability $5-10M ($400-$800/yr). Professional Indemnity if allied health ($300-$800/yr). No Workers Comp.
An enforcement action preventing a person from working as an NDIS provider for a specified period. Issued after serious ...
A formal document detailing what action you'll take to fix a breach, who's responsible, and by when. Submitted...
An occupational health assessment measuring a participant's functional ability to work or live independently. Used ...
A finding raised when a Practice Standard isn't met. Major non-conformities block registration; minor ones must be ...
Any practice that restricts a participant's rights or freedom of movement — physical, mechanical, chemical, environ...
A plan where the participant manages their own funding, pays providers directly and submits claims to the NDIA themselve...
The desk-review portion of a Certification audit. The auditor reviews your policies, procedures and registers before any...
The on-site portion of a Certification audit. The auditor visits, interviews staff, observes service delivery and review...
Guide participants through NDIS planning, implement plans, connect to providers, monitor progress, liaise between all pa...
A plan where the NDIA pays providers directly. Only registered providers can be paid — unregistered providers are exclud...
A document setting out how supports will be delivered to a specific participant — risks, preferences, communication need...
Specific incident categories the NDIS Commission requires every registered provider to report — death, serious injury, a...
The written contract between a participant and a provider that sets out what supports will be delivered, when, and at wh...
The reform requiring all in-scope NDIS providers to be registered with the NDIS Commission. Phased rollout from July 202...
A registered NDIS provider that handles the financial side of a participant's plan — paying invoices and tracking s...
Module 1 covers Rights and Responsibilities — participant choice, privacy, dignity, complaints handling, informed consen...
Module 2 covers Provider Governance and Operational Management — risk, incidents, HR, finance, continuous improvement.
Module 3 covers The Provision of Supports — service agreements, care planning, delivery and review.
Module 4 covers The Provision of Supports Environment — only applies if you operate facilities like SIL homes or day pro...
Rostering is the operational discipline of scheduling shifts to match participant needs with worker qualifications and a...
NDIS Worker Screening is a state-issued clearance every paid NDIS worker must hold before delivering supports. Cost ~$12...
The process where the NDIS reviews a participant's plan, goal progress and funding level. Usually happens every 1-3...
An evidence-based approach to reducing challenging behaviour through teaching new skills and changing environments, not ...
Gross margin 30-40% (sell $70/hr, worker cost ~$43-$49/hr). Net margin 5-15% after overhead.
ShiftCare has built-in CRM. Standalone options: Pipedrive (SMB) or HubSpot (growth). Many providers build custom CRM in ...
Verification audits are desk reviews of your documents. Certification audits include a site visit and interviews. Servic...
capacity building and capital supports?
Core supports maintain current functioning. Capacity building develops new skills. Pricing and claiming differ.
ECEI is the existing NDIS early-intervention scheme (birth-6). The Early Childhood Approach is the new integrated model ...
SIL is the support — staff helping participants with daily life. SDA is the building — purpose-built accessible housing.
Seven principles every NDIS worker and provider must follow — covering safety, dignity, integrity and acting in the part...
Seven principles every NDIS worker and provider must follow — covering safety, dignity, integrity and acting in the part...
The independent national regulator that registers NDIS providers, sets practice standards and investigates complaints.
The annually-updated document that sets the maximum prices providers can charge for each support item. Released every Ju...
The public database of every NDIS provider. Shows registration status, scope, location and any outstanding compliance is...
The independent federal regulator that registers providers, sets practice standards and investigates complaints. Separat...
A free 90-minute online training module every NDIS worker must complete before delivering supports. Hosted by the NDIS C...
A free 90-minute online training module every NDIS worker must complete before delivering supports. Hosted by the NDIS C...
The federal industrial award governing pay, hours and conditions for disability support workers in Australia.
Minimum: Bachelor degree in psychology or related field. Preferred: postgrad in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Accred...
About participant rights, Code of Conduct, incident management, case files, progress notes and how the practice standard...
A federal review of the NDIS that recommended foundational supports, navigators and tighter provider regulation. Recomme...
The 2019-2023 federal inquiry into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability. Its 222 recommen...