Choosing a provider, and reading a service agreement

Registered or unregistered?

Registered providers are audited against the NDIS Practice Standards and can support participants whose plans are NDIA managed. Unregistered providers can still be used by plan managed and self managed participants, and are still bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct.

Registration is expanding. From 1 July 2026 Supported Independent Living providers and platform providers must be registered with the NDIS Commission, and further higher-risk supports are expected to follow in later stages. If you use an unregistered provider for SIL or behaviour support, ask them directly how they are responding.

Questions that tell you the most

• Will I meet the workers before their first shift, and can I say no?
• What happens when my regular worker is sick — who fills in, and how do they know my routine?
• Who do I call at 7pm on a Sunday?
• How is my personal information stored and who can see it?
• How do you handle it when I raise a problem, and what has changed as a result of past feedback?

What a fair service agreement contains

A service agreement is not a formality — it is the document you rely on when something goes wrong. Before you sign, check it names the supports, the rates and the notice periods clearly.

• The specific supports, hours and rates, and how rates change if NDIS price limits change
• Cancellation and short-notice cancellation terms, consistent with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits
• Notice periods for ending the agreement — on both sides
• How feedback and complaints are handled, and that using the NDIS Commission is always available to you
• How your information is collected, used and stored