Registered and unregistered NDIS providers: what the choice means for your funding

The terms "registered" and "unregistered" can be confusing at first. When you choose who delivers your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports, you can often pick between registered and unregistered providers, depending mainly on how your plan is managed.

This guide explains what registration means, how each way of managing your plan affects your choice, and which supports always need a registered provider.

What a registered NDIS provider is

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) registers providers, not the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). To become registered, a provider must:

• apply for registration with the NDIS Commission

• be audited against the NDIS Practice Standards that apply to its supports, and meet them

• pass a suitability assessment of the provider and its key people

• receive a certificate of registration.

Registration usually lasts three years. Registered providers must keep meeting conditions, including managing complaints and incidents and making sure workers in certain roles have NDIS Worker Screening clearances. The NDIS Commission explains what registration involves.

What an unregistered provider is

Unregistered providers can deliver many NDIS supports too. They haven't been through the registration audit, but they and their workers must still follow the NDIS Code of Conduct.

How the way your plan is managed affects your choice

Your plan can be NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed, or a mix of these, and each one affects which providers you can use.

• NDIA-managed: the NDIA pays your providers. You choose your providers, but they must be registered.

• Plan-managed: a plan manager, who must be registered, pays your providers for you. You can usually choose registered or unregistered providers.

• Self-managed: you pay your providers and keep the records. You can usually choose registered or unregistered providers, and you can negotiate prices above or below the NDIS price limits.

If parts of your plan are managed in different ways, check how the funding for each support is managed. You can't use unregistered providers for supports paid from NDIA-managed funding. The NDIS has a guide to your management options.

Supports that always need a registered provider

However your plan is managed, some supports can only come from a registered provider. These include:

• Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

• specialist behaviour support

• Supported Independent Living (SIL)

• plan management.

Choosing the provider that suits you

Registration tells you a provider has been audited against the NDIS Practice Standards. Whichever kind of provider you're considering, ask the same questions about the supports they offer, their prices and how they handle concerns.

You can search for registered providers near you with the NDIS Provider Finder. Our guides to using the NDIS Provider Finder and how to choose an NDIS provider can help you compare your options.

Talk to your local HomeCaring team

HomeCaring is a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider. To find out which supports we can deliver under your plan, talk to your local team or call 1300 875 377.