What if my existing registration is only Tier 2 or Tier 3?

If you currently deliver - or plan to deliver - SIL, you need full certification under the highest tier of NDIS registration. The Commission expects you to upgrade or apply before 1 July 2026.

How long does the certification audit take?

Typically 6–12 weeks end-to-end: several weeks for Stage 1 (off-site document review), then scheduling and conduct of Stage 2 (on-site assessment), then findings and closure. Industry bodies are warning that auditor capacity is tightening.

Can I pick my own auditor?

Yes - from the list of NDIS Commission-approved quality auditors. Lock one in now; the market is crowded for mid-2026 slots.

What happens if I'm mid-application on 1 July?

The Commission has indicated transition arrangements for providers who have lodged their application in good faith before the deadline. That's the current guidance as of April 2026 - confirm directly with the Commission.

Do the new SIL Practice Standards replace the Core Module?

No. The SIL Practice Standards are a new module layered on top of the Core Module, specifically covering shared accommodation and daily-living supports.

Is there a grace period?

No general grace period has been announced. Operating unregistered after 1 July 2026 exposes you to civil penalties of up to $1.6M per contravention (companies).

What about providers who only deliver platform services?

Platform providers - tech platforms connecting participants with workers - are included in the 1 July 2026 mandatory-registration scope alongside SIL.

NDIS Reform

Mandatory NDIS registration for SIL providers starts 1 July 2026.

Q: Do I really need to register by 1 July?

If you deliver Supported Independent Living under the NDIS, yes. Registration becomes mandatory under the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024 and the Integrity and Safeguarding Bill 2025 from 1 July 2026. There are no size-based carve-outs.

Every Supported Independent Living and platform provider must hold NDIS Commission registration by the deadline. Here's the certification pathway, the evidence you'll need, and how to prepare in the weeks remaining.

Last updated 23 April 2026 · 8 min read

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What's changing on 1 July 2026

Three linked reforms land on the same day. First, registration with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission becomes mandatory for every provider delivering Supported Independent Living or platform services, under the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024 and the Integrity and Safeguarding Bill 2025.

Second, the Commission's new tiered registration model takes effect. SIL providers sit in the highest-risk tier, which requires a full certification audit rather than the lighter verification pathway.

Third, new SIL Practice Standards are being finalised. A pilot audit ran in February 2026 and findings were reported in late March; the standards are expected to take effect alongside mandatory registration. Until the final document is published, Commission guidance and the NDIS Practice Standards Core Module remain the operating reference.

Who this affects

Any provider delivering SIL supports, registered or not today.
Platform providers connecting participants with workers.
SDA providers delivering behaviour support with restrictive practices.
Small and regional providers - no size-based carve-out.

If you deliver any Supported Independent Living under the NDIS, this affects you - registered or not.

What the SIL certification audit actually requires

The SIL certification audit runs in two stages. Understand both before you start collecting evidence.

Stage 1

Off-site document review

Your approved auditor requests a structured evidence set: governance documents, policies and procedures, staff training records, incident logs, sample participant files, risk registers, quality-improvement records. Expect a 2–3 week turnaround.

Stage 2

On-site assessment

The auditor visits your office and at least one SIL house, interviews staff, speaks with participants, observes service delivery and tests whether your systems actually work - not just that the paperwork exists.

Get SIL audit-ready before 1 July

Book a demo to see how Checkbase helps SIL providers prepare for mandatory registration.

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Are you audit-ready?

Take the 2-minute readiness check. We'll email you a personalised gap report showing exactly what's missing.

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Governance & documentation

Staff records

Incident & complaint handling

Continuous improvement

Restrictive practices & behaviour support

Deep dive · free guide

The full 38-document SIL certification catalogue

Every participant and staff document the NDIS Commission will ask for - with triggers, tags, expandable detail and a printable PDF. The reference every SIL provider should bookmark.

20 participant docs18 staff docsFree PDF download

Open the guide

Penalties

What happens if you miss the deadline

$1.6M

per contravention (companies)

$330k

per contravention (individuals)

Banning

orders + criminal offences under the 2025 Bill

Penalties are civil - the Commission doesn't need to prove criminal intent. The new Integrity and Safeguarding Bill 2025 introduces additional criminal offences for the most serious breaches.

How Checkbase helps

Checkbase is purpose-built for the evidence side of SIL certification - not a generic document manager. We cover the ~70% of audit artefacts that live in documents: worker records, participant files, SIL house records, policies, governance. Your rostering and claims tools stay where they are.

Staff compliance

Staff compliance, auto-scored

18 staff document types preconfigured — 100-point ID, NDIS Worker Screening, WWCC, CPR, infection control and more. 30-day expiry warnings. Auto-generated onboarding sequences. Every status rolled up into one readiness number.

app.checkbase.com.au/staff

Staff member	WWCC	NDIS Screening	CPR	Infection Control	ID
Aroha Tua Team Lead
Danh Nguyen Support Worker
Priya Sharma Support Worker
James O'Brien Support Worker
Mei Lin Chen Support Worker
Tui Ngata Casual

6 of 12 staff 2 expiring· 1 expired

01 / 04

Your SIL evidence pack, one click away

Checkbase generates a branded evidence pack PDF covering staff, participant, and house artefacts. Try it free for 14 days.

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A practical 5-week timeline

From today (26 May 2026) to 1 July. Tight, but achievable if you start this week.

Weeks 1–2
Lodge your NDIS Commission registration application. Pick an approved quality auditor and secure a Stage 1 slot before the capacity crunch.
Weeks 3–4
Gather governance, insurance, and policy documentation. Set up Checkbase. Import your staff + participant data.
Weeks 5–6
Bring staff records up to certification standard: every worker with 100-point ID, NDIS Screening, WWCC, CPR, infection control. Close gaps via targeted onboarding sequences.
Weeks 7–8
Participant files and SIL house documentation. Safe Environment Assessments, Emergency Plans, Fire Safety per house.
Week 9
Internal dry-run using your SIL evidence pack. Close any remaining gaps.
Week 10
Submit Stage 1 evidence. Schedule Stage 2 on-site assessment with your auditor.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

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