Do Unregistered SIL Providers Need to Register?

Yes. If you currently provide Supported Independent Living without NDIS registration, the regulatory requirements have changed.

‍NDIS Commission's SIL registration guidance: ‍https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about-us/ndis-commission-reform-hub/mandatory-registration/mandatory-registration-SIL

From 1 July 2026, SIL becomes a mandatory registered support under the NDIS.

Existing unregistered providers are permitted to continue operating during the transition period only if they lodge a valid registration application by 1 October 2026.

If you plan to establish a new SIL service after 1 July 2026, you must first become a registered NDIS provider before delivering supports.

For many organisations, this will be their first experience with the NDIS registration process.

The good news is that registration is far more manageable when preparation begins early.

Rather than treating the certification audit as a documentation exercise, providers should focus on building governance systems, workforce capability and consistent evidence that demonstrates quality practice across the organisation.

What Has Changed for Unregistered Providers?

Before these reforms, some organisations were able to deliver SIL without holding NDIS registration.

That pathway is ending.

The reforms recognise that Supported Independent Living involves significant responsibilities.

Providers support participants within their homes, often every day and sometimes twenty-four hours a day.

Because of this, the NDIS Commission now requires SIL providers to demonstrate that they have appropriate governance, safeguarding systems and workforce capability before delivering these supports.

For organisations already providing quality SIL services, the biggest challenge is often documenting systems that may previously have operated informally.

Registration is therefore about demonstrating consistency rather than changing everything your organisation already does.

What Does Registration Actually Involve?

Many providers assume registration simply involves completing an application form.

In reality, registration is a structured process that includes organisational preparation, independent auditing and assessment by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Most providers move through the following stages:

Step 1 – Understand the Registration Requirements

Before preparing documentation, become familiar with the standards your organisation will be assessed against.

For SIL providers, this includes:

• the NDIS Practice Standards Core Module
  
  • https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-practice-standards
• Module 5A: Assistance with Supported Independent Living.
  • :‍https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-practice-standards/sil

Understanding both frameworks helps avoid unnecessary work later.

Step 2 – Review Your Current Systems

Every organisation already has systems for delivering supports.

The question is whether those systems satisfy the Practice Standards.

Review areas such as:

• governance
• participant rights
• complaints management
• incident management
• workforce capability
• risk management
• participant documentation
• safeguarding
• continuous improvement

A structured full internal review often identifies where improvements are needed before booking an audit.

Step 3 – Update Policies and Procedures

Many first-time applicants believe they must write dozens of entirely new policies.

Often this is unnecessary.

Existing policies can frequently be updated to align with current NDIS Practice Standards and Module 5A expectations.

The priority should always be ensuring policies accurately reflect how your organisation actually operates.

Step 4 – Strengthen Workforce Systems

Strong workforce systems are essential for certification.

Auditors will expect evidence that workers receive:

• structured induction
• ongoing training
• supervision
• competency assessment
• mentoring
• opportunities for continuous professional development

Attendance sheets alone rarely demonstrate workforce capability.

Step 5 – Complete Your Registration Application

Once your organisation is prepared, you can submit your registration application to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Existing unregistered SIL providers intending to continue operating during the transition should ensure a valid application is lodged by 1 October 2026.

Step 6 – Complete Your Certification Audit

Following your application, an Approved Quality Auditor will assess your organisation.

The audit examines whether your systems comply with both the Core Module and Module 5A.

This includes reviewing documentation, interviewing personnel and examining evidence.

Step 7 – Receive the Commission's Decision

After considering your application and audit report, the NDIS Commission determines whether registration should be granted.

If approved, your organisation receives an NDIS Certificate of Registration and can provide SIL as a registered provider.

Understanding the Two Practice Standards You Must Meet

One of the most common misconceptions among first-time applicants is that SIL registration involves only one set of Practice Standards.

In reality, providers are assessed against two complementary frameworks.

The Core Module

The Core Module applies to every registered NDIS provider regardless of the supports delivered.

It establishes the organisational systems required to operate safely and effectively.

Areas include:

• participant rights
• governance and operational management
• complaints management
• incident management
• workforce capability
• risk management
• service delivery
• continuous improvement

Think of the Core Module as the organisational foundation for registration.

Module 5A: Assistance with Supported Independent Living

Module 5A builds on that foundation.

Rather than focusing on organisational governance alone, it addresses what quality support looks like within Supported Independent Living environments.

It introduces four SIL-specific Practice Standards covering:

• supported decision-making
• safeguarding
• practice governance
• agreements relating to tenancy, housing and support arrangements

These additional standards recognise the unique responsibilities associated with supporting participants within their homes.

How Do the Core Module and Module 5A Work Together?

The simplest way to understand the relationship between the two modules is to think of them as answering different questions.

The Core Module asks:

Does your organisation have appropriate governance systems?

Module 5A asks:

Can those systems consistently deliver safe, person-centred Supported Independent Living?

Both questions must be answered successfully during certification.

Providers who prepare only for one module are unlikely to satisfy the complete audit requirements.

How Long Should You Spend Preparing?

There is no mandatory preparation period.

However, organisations that begin preparing early generally experience a smoother certification process.

Preparation allows time to:

• review governance systems
• strengthen workforce capability
• improve participant documentation
• update policies
• conduct internal reviews
• build evidence through everyday practice

Waiting until the audit is booked often creates unnecessary pressure and increases the likelihood that important evidence will be overlooked.

What Will Auditors Assess During Your Certification Audit?

Many first-time applicants assume the certification audit is primarily a review of policies and procedures.

In reality, auditors want to understand how your organisation operates on a day-to-day basis.

Documentation is important, but it should demonstrate that your systems are consistently implemented across the organisation.

Auditors commonly review evidence in the following areas:

Rather than asking, "Do you have a policy?", auditors increasingly ask:

• How do you know staff consistently follow it?
• How do managers monitor practice?
• What evidence shows participants experience quality outcomes?
• How does your organisation improve services over time?

The stronger your evidence, the easier it becomes to demonstrate compliance.

How Does the Supported Decision-Making Standard Affect New Providers?

Module 5A expects Supported Decision-Making to be embedded throughout everyday service delivery.

Participants should receive the information, communication support and time they need to make their own decisions.

This includes decisions about:

• daily routines
• household activities
• community participation
• personal goals
• relationships
• healthcare appointments
• cultural and religious preferences
• future planning

Workers should support participants to express their own preferences rather than making decisions on their behalf.

For new providers, this means developing systems that document how participant choice influences everyday support.

Evidence may include:

• communication profiles
• supported decision-making records
• participant meeting notes
• supervision discussions
• staff training
• examples where participant preferences changed service delivery

How Does the Safeguarding Standard Affect Registration?

Safeguarding is one of the most important areas assessed during SIL certification.

Providers should demonstrate proactive systems that reduce the likelihood of harm rather than relying solely on incident response.

Areas commonly reviewed include:

• abuse prevention
• neglect prevention
• financial exploitation
• conflict between co-tenants
• bullying
• emergency preparedness
• community safety
• visitor management where appropriate

Importantly, safeguarding should support—not replace—participant autonomy.

Workers need to balance participant safety with dignity of risk.

Auditors often review whether safeguarding discussions occur during supervision, quality meetings and participant reviews rather than only after incidents occur.

What Does the Practice Governance Standard Require?

Practice Governance focuses on how leadership supports consistent, high-quality SIL services.

Rather than depending on individual staff experience, organisations should have systems that build and monitor workforce capability over time.

Examples include:

• structured induction
• competency-based recruitment
• documented supervision
• practice observations
• mentoring
• professional development
• leadership oversight
• quality improvement activities

One of the most common findings during first-time certification audits is that organisations record training attendance but cannot demonstrate worker competence.

Competency assessments and documented observations help address this gap.

What If My Organisation Provides Housing as Well as SIL?

Providers delivering both housing and SIL should ensure these arrangements remain clearly separated.

Participants should understand:

• the difference between their tenancy agreement and service agreement
• that changing SIL providers does not automatically affect their tenancy
• their legal tenancy rights
• how to raise concerns about housing or supports
• where to access independent advocacy if required

Organisations should also have clear conflict of interest procedures where housing and supports are delivered by the same entity.

Common Mistakes First-Time Applicants Make

Many organisations deliver excellent supports but struggle during certification because important systems have not been documented.

Some of the most common issues include:

Waiting Too Long to Prepare

Preparing only after booking an audit leaves limited time to strengthen governance systems and collect evidence.

Creating Policies That Don't Reflect Practice

Policies should describe how your organisation actually operates.

Auditors often identify inconsistencies between documented procedures and everyday practice.

Focusing Only on Training

Training attendance is valuable.

However, providers should also demonstrate that workers understand and apply what they have learned.

Competency assessments and supervision records provide stronger evidence.

Inconsistent Participant Documentation

Participant records should consistently demonstrate:

• choice and control
• supported decision-making
• safeguarding
• communication preferences
• review processes

Limited Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement should occur throughout the year rather than only after complaints or incidents.

Regular quality reviews demonstrate organisational maturity.

Registration Readiness Checklist

Before lodging your application, consider whether your organisation can answer "yes" to the following questions.

✓ Have we reviewed both the Core Module and Module 5A?
✓ Are our governance systems documented?
✓ Do workers complete structured induction?
✓ Are competency assessments completed?
✓ Is supervision documented?
✓ Do participant records demonstrate supported decision-making?
✓ Are safeguarding systems operating consistently?
✓ Are service agreements current?
✓ If we provide housing, are tenancy arrangements clearly separated?
✓ Can we demonstrate continuous improvement across the organisation?

Completing this checklist before your certification audit can significantly reduce the likelihood of unexpected findings.

How Provider+ Can Help

Need help registering as an SIL provider? Provider+ guides you through the NDIS registration process, providing the policies,  and expert support you need to prepare for your audit and submit your application before 1 October.

‍Book a Call

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to register if I already provide SIL?

Yes. Existing unregistered providers can continue operating during the transition period only if they submit a valid registration application by 1 October 2026.

Can new providers deliver SIL before registration?

No. Providers commencing SIL services after 1 July 2026 must first become registered.

Will I need a certification audit?

Yes. Registration for SIL requires an independent certification audit against the Core Module and Module 5A.

How long does registration usually take?

Timeframes vary depending on organisational readiness, audit scheduling and assessment by the NDIS Commission. Beginning preparation early generally results in a smoother process.

Can I prepare before lodging my application?

Absolutely. Early preparation provides time to identify gaps, strengthen systems and build evidence before the certification audit.

Does Module 5A replace the Core Module?

No. Providers delivering Supported Independent Living must comply with both.

Conclusion

For organisations entering the registered NDIS market, the transition to mandatory SIL registration represents an important milestone.

Although the certification process requires preparation, it also provides an opportunity to strengthen governance, workforce capability and participant-centred practice.

Rather than viewing registration as simply achieving compliance, providers should see it as establishing systems that support consistently safe, high-quality Supported Independent Living services.

Organisations that begin early, document everyday practice and build evidence continuously are generally better positioned for both certification and long-term quality improvement.

We strive to keep our content accurate and up to date; however, NDIS Commission rules and requirements can change. For the latest information, visit the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission website or contact our team.