NDIS Practice Standards
The NDIS Practice Standards, Explained Simply
What the standards are, which modules apply to you, and what an auditor looks for under each one. The standards are under reform, so this page says what is current and where to check.
The Short Answer
What are the NDIS Practice Standards?
They are the standards registered NDIS providers are audited against. Certification providers are assessed against the Core Module and any supplementary modules their registration groups trigger. Lower-risk providers are assessed under the verification module. Each standard has quality indicators that describe what an auditor expects to see in practice.
01The Structure
One Core Module, Plus What Your Groups Add
| Module | Applies to | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Core Module | Every certification registration | Rights and responsibilities; governance and operational management; provision of supports; the support provision environment |
| High intensity daily personal activities | Groups that include high intensity supports | Complex bowel care, enteral feeding, ventilation, and other high intensity activities |
| Specialist behaviour support | Specialist behaviour support providers | Behaviour support plans and regulated restrictive practices |
| Implementing behaviour support plans | Providers using regulated restrictive practices | Implementing plans and reporting the use of restrictive practices |
| Early childhood supports | Early childhood intervention | Family-centred, capacity-building early childhood practice |
| Specialised support coordination | Specialised support coordination | Support coordination for participants with complex needs |
| Specialist disability accommodation | SDA providers | Dwelling enrolment, tenancy and the relationship with support providers |
| Verification module | Lower-risk registration groups | Incident management, complaints, risk management and human resources |
The Commission sets which groups trigger which modules, and the standards are being reformed. Check the current versions before you rely on this table.
02What Auditors Look For
Practice, Not Paperwork
Documents that match reality
Policies that describe how you actually work, not a template with your logo on it.
Workers who know them
Staff who can explain the incident, complaints and risk processes in their own words.
Records that prove it
Incident and complaint registers, screening records, training and supervision, kept as you go.
Improvement over time
Evidence that you review what happens and change what you do.
Sources
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards
- NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators
- NDIS Commission: Practice Standards reform
Checked against these sources on 13 October 2026.
Documents Written to the Standards
We write your policies and procedures against the standards that apply to your groups, within 24 hours.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the Practice Standards apply to unregistered providers?
The Practice Standards are what registered providers are audited against. All NDIS providers, registered or not, must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct.
Are the Practice Standards changing?
Yes. The NDIS Commission is reforming the standards. We track the changes and update our clients’ documents as they take effect.
What is a quality indicator?
A statement of what meeting a standard looks like in practice. Auditors assess you against the indicators, so your evidence should map to them.
Keep Reading
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By Profession
Checked against NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and NDIA published guidance in October 2026. NDIS rules change: confirm anything you are about to act on against ndiscommission.gov.au or ndis.gov.au, or ask us.
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