There is no fee to apply for NDIS registration, but the process is not free. The real cost is the mandatory audit, which ranges from about $900 for a simple verification audit to $12,000 or more for a large certification audit, plus insurance, worker checks and the policies you need in place. Here is exactly what to budget in 2026, and where you can save.
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Is there an NDIS registration fee?
No. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission does not charge a fee to apply for registration. Every cost in this guide is paid to someone else: your approved quality auditor, your insurer, the worker screening unit in your state or territory, and whoever prepares your policies. That is good news, because it means the costs are largely within your control.
The audit: your biggest cost
To register, an independent NDIS-approved quality auditor must assess you. Auditors set their own prices (the Commission does not), and the cost depends on your size, the number of participants you support, and how many registration groups and modules you apply for. There are two pathways:
| Audit type | Who it's for | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Verification | Lower-risk supports (e.g. household tasks, transport, home maintenance, plan management) | $900 to $1,800 commonly $900 to $1,500 |
| Certification | Higher-risk supports (e.g. SIL, personal care, behaviour support, early childhood) | $2,800 to $12,000+ |
| Certification (core + specialist modules) | Larger providers, multiple support types | $5,000 to $12,000+ |
| Each extra supplementary module | e.g. high-intensity daily personal activities, behaviour support, early childhood | +$1,000 to $2,500 |
Insurance
You will need public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and usually personal accident or workers' compensation once you employ staff. Budget roughly $1,200 to $3,500 per year, depending on your supports and turnover. This is an annual cost, not a one-off.
Worker screening and checks
Every worker in a risk-assessed role needs an NDIS Worker Screening Check, and you will likely need other checks depending on your services. Costs vary by state and territory, but as a rough guide:
- NDIS Worker Screening Check: typically a low per-worker fee, renewed every 5 years
- Working with Children Check: where relevant, varies by state
- The free NDIS Worker Orientation Module ("Quality, Safety and You") for each worker
Individually small, but they add up as your team grows, so factor them into your ongoing budget.
The hidden cost: policies and procedures
This is the cost most new providers underestimate. Before any auditor will pass you, you need a complete set of policies and procedures mapped to the NDIS Practice Standards, plus the registers and forms that prove you follow them. You have three options:
| Option | Typical cost | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Hire a consultant | $2,000 to $5,000+ | Done for you, but expensive and often slow |
| Write them yourself | "Free" + weeks of time | High risk of gaps that fail your audit |
| Use editable templates | $149 to $199 | Audit-ready in Word, brand and adapt in hours |
Ongoing costs after registration
Registration lasts up to three years, and it is not a one-time spend:
- Verification providers: a renewal audit at each 3-year cycle.
- Certification providers: a mid-term audit around 18 months after registration (about $1,000 to $6,000), then a full renewal audit at three years.
- Annual: insurance renewals and worker screening as your team changes.
Keeping your policies, registers and forms current the whole time is what makes these renewal audits cheap and fast instead of a scramble.
What to actually budget
Pulling it together, here is a realistic first-year budget for a small new provider. Your numbers will vary with your supports, size and state.
| Cost | Verification pathway | Certification pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Commission application fee | $0 | $0 |
| Audit | $900 to $1,500 | $2,800 to $12,000+ |
| Insurance (year 1) | $1,200 to $3,500 | $1,200 to $3,500 |
| Policies & procedures | $149 to $199 (templates) | $199 (templates) |
| Worker screening & setup | varies (low) | varies |
| Rough total | $2,000 to $5,000 | $6,000 to $15,000+ |
How to keep costs down
- Only register for the supports you'll actually deliver. Every extra registration group and module can add to your audit cost.
- Get audit-quote comparisons. Auditors set their own prices, so get two or three written quotes.
- Don't pay consultant rates for policies. Editable templates do the same job for a fraction of the price and you keep them forever.
- Go in audit-ready. The fastest way to waste money is to fail or stall your audit. Find your gaps first with the free audit-readiness quiz.
Frequently asked questions
How much does NDIS registration cost in 2026?
There is no Commission application fee. The main cost is the audit: about $900 to $1,800 for verification and $2,800 to $12,000+ for certification. With insurance, worker checks and policies, budget roughly $2,000 to $5,000 (verification) or $6,000 to $15,000+ (certification).
Is there a fee to apply?
No. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission does not charge to apply. You pay your auditor, insurer, worker screening unit and whoever prepares your policies.
Why is certification so much more than verification?
Certification covers higher-risk supports and is a deeper, on-site audit against the full Practice Standards, with worker and participant interviews and more modules, each of which adds cost.
What are the ongoing costs?
Registration lasts up to three years. Certification providers have a mid-term audit around 18 months in ($1,000 to $6,000) plus a renewal audit at three years; verification providers re-audit at each 3-year renewal. Insurance and worker screening renew annually.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and costs are indicative only. Auditors and insurers set their own prices. Always get written quotes and check current requirements with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.