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What will be different for you as a provider?
The new NDIS Commission portal introduces a range of smart features designed to save you time and provide a smoother experience:
- Pre-filled information: The portal is integrated with external databases like the Australian Business Register (ABR) and NDIS Worker Screening Database (NWSD) so we can pre-fill your legal name, addresses and key personnel worker screening status when provided with valid Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) or NWSD numbers.
- Dynamic, tailored forms: One-size-fits-all forms are gone. The new system dynamically adjusts the fields you are required to complete based on the answers you have already provided. For example, the questions you are asked when reporting a reportable incident will change depending on the specific category of the incident, meaning you only answer what is relevant.
- Draft saving: You will have the ability to click "Save for later" on your reports. Drafts will be saved securely in your portal for up to 30 days, allowing you to gather necessary information before submitting.
- Improved dashboards: You will have access to centralised dashboards where you can easily view your submitted reports, manage drafts, and see a list of due or overdue monthly reports for restrictive practices.
- Simplified behaviour support plan and authorisation uploads: Implementing providers will be able to manage their authorisation documents more easily, with the option to upload a single authorisation document that applies to all restrictive practices in a plan, rather than doing it one by one.
How will these changes benefit providers and participants?
We have used feedback from NDIS providers to inform the design of the new portal, so you can:
- be assured we’ve assessed matters consistently, which helps us respond sooner,
- resolve concerns directly with participants when we don’t need to be involved,
- have a better experience with us when we need you to respond to a concern about your service, and
- better safeguarding from harm for NDIS participants.
Improvements you will experience with the new portal include:
- Reducing administrative burden for providers: We heard from you that the previous forms were administratively heavy and that you often did not have the bandwidth to complete them easily. We also heard that free-text fields were confusing, as it was unclear exactly what information the Commission needed. To resolve this, we have replaced many free-text fields with clear, simple tick-boxes (such as identifying immediate safeguarding actions taken), which will make completing forms much faster and more straightforward.
- Streamlining third-party reports: Previously, reports about incidents involving other providers were not easy to lodge nor track. The new system features a dedicated third-party reporting form to capture this intelligence clearly and route it to the right place.
- Improving participant safety: The new forms make safety tracking a priority by building in mandatory check-ins, such as asking specifically if the participant is currently safe and in receipt of support directly following an incident. Furthermore, better data linking will track unauthorised restrictive practices and automatically alert you when a plan needs to be reviewed.
When will the changes be in place?
The new portal is expected to be available in October 2026. During the transition period, providers will use both the new NDIS Commission Portal and the existing portal, depending on the task being completed.
How will providers and participants be supported through this transition?
- In-portal guidance: The new NDIS Commission portal forms have guidance on how to use them. For example, before submitting a report, there will be an explanation on what is an unauthorised restrictive practice (URP), versus what should be reported as abuse or neglect.
- Self-service information on our website: The information published on our website for the existing portal will be replaced with new instructions that will help guide you through the new system.