Step 1: Commence registration renewal

When?

You must commence your NDIS registration renewal prior to your registration renewal date; however, your renewal application cannot be accessed earlier than six months prior to your registration renewal date. You must commence the renewal application during this six month period to prevent your NDIS registration from lapsing or expiring. An expired NDIS registration has implications for the NDIS participants you support, as you must be a registered provider to continue supporting NDIS participants in your facility.

How?

Log in to the NDIS Commission portal and go to the ‘My Registration’ Tab to get started. Have handy the:
•    Renewal Quick Reference Guide
•    Registration Renewal Process Guide

If you do not have access to the NDIS Commission Portal, please refer to the Quick Reference Guide: Getting access to NDIS Commission Portal which is a step by step guide to assist you. Once you have authenticated your identity with PRODA (the online authentication system), your username and password will allow you to access the NDIS Commission Portal.

During the online registration renewal process, you will be required to:

1. Provide Organisational information, including:

  • contact details
  • corporate structure
  • key personnel (the NDIS Commission looks at this closely)
  • service profile and service coverage areas
  • registration groups – RAC providers have been automatically registered for registration group #0115 – Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement. Think about any other registration groups which may be applicable to include in your registration application and be registered to provide. For example, where participants you support have additional funded supports in their NDIS plan for complex health supports. Refer to the Registration Requirements by Supports and Services document in the NDIS Commission’s Application Pack.
  • numbers of NDIS participants 
  • numbers of workers involved in NDIS supports (actual numbers, not full time equivalent).

2. Answer specific questions about your service delivery (for example, do you administer medication to NDIS participants, do you support NDIS participants subject to a restrictive practice?). The responses determine which modules, or parts of the modules of the NDIS Practice Standards apply to your service. 

3. Undertake a mandatory online self-assessment about how you comply with relevant parts of the NDIS Practice Standards. You will also be required to upload the documents (policies and procedures) you are submitting as evidence. Your self-assessment responses are important as they will inform the desktop audit (Stage 1) undertaken by your audit team. Your response can be up to 300 words per each Practice Standard. We recommend:

  • you familiarise yourself with the NDIS Practice Standards. A number of your existing systems and processes are likely to be the same or similar to NDIS requirements and may not require significant amendments. Refer to: Comparison of ACQS and NDIS Standards and Standards Comparison Tool (Part E) and also the Evidence Guide (Part I). 
  • undertake a review of your current documentation against requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards. You could use the optional Concordance Table (Part H) for this purpose.
  • developing an Action Plan if required to address any gaps or areas requiring amendment.

4. Submit the registration renewal once you have completed (1), (2) and (3) above.
 

  • It is sometimes easier to prepare your self-assessment offline as a Word document and upload the final version when you are comfortable with its content (though you can enter it directly into the portal if you prefer). Clearly demonstrating your evidence of compliance can promote a more streamlined audit process, as the audit team will need to review your self-assessment as part of the Stage 1 Desktop audit. 
  • Dot points of evidence for the self-assessment are fine, with examples of how you currently implement those policies and procedures. 
  • Once you click the ‘Submit’ button, you are unable to make any further changes to your application. 
  • Do not worry, additional documentation can be provided to your chosen Approved Quality Auditor, or mistakes rectified once you have engaged them.
  • Support your staff to understand the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards - there are a number of NDIS Practice Standards that require workers to be trained.
  • Share easy/plain English information with participants about the NDIS Practice Standards and upcoming audit.