Worker screening

NDIS Worker Screening Checks expire after 5 years.

Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource is designed to provide quick and clear answers to the most common queries about renewing an NDIS Worker Screening Check.

To renew yours, please see the worker screening unit for the state or territory where you live.

What is an NDIS worker screening check?

An NDIS worker screening check is where a state or territory worker screening unit assesses whether a worker poses a threat to a person with disability.

State and territory worker screening units do the check on behalf of the NDIS Commission. The check decides if a worker is ‘cleared’ or ‘excluded’ from working in certain roles with people with disability. NDIS worker screening checks are valid for up to 5 years.

Who needs an NDIS worker screening check?

You need to have an NDIS worker screening check if you’re:

an employee, volunteer, contractor or student who works for:
- a registered provider in a risk-assessed role or key personnel role
- a registered provider who has decided that all their workers need to have an NDIS worker screening check
- an unregistered provider who has decided that their workers need to have an NDIS worker screening check.

a self-employed worker or a sole trader who:
- is a registered provider
- supports a self-managed NDIS participant who has decided that all their engaged workers need to have an NDIS worker screening check.

Apply for or renew an NDIS worker screening check

You will apply for or renew your NDIS worker screening check with the worker screening unit in your state or territory.

The NDIS worker screening check is a national check. Workers should only apply to the worker screening unit in one state or territory.

Before you apply
In your application or renewal, you’ll be asked to include the details of your employer. You must include these details for first time applications and renewals.

You can do this by:

entering their NDIS Commission Employer ID, which you’ll need to get from your employer
searching for your employer in the online form (if available)
following these instructions if you're a sole trader or self-employed worker.

Go to the worker screening unit in your state or territory

The worker screening unit in your state or territory is your main point of contact for worker screening checks. You will contact them to:

apply for or renew your NDIS worker screening check
check the status of an application or renewal
access details about your current worker screening check such as:
- the expiry date
- your worker screening ID number
- the current status of your check
change the details that are associated with your current worker screening check, for example your contact details
check if your job also requires a Working with children check.

Working while your application is being considered

Some states or territories allow a worker to work for a registered provider while they’re waiting for the outcome of their application. More information is available at People in a risk-assessed role waiting for the outcome of their worker screening application.

After you’ve received your NDIS worker screening check decision

After a decision has been made on your application:

The details of your worker screening check decision are recorded in the national NDIS worker screening database.
Note: You will access and update information about your worker screening check with your state or territory worker screening unit NOT directly into the NDIS worker screening database.
Once you’ve been recorded as a worker within an organisation, they can access up-to-date details about your screening check in the database.
You don’t need to upload your worker screening check anywhere – you can give any future employers your worker screening number and they can confirm the current status of your check.
NDIS worker screening checks are nationally recognised. You don’t need to reapply if you move to another state or territory.
You don’t need to reapply if business structures change, for example if you change from a sole trader to a partnership or company.
You only need to reapply if your screening check expires or is cancelled.

Renew your NDIS worker screening check

Your NDIS worker screening check is valid for up to 5 years from date of issue, unless it’s cancelled or revoked. You can apply to renew your worker screening check up to 90 days before the expiry date of your current check.

To renew your worker screening check, submit a renewal application to the worker screening unit in the state or territory that you currently live. You only need to renew your check in one jurisdiction.

Employers will get a notification when a worker linked to them has a worker screening check that’s expiring.

Sole traders or self-employed workers

I’m a sole trader or self-employed worker. How do I complete my NDIS worker screening application? See more

If you're a sole trader or self-employed, you are considered both a worker and an employer (or NDIS provider) when applying for or renewing an NDIS worker screening check. This means you’ll need to do both the application and verify your own employment. You’ll need to do this in the NDIS worker screening database.

1. Get access to the NDIS worker screening database

Sole traders must have access to the NDIS worker screening database before you apply for an NDIS worker screening check. If you don’t have access, you won’t be able to complete this process.

MyID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM)

The NDIS Commission is changing how we check the identity of providers that use our portals. Strong identity checks help us keep participants, providers and the NDIS safe against scams, fraud and data breaches. We are changing to use:

an Australian Government Digital ID, using the myID app
Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM).

You can find more information at changing from PRODA to myID and RAM.

The below process is for unregistered sole traders or self-employed workers who:

are applying for their NDIS worker screening check before they apply for provider registration.
plan to stay unregistered and want to apply for an NDIS worker screening check.

Providers initially apply for access to the NDIS worker screening database in the applications portal.

Apply for access to the NDIS worker screening database
Log in to the applications providers portal
After the last step in your application, you’ll receive an email asking you to finalise your access. The email may take several days to arrive. Follow the instructions in the email.
If the link in the email expires or doesn’t work, follow the instructions in finalise your access to the NDIS worker screening database.
You’ll then receive a confirmation email once the Commission approves the access request. Now you’re able to access the NDIS worker screening database in the unregistered providers portal.
Log in to the NDIS worker screening database once your access has been finalised.
Log in to the unregistered providers portal

Your access is not finalised until you’ve completed these 3 steps. You won’t be able to successfully complete your NDIS worker screening check unless you can log in to the unregistered providers portal and access the NDIS worker screening database to get your Employer ID number.

Remember, you’re not a registered provider yet, you set up your access to the NDIS worker screening database first and submit your registration application as an unregistered provider. You’ll only use the registered providers portal after your application for registration is approved.

The below process is for unregistered sole traders or self-employed workers who:

have applied for provider registration, but haven’t received a decision yet, and
are applying for their NDIS worker screening check.

You can:

Email us at nwsd@ndiscommission.gov.au.
Request interim access to the NDIS worker screening database, include your ABN and application reference number.

2. Get your employer ID

You must have your employer ID number before applying for your worker screening check.

Once you have access to the NDIS worker screening database (in the unregistered providers portal), you’ll either:

receive an email that contains your Employer ID number, or
find your Employer ID number in the NDIS worker screening database by logging in to the database and generating an employer ID document.

3. Apply for NDIS worker screening check

Apply for or renew your NDIS worker screening check with your state or territory worker screening unit. In the application you will enter the employer ID number you got from the previous step.

When you’ve finished your worker screening application or renewal, you will get a ‘request for verification’. The request notification will appear in the database within 48 hours.

This request will expire after 28 days. If it expires you will need to create a new request.

4. Verify your worker screening application

Remember, because you’re a sole trader or self-employed worker, you’re considered both a worker and an employer (or NDIS provider). You need to complete the tasks for both. Here is where you verify your employment as the ‘employer’.

You will now log in to the NDIS worker screening database to verify your own worker screening check:

You must verify your worker screening check within 28 days.

Your worker screening application will now move to the assessment stage with the worker screening unit that is considering your application. They will let you know the outcome of the application.
If you have any questions about your application, please contact the worker screening unit in your state or territory.

Having trouble accessing the NDIS worker screening database?

This may be the first time you’ve tried to log in to the database since you set up your access. If you’re experiencing issues accessing the database, make sure you’ve completed the 3 steps for getting access.