- Policy & Legislation
- Compliance & Quality
- Regulatory Bodies
SIL providers face steep penalties as NDIS registration enforcement begins
Key points5 points
- Providing SIL after 1 October 2026 without having applied for registration is a serious offence, with criminal penalties of up to two years' imprisonment or a 120 penalty unit fine.
- Civil penalties for unregistered SIL provision reach up to 10,000 penalty units, currently about $3.64 million.
- The NDIS Commission can now require non-compliant providers to produce information within five days instead of 28.
- Regulatory officers have begun site visits to SIL providers that have not responded to registration requirements.
- Registration requires independent audits, suitability assessments, reporting, and worker screening checks.
Summary
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has moved into enforcement against Supported Independent Living providers who did not apply for registration within the three-month transition period ending 1 October.
Over 14,500 SIL providers are registered or progressing, while site visits have started for those who failed to respond. Operating unregistered is now a serious offence, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. New powers under the 2026 amendment Act allow the Commission to compel information within five days rather than 28, speeding up evidence gathering. Providers should verify their registration status immediately.