The costs, item by item
| Cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application to the NDIS Commission | $0 | Applied for through the NDIS Commission Portal |
| Audit by an approved quality auditor | Roughly $900–$1,800 (verification) | You choose and pay the auditor. Quotes vary with size and scope. Higher-risk supports need a certification audit, which costs much more. |
| NDIS Worker Screening | A fee per worker | Set by each state or territory, and renewed every 5 years |
| Insurance | Varies | Public liability and professional indemnity (you likely have these already) |
| Policies, systems and records | Your time, or consultant fees | Incidents, complaints, risk, records, worker files |
| Renewal | Repeats every registration cycle | A new audit before registration expires |
Audit cost ranges come from industry and consultant sources, not official NDIS Commission pricing. Always get quotes from approved quality auditors.
The hidden cost: time and ongoing obligations
Once registered, your clinic must meet the NDIS Practice Standards and other obligations continuously, not just on audit day:
- Documented policies and procedures, kept up to date
- Incident management, including reporting certain incidents to the NDIS Commission
- A complaints system, and records for every participant
- Worker screening, qualifications and training records for every practitioner
- NDIA portal claiming and payment reconciliation
- Notifying the Commission of certain changes, and preparing for the next audit
For a clinic with a handful of NDIA-managed participants, this ongoing load is often worth far more than the audit fee itself.
When registration is worth it
- You see many NDIA-managed participants, enough that the time and audit costs are clearly covered.
- You already run strong clinical governance and admin systems.
- You want to deliver supports that must be registered, such as behaviour support involving restrictive practices.
The alternative: subcontract under a registered provider
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission allows a registered provider to deliver supports through subcontracted entities and workers. Your clinic stays unregistered, the registered provider claims from the NDIA and stays accountable, and you treat NDIA-managed participants without your own audit. See how it works.
| Register yourself | Subcontract under a registered provider | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Audit fees, plus your time | None |
| Time to first NDIA-managed claim | Often months | Once your practitioners are onboarded |
| Ongoing compliance | Yours | Mainly the registered provider's. You follow the Code of Conduct and keep good records. |
| Cost | Fixed, whether or not you see NDIA-managed participants | A percentage of paid claims only |
Treat NDIA-managed participants without the audit
Active Help is a registered NDIS provider. Your clinic delivers therapy as our subcontractor, and we prepare the agreements, claim from the NDIA and pay you in twice-weekly pay runs. No setup, audit or exit fees.
Join as a clinic →Frequently asked questions
Is there an application fee to become a registered NDIS provider?
No. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission does not charge an application fee. The main cost is the audit by an approved quality auditor, which you pay directly.
How much does an NDIS verification audit cost?
Industry sources put it at roughly $900–$1,800 for a small allied health practice, but quotes vary. Always get quotes from approved quality auditors.
Do allied health clinics have to register with the NDIS?
Not at present for most therapy supports. Unregistered clinics can see self-managed and plan-managed participants. NDIA-managed participants can only be supported by, or through, a registered provider.
Sources: NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, About registration; audit cost ranges from industry and consultant publications (2026). General information only, not financial or legal advice.