The 1 October 2026 deadline has passed: where unregistered SIL providers stand

This was the first hard deadline in the NDIS's move to mandatory registration, and it was narrow but firm. What it required was an application lodged before 1 October — not completed registration, but a lodged application.

Who this deadline applied to

The 1 October 2026 cut-off applied to providers delivering, from 1 July 2026, either of the two supports brought into mandatory registration:

• Supported independent living (SIL) — registration group 0138.
• NDIS digital platform services — registration group 0137.

It did not apply if what you do isn't SIL under the Rules. The Commission’s summary says it is not SIL if a person only receives a few hours of support a day or week, or chooses and manages their own support workers. Not sure which side of the line you're on? Work through am I affected by mandatory registration first. Support-coordination registration was consulted on but is currently paused, so it was not caught by this deadline.

What applying before 1 October actually meant

A provider met the deadline by being registered, or by having lodged a registration application, before 1 October 2026 — the guidance pages say “by”, the Rules say “before”. The NDIA is explicit on the payment side for SIL: a provider that was delivering SIL before 1 July 2026 and lodged an application under group 0138 before 1 October 2026 can continue claiming under the SIL code 0138 while its application is assessed (NDIS, SIL claims and payment changes).

Because a full registration includes an independent audit that takes time, the date was about a lodged application in the Commission's portal, not a completed registration — the audit follows the application.

If you did not apply before 1 October

The NDIA and the Commission each say what applies now. Both are short and worth reading in full:

• Claiming. The NDIA’s words: “Unregistered SIL providers who do not apply by 1 October 2026 can only claim for services up to 30 September 2026.” It also says that from 1 October 2026 plan managers should reject invoices from SIL providers who are not registered and have not applied to register, and that a provider whose claim is rejected because of registration status should contact the NDIS Commission.
• Delivering. The Commission’s SIL page answers the question in its own heading, “What happens if I choose not to apply, or I haven't applied by 1 October 2026?”: a provider currently delivering SIL that chose not to apply will need to stop providing SIL supports, and must follow the Commission’s notification and participant transition steps when it stops. The same answer says providing SIL without registration is a serious offence and states the maximum penalty; read it on the Commission’s page rather than in our paraphrase.
• Participants. The NDIA tells participants whose SIL provider does not register that they will need to move to a registered provider, and that it will help them understand their options and find a new provider if needed.

We do not give a view on any individual provider's position after the date. If you did not apply and are still delivering SIL, the Commission is the body to contact.

If you applied before 1 October

For SIL claiming, the NDIA’s guidance says a provider that delivered SIL before 1 July 2026 and lodged a registration application under group 0138 before 1 October 2026 can keep claiming under 0138 while the Commission assesses the application. Delivery while an application is pending is a question for the Commission: we do not give a view on how the Rules' transitional provision would be read for a pending application; get your own advice on that. The NDIA encourages SIL providers to include their registration or application number on invoices.

What to do now

The date has passed, so the order depends on where you stand:

1. Confirm you were actually caught — test what you deliver against the SIL definition (am I affected?).
2. If you applied before 1 October — keep the application moving. Worker-screening clearances for key personnel and risk-assessed workers are the most common delay, and an approved quality auditor is engaged once you have your Initial Scope of Audit (get more than one quote). The NDIA encourages SIL providers to include their application number on invoices.
3. If you did not apply and are delivering SIL — read the Commission’s answer on its SIL page and contact the Commission. That page also lists transition pathways, including for unregistered providers planning to provide SIL in future; the application itself is covered in our seven-step guide.
4. If a claim is rejected on registration grounds — the NDIA says to contact the NDIS Commission. SIL claims being rejected covers the claim-code cause, which is not about registration.

If you're a SIL provider on ProviderScout, make sure your listing reflects your registration or application status — it's what participants and coordinators check.

How to verify this information

These dates and rules come straight from the NDIS — check them, and the date on anything you read:

• SIL claims and payment changes from 1 July 2026 (the 30 September claiming cut-off and the NDIA's payment guidance).
• Mandatory registration for SIL on the NDIS Commission site (the definition, the transition pathways, and its answer for providers that have not applied).
• Mandatory registration on the NDIS Commission site.
• NDIS news 11561 for the participant view.

ProviderScout is an independent directory, not affiliated with the NDIA or NDIS Commission.