Most SIL operators we speak to know 1 July 2026 is the day their supports need to be delivered under registration. What fewer have a clear picture of is what registration actually involves — that it's an independent audit, run by a third party from the Commission's approved list, and that the audit needs to happen and clear before the deadline, not on it.

This is the plain-English walkthrough: what registration means, which audit type applies to you, the steps end to end, what an auditor actually samples on the day, and the realistic timeline. The pillar page on NDIS compliance software covers the day-to-day systems underneath all of this — here we're mapping the path to the certificate.

The short version

SIL is a higher-risk support, so you need a certification audit — the more thorough of the two audit types. From engaging an auditor to a Commission decision is often six to twelve weeks, and auditor calendars fill as the deadline nears.

If you haven't booked an approved quality auditor yet, that's the first move this month.

Verification or certification: which audit you need

The NDIS Commission sets your audit type by the risk of the supports you deliver — not by how big you are. A sole operator delivering a higher-risk support faces the same audit type as a larger provider delivering the same support. There are two pathways.

  • Verification — the lighter pathway: a desktop review for lower-risk, lower-complexity supports (some therapeutic supports, equipment, plan management).
  • Certification — the thorough pathway, for higher-risk and complex supports. Supported Independent Living sits firmly on the certification side. It's assessed against the NDIS Practice Standards Core Module, the supplementary modules that apply to you, and — from 1 July 2026 — the new SIL-specific module.
What this means for SIL

You're on the certification track

Plan for a two-stage audit with an on-site component, not a desktop check. The new SIL outcomes are covered in plain English in our guide to the new SIL Practice Standards, and the 35 Commission-aligned policy templates map to the modules an auditor works through.

The steps, end to end

Registration runs as a sequence. Each step depends on the one before it, which is why the calendar matters more than the effort — you can't compress an auditor's availability or the Commission's decision into the final week. Here's the path, with rough timing.

Step 1
Self-assess against the Practice Standards. Work through the Core Module and the new SIL outcomes and find your gaps before an auditor does. This is exactly what an audit-ready score is for.
Step 2
Apply through the NDIS Commission. Lodge in the Commission's application portal, choosing the registration groups for the supports you deliver. You complete a self-assessment as part of the application.
Step 3
Choose and engage an approved quality auditor. Auditors are independent third parties from the Commission's approved list — you pick one and pay for the audit. Get two or three quotes; fees vary with your size and the registration groups you apply for.
Step 4
Stage 1 — the document review. The auditor checks your policies, procedures and systems against the standards. Gaps here come back as things to close before Stage 2.
Step 5
Stage 2 — the main audit. On-site (sometimes partly remote): interviews with you, your workers and — with consent — participants, plus sampling of real records. This is where evidence tied to a real participant on a real date is everything.
Step 6
The Commission decides. Your auditor submits the outcome; the Commission runs its suitability assessment of the provider and key personnel, then makes the registration decision. Approved providers receive a certificate of registration — typically valid up to three years — listing the registration groups, sometimes with conditions or corrective actions.

Booking is the bottleneck, not the audit. As 1 July 2026 nears, auditor slots get scarce — the booking is a now job, not a June job.

What auditors actually sample

A certification audit isn't about whether you own the policies — it's about whether you can produce the evidence. Auditors sample real records: shift notes, incident reports, restrictive-practice records, worker screening and training currency, support plans, medication records. Each has its own way of passing or failing — we've written a plain-English guide to each:

How to walk in audit-ready

You can do most of the preparation for free. Aura OS gives you a six-pillar audit-ready score that shows exactly what's dragging you down — worker screening, training currency, supervision, policy reviews, incidents, restrictive practices — and a "what's next?" panel once you cross 90% that links straight to the Commission's approved-auditor list and the registration portal. The 35 Commission-aligned policy templates are on the free plan too. And when the auditor asks for evidence, the Audit Evidence engine builds the pack — shifts, notes, incidents, policies, screening as at that date — in about a minute.

Audit-ready on free.

Build the evidence before you book the auditor.

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Questions

Do SIL providers have to register?

From 1 July 2026, SIL is being brought under registration — if you deliver SIL, you need to be registered to keep delivering it. (If you're still weighing it up, see our framework on registering versus staying unregistered.)

Do I need a verification or a certification audit?

Certification — the thorough, two-stage audit. SIL is a higher-risk support, assessed against the Core Module plus the new SIL module.

How long does NDIS registration take?

Commonly six to twelve weeks from engaging an auditor to a Commission decision — but auditor availability is the real constraint near the deadline, so book early.

How much does the audit cost?

Auditor fees are set by the independent auditor and vary with your size and registration groups. Get two or three quotes; there's no fixed Commission fee for the audit itself.

What do auditors look at?

Evidence, not just policies — real records tied to real participants and dates: shift notes, incidents, screening, training, support plans, medication, restrictive practices.

Can I get ready for free?

Yes. Aura OS's audit-ready score, the 35 policy templates and the evidence tools are on the free plan; you only pay for Pro features like the branded audit PDF and PACE export.

This post is written from our experience building compliance software for SIL providers and from conversations with auditors and operators. It is not a substitute for the NDIS Practice Standards or formal advice from your approved quality auditor. Check the current audit types, registration groups, timelines and the new SIL module against the Commission's published guidance before you apply.