Start with what the Commission says
Whichever route you choose, the responsibility stays with you. The NDIS Commission's apply for registration page says you are responsible for the content of your application, and that it expects you to have been substantially involved, to understand what you submit and to give responses specific to your organisation. It warns that consultants and advice services giving the same or very similar information to many providers can suggest a lack of understanding, and that a copied application may be refused. No option below removes that duty.
There is no fee to register with the Commission. You pay an approved quality auditor for the audit, and the auditor sets the price. Everything here concerns the cost of getting ready for that audit. Our registration cost guide gives planning figures, which are our estimates rather than official ones.
The five options at a glance
| Option | What you get | Your effort | Main risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Documents written from the Practice Standards | Highest | Gaps you cannot see, and slow progress | Simple scopes, and owners who know the standards |
| Single templates | One or a few documents | High | Documents that do not fit together | Filling a few gaps in an existing system |
| Full template package | A complete set mapped to the standards | Medium to high | Submitting it without adapting it | First-time providers who can do the adapting |
| Consultant | Tailored documents and support | Lower, but never nil | Cost, and generic work under a new cover | Complex scopes, or little time and expertise |
| Lawyer | Legal advice and contracts | Low | Paying for the wrong kind of help | Structure, contracts and legal risk |
How the costs compare
We have not found a public source for consultant fees that we could check and stand behind, so we describe cost in words rather than numbers. Doing it yourself has the lowest cash cost and the highest cost in time. Single templates add a small cash cost for a modest saving. A full package costs more than single documents but less effort per document, and ours is $1,500 AUD once. A consultant usually has the highest cash cost, and the price moves with your scope and how much of the work you hand over. A lawyer is normally engaged for specific tasks, so cost follows the task. Work out the value of your own hours too, because time spent writing documents is time not spent finding participants or hiring workers.
Doing it yourself
You read the Practice Standards for your modules and write every policy, procedure and form. The cash cost is low and you finish with an organisation that understands its own system, which is exactly what the Commission wants. The cost is time and the risk of blind spots. Most new providers underestimate how many documents a certification scope needs. It can work well if your scope is small, or if you have already worked in a registered provider and know what auditors ask for.
Single templates
Buying one document at a time suits you when you already have most of a system and need to fill a gap, such as a missing register. It becomes awkward as a full strategy. Each document may use a different style and logic, and you carry the work of making them agree. Our templates library explains what seven of the most requested documents must contain, whether or not you buy anything.
A full template package
A complete package gives you a consistent set built against the Core Module and the modules you need, so you start from a structure rather than a blank page. Ours is 220+ editable Word documents covering the Core Module and Modules 1 to 5, for a one-time $1,500 AUD, emailed after purchase. You still do the thinking: you must edit every document to describe your own practice, brief your workers and keep the registers. Our guide to adapting NDIS policy templates sets out how. A package does not include documents for the SIL supplementary module, and it does not guarantee registration.
A consultant
A good consultant tailors documents to your service, coaches you and your team, and helps you prepare for the audit. That can save a great deal of your time. The risks are cost, which depends on scope and is not standardised, and the quality of the work. Because the Commission looks hard at consultants who produce near-identical documents for many clients, you need to see how a consultant will make the work yours.
Questions worth asking before you sign:
- What exactly will you deliver, and what will I be doing myself?
- How do you tailor documents to my organisation rather than reuse a standard set?
- Will you prepare my key personnel to explain the documents to an auditor?
- Is the price fixed or capped, and what happens if the scope grows?
- What do you do if the audit raises non-conformities?
A lawyer
A lawyer is not a substitute for a compliance system, but some questions need one. Examples include choosing a business structure, drafting or reviewing contracts, employment arrangements, privacy and information-sharing terms, and buying or selling a registered business. The Government has introduced new requirements on the sale of NDIS businesses, including notifying the Commission, and the Commission's page on buying or selling a registered NDIS business is the place to start. Legal advice and Practice Standards documents are separate jobs, and you often need both.
When a consultant is the better choice
A consultant is often the right call if:
- your scope is complex, for example several modules, several sites, or specialist supports with clinical elements;
- you have a firm start date and little time to write, adapt and test a full system;
- nobody on your team has run a compliance system or been through an NDIS audit;
- a previous audit raised non-conformities and you need hands-on help to fix them; or
- you want someone to run a mock audit and coach your staff in how to answer.
In those cases, the extra money buys time and experience that a template cannot. The best outcome is often a hybrid: start from a full set of documents, then pay a consultant to review your adapted versions and rehearse the audit with you.
How to decide
- Work out your scope with the registration groups guide.
- Count the hours you can truly give, before the date you want to start.
- Decide which parts you can do well yourself and which you need help with.
- Get at least three quotes for any paid help, with scopes in writing.
- Read the steps in how to become a registered NDIS provider, so you know what you are buying help with.
If you want to see what our package covers before you decide, the full contents and pricing are listed.
This page is general information based on NDIS Commission and government sources at the date shown. It is not legal or professional advice, and the rules can change. Check the NDIS Commission's current requirements and read our disclaimer.