The two pathways at a glance
| Verification | Certification | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Lower-risk, lower-complexity supports | Higher-risk or complex supports |
| Format | Desktop review of documents | Stage 1 (remote document review) + Stage 2 (implementation assessment, often on site) |
| Assessed against | Verification Module requirements | Core Module + any supplementary modules in scope |
| Typical cost (our estimate, not an official figure) | $900 to $1,500 | $3,000 to $20,000+ depending on scope |
| Ongoing cycle | Renewal audit every 3 years | Mid-term audit (~18 months, with some exceptions) + renewal every 3 years |
Which registration groups trigger which pathway
Broadly, supports where the main risk is service quality (rather than direct personal care or clinical risk) fall under verification. Common verification-pathway groups include household tasks, home modifications design and construction, assistive products, innovative community participation, interpreting and translation, and most therapeutic supports delivered by AHPRA-registered or self-regulated allied health professionals.
Certification-pathway groups involve direct, ongoing, or clinical contact with participants: daily personal activities, high intensity daily personal activities, participation in community, social and civic activities, supported independent living (SIL, group 0138), specialist behaviour support, support coordination, early childhood supports, development of daily living and life skills, and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Specialist groups also pull their matching Practice Standards module into audit scope, Module 1 for high intensity supports, Module 2/2a for behaviour support, Module 3 for early childhood, Module 4 for specialised support coordination, and Module 5 for SDA.
To see a likely pathway for your groups, try our registration pathway checker. If every group you deliver is on the verification pathway, see our page for verification-only providers. The authoritative answer always comes from the initial scope of audit document the NDIS Commission emails you after you apply. The Commission's registration groups page lists the audit type for each group, and its quality audit process page describes both pathways. For how groups work in detail, see NDIS registration groups explained.
What a verification audit looks like
The auditor reviews a defined set of documents against the Verification Module: qualifications and AHPRA or professional body registrations, NDIS Worker Screening clearances, insurance certificates, incident management and complaints management processes, and a risk management approach proportionate to your services. There is no site visit and usually no interviews. Done well, the whole audit is finished in days to a few weeks.
The most common verification stumbles are administrative: expired insurance certificates, screening checks not yet cleared, or missing incident/complaints procedures. A tidy document set passes quickly.
What a certification audit looks like
Stage 1: document review
Conducted remotely. The auditor reviews your self-assessment and every policy, procedure, form, and register against each applicable Practice Standards outcome, the Core Module plus any supplementary modules in your scope. Gaps found here must be addressed before Stage 2 proceeds.
Stage 2: implementation assessment
The auditor tests whether your documented system actually operates. Expect interviews with key personnel, staff, and (with consent) participants; sampling of participant files, service agreements, and consent records; review of your incident, complaints, and restrictive practices registers; and checks of training records and worker screening. New providers without participants are assessed on readiness, your systems, registers, and staff understanding, with implementation tested more fully at the mid-term audit.
Findings are recorded as conformities and non-conformities. A minor non-conformity needs a corrective action plan and your registration can continue. The Commission says you have 3 months to fix a major non-conformity, and your registration will not progress until it is addressed. See our guide to audit non-conformities.
How to prepare for either pathway
- Map documents to outcomes. Build (or buy) a documentation set structured around the actual Practice Standards outcomes for your modules, so the auditor can trace every requirement to a document. That's how our 220+ document package is organised.
- Don't inflate your registration groups. Extra groups mean extra audit scope and cost. Register for what you'll genuinely deliver in the next 12 to 18 months.
- Get three quotes. Auditors price independently; identical scopes attract different fees and lead times. Full cost detail in our cost guide.
- Start your registers on day one. Even empty registers with clear procedures behind them demonstrate readiness; populated ones demonstrate implementation. Our audit checklist lists every register worth keeping.
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.