If you or someone you support relies on supported independent living (NDIS) funding, there’s a change coming that’s worth understanding now rather than later. From 1 October 2026, plan managers will be required to reject invoices from Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers who aren’t registered or at least haven’t applied to be. For participants, families and support coordinators, this is the moment to ask a simple but important question: is your current SIL provider actually registered with the NDIS Commission?
What’s Actually Changing for SIL Providers
Until now, SIL has sat in an unusual position. Registered and unregistered providers could both deliver it, even though it involves some of the highest-risk, highest-intensity support in the whole scheme. That’s changing. In December 2025, the Minister for the NDIS announced that SIL and NDIS digital platform providers would need to meet mandatory registration requirements, and from 1 July 2026 those requirements officially came into effect.
Two things happened on that date:
- Registration became mandatory for anyone delivering SIL supports, not just encouraged or preferred.
- A new registration group, 0138 (Assistance with Supported Independent Living), replaced the old 0115 code for support delivered from 1 July 2026 onwards. Providers already registered under 0115 transitioned automatically, while everyone else needed to start the registration process.
This lines up with growing scrutiny of SIL more broadly. The sector has faced several independent reviews over the past couple of years, including the NDIS Review and the Disability Royal Commission, both of which flagged quality and safety gaps in shared living arrangements as an area needing stronger oversight.
The Hard Deadline: 1 October 2026
Here’s the part that actually bites. Providers didn’t need to be fully registered by 1 July 2026, but they did need to have applied. According to NDIS guidance on SIL claims and payment changes (July 2026), plan managers are expected to knock back invoices from any SIL provider that hasn’t registered or lodged an application by 1 October 2026.
In practical terms:
- Supports delivered up to 30 June 2026 could still be claimed under the old 0115 code.
- From 1 July 2026, all SIL claims must use the new 0138 code.
- From 1 October 2026, only registered providers, or those with a valid application in progress, can be paid at all.
That’s not a small compliance footnote. The NDIS Commission’s transition guidance for SIL providers (updated 2026) confirms that unregistered SIL delivery beyond this point can amount to a serious offence under the NDIS Act, carrying penalties that include jail time or a substantial fine, so it’s a genuine operating risk for any provider that hasn’t sorted its paperwork.
How to Check if Your Current Provider Is Registered
This is worth doing today, not next month. It takes about five minutes:
- Search the NDIS Commission’s public Provider Register, which lists every registered provider along with their registration number and the services they’re approved to deliver.
- Ask your provider directly for their registration number and check it matches what’s on the register.
- If they’ve applied but aren’t yet approved, ask for their application reference number and lodgement date, since plan managers may request this during the transition period.
- Check with your plan manager, who should already be tracking registration status for every SIL provider they pay.
If your provider is registered, or has a genuine application in train, there’s likely nothing urgent to do. If they can’t produce either, it’s time to start a conversation about your options.
What Happens to Your Funding If Your Provider Isn’t Registered
Your NDIS plan and your funding don’t disappear. What disappears is your ability to keep paying an unregistered provider for SIL past 1 October 2026. If that happens mid-arrangement, it can mean a scramble to find a new provider, a gap in support, or an awkward handover during an already stressful time.
The good news is that switching SIL providers is far less disruptive than most families expect, particularly if you start early. Support coordinators can help transfer service agreements, and a registered provider will be used to managing this kind of transition smoothly.
ADCS: A Registered SIL Provider in Greater Sydney
This is exactly the gap ADCS was built to fill. As an NDIS-registered provider (Registration No. 4050094160), our Supported Independent Living services in Sydney already meet the standards the rest of the sector is racing to catch up with. You can check our current registration status, or any provider’s, on the NDIS Commission’s public Provider Register at any time. Participants across Greater Sydney work with us because the compliance question is already answered, which means the conversation can stay focused on goals, routines and the right home, not paperwork.
If you’re weighing up whether to stay put or move, our guide on choosing the right NDIS provider in Sydney and our 2025 guide to NDIS SIL housing both walk through what to look for. If you’re still working out which type of support fits your situation, our piece on the differences between ILO, STA and SIL accommodation is a good place to start. When you’re ready to talk it through, our team is one call away via our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to change providers right now?
Not necessarily. If your provider is already registered, or has applied and can show a valid application reference, you can generally continue as normal through the transition period.
What’s the difference between the 0115 and 0138 codes?
0115 covered SIL alongside other shared living supports. From 1 July 2026, 0138 is a standalone code specifically for Supported Independent Living, with its own registration and practice standards.
Can I switch SIL providers without losing funding?
Yes. Your NDIS plan funding stays with you, not your provider. A support coordinator can help transfer your service agreement to a registered provider like ADCS with minimal disruption.
