Every registered NDIS provider is assessed against the NDIS Practice Standards modules. But not every provider is assessed against the same modules. Which ones apply to you depends on the supports you deliver and your registration groups.
Getting this wrong means preparing for the wrong audit. Spending time on modules that don’t apply to you while missing the ones that do.
This guide breaks down every NDIS Practice Standards module, what it covers, who it applies to and what auditors look for. Use it as a reference when preparing for your next audit or reviewing your compliance documentation.
At a glance: The NDIS Practice Standards have one Core Module that applies to all registered providers, plus seven Supplementary Modules that apply based on the supports you deliver. Certification audits cover both Core and relevant Supplementary Modules. Verification audits cover the Core Module only.
The Modules
- Core Module (all registered providers)
- High Intensity Daily Personal Activities
- Specialist Behaviour Support
- Implementing Behaviour Support Plans
- Early Childhood Supports
- Specialist Support Coordination
- Supported Independent Living (new from 1 July 2026)
- Plan Management
Core Module (All Registered Providers)
The Core Module applies to every registered NDIS provider regardless of the supports they deliver. It’s the baseline. Both certification and verification audits assess against it.
The Core Module covers four areas.
Rights and responsibilities. Participants have choice and control over how their supports are delivered. Your policies and practices must demonstrate that you respect this. Auditors check whether participants were involved in planning their supports and whether their preferences are reflected in service delivery.
Provider governance and operational management. Your organisation needs documented governance structures, financial management processes, a risk management framework and a continuous improvement system. Auditors look for evidence that these aren’t just documents, they’re actively used and reviewed.
Provision of supports. How you deliver supports must be safe, competent and person-centred. This covers assessment and planning, support delivery, transitions between providers and the use of interpreters and communication supports.
Support provision environment. The physical environments where you deliver supports must be safe, accessible and appropriate. This applies to both your offices and any environments where participants receive services.
What auditors check: Policies exist, staff know them, they’re followed in practice and there’s evidence of continuous improvement. The NDIS Compliance Checklist is a good starting point for self-assessment against the Core Module.
High Intensity Daily Personal Activities
Applies to providers delivering complex personal care supports that carry a higher risk of harm. This includes supports like bowel care, complex wound management, tracheostomy care, ventilator management and enteral feeding.
What auditors check: Staff have the specific clinical skills and training required for each support type. Supervision arrangements are documented. Risk assessments are specific to the participant and the support being delivered. Your risk assessment processes should be current and participant-specific.
If your team delivers these supports and your compliance documentation isn’t structured to produce this evidence quickly, you need a system that can. Book a 15-minute walkthrough with FlowLogic to see how compliance tracking connects to your workforce and service delivery data.
Specialist Behaviour Support
Applies to providers who develop Behaviour Support Plans (BSPs) for NDIS participants. This is a specialist registration group with specific practitioner requirements.
What auditors check: Practitioners hold the required qualifications and are registered with the NDIS Commission as behaviour support practitioners. BSPs follow the positive behaviour support framework. Plans include strategies to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices over time.
Implementing Behaviour Support Plans
Applies to providers who implement (not develop) BSPs, including providers delivering SIL, group homes and day programs where participants have behaviour support plans in place.
What auditors check: Staff understand the BSP and can describe how they implement it in practice. Every use of a restrictive practice is recorded with the time, duration, reason and de-escalation attempted. Records match the conditions authorised in the BSP. There’s evidence of progress toward reducing restrictive practices.
Early Childhood Supports
Applies to providers delivering early childhood early intervention (ECEI) supports for children under 9.
What auditors check: Evidence-based practices are used. Families and carers are involved in planning and delivery. Supports are delivered in the child’s natural environment where appropriate. Progress is documented against developmental goals.
Specialist Support Coordination
Applies to providers delivering specialist support coordination for participants with complex needs.
What auditors check: Coordinators demonstrate specialist knowledge relevant to the participant’s needs. There’s evidence of coordination across multiple providers and service systems. Crisis planning and response arrangements are documented and current.
Supported Independent Living (New From 1 July 2026)
The newest module, applying to all providers delivering SIL services from 1 July 2026 under mandatory registration. Registration group 0138.
What auditors check: Quality and safety in shared accommodation settings. Participant choice within the living environment. Individual support plans that reflect the participant’s goals and preferences. Staff-to-participant ratios appropriate to the support needs. We covered the full SIL registration requirements in our post on NDIS audit preparation.
Plan Management
Applies to providers delivering plan management services, managing NDIS funding on behalf of participants.
What auditors check: Accurate invoice verification against the Pricing Schedule. Transparent payment records with full audit trails. Timely claims submission. Participant budget visibility. Compliance with the Core Module in addition to plan management-specific requirements.
How to Use This Guide
Step 1: Identify which modules apply to your registration groups. The Core Module always applies. The supplementary modules depend on the supports you deliver.
Step 2: For each applicable module, review your policies, procedures and evidence against what auditors check. Use this guide alongside the NDIS Compliance Checklist for a structured self-assessment.
Step 3: Fix gaps before your audit, not during it. If your compliance evidence is scattered across multiple systems, centralise it. If staff can’t describe your processes, train them. If your documentation hasn’t been reviewed in 12 months, review it now.
For a full timeline of what’s coming this financial year, see our post on NDIS compliance deadlines for FY27.
Get Your Compliance Evidence in One Place
The providers who pass audits cleanly aren’t the ones with the best policies. They’re the ones who can produce evidence quickly, consistently and accurately.
Book a demo with FlowLogic to see how we centralise compliance documentation, incident logs, credential tracking and audit evidence in one platform built for NDIS providers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NDIS Practice Standards modules are there?
There are eight modules: one Core Module that applies to all registered providers and seven Supplementary Modules that apply based on the supports you deliver.
Which module applies to all providers?
The Core Module. It covers rights and responsibilities, governance, provision of supports and the support provision environment. Both certification and verification audits assess against it.
How do I know which supplementary modules apply to me?
Check your registration groups. Each supplementary module maps to specific support types. SIL providers need the SIL module. Behaviour support practitioners need the Specialist Behaviour Support module. Providers implementing BSPs need the Implementing Behaviour Support Plans module.
When did the SIL Practice Standards module start?
From 1 July 2026, under mandatory SIL registration. All SIL providers must be assessed against this module at their next certification audit.
What’s the difference between certification and verification audits?
Certification audits include a site visit and cover both Core and Supplementary Modules. Verification audits are document-based and cover the Core Module only. Your audit pathway depends on the supports you deliver.
Can I self-assess against the Practice Standards before my audit?
Yes. Use this guide to identify which modules apply, then work through each one against your policies and evidence. The NDIS Compliance Checklist is a structured tool for the Core Module self-assessment.
