What is an NDIS provider? It is a person or organisation that delivers supports and services to NDIS participants, and it can be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or unregistered. Which type you can use depends on how your plan is managed and which supports you need.
This guide is for participants, families and carers who are choosing, changing or checking a provider. It covers the meaning of NDIS provider, the registered and unregistered types, what providers do and how to compare them.
The NDIS provider meaning is simple: it is whoever you pay, or whoever is paid on your behalf, to deliver a support in your plan. That could be a large organisation, a small business or a sole trader.
You choose the provider. Your plan gives you funding, and you decide who delivers the support and how, within the rules of your plan.
To see how the scheme itself works, read our guide to what the NDIS is.
The difference between the two types affects which supports and which participants a provider can serve, so it is worth understanding before you sign anything.
Registered providers have been audited against the relevant NDIS Practice Standards. Our guide to registered and unregistered NDIS providers compares them in detail.
These providers can still deliver many supports, which gives self-managed and plan-managed participants more choice. Read how to find an NDIS provider, including unregistered ones, to see where to look.
An NDIS provider delivers the supports your plan funds. The list below shows what to expect and discuss with a provider.
The NDIA reports how many providers are active each quarter.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →Registration is compulsory for some supports. The NDIA says supports that must be delivered by registered providers include the following (page current as of 23 June 2026, NDIA).
Mandatory registration is growing (NDIA).
If you want to deliver supports yourself, the first decision is whether to register. These steps describe the registration pathway.
You are allowed to shop around and to change your mind. A short checklist makes the decision easier.
Our guide to how to choose an NDIS provider goes through the questions to ask. If it is not working, read how to change NDIS providers and check the notice terms in your service agreement.
A service agreement sets out your supports in writing. The NDIA says it is an agreement between you and your provider describing your NDIS supports (page current as of 13 October 2026, NDIA).
The cancellation details come from the NDIS Pricing Arrangements, so check the current version for your support. Write your cancellation terms in the service agreement.
You can only use NDIS providers for funded supports if you are a participant. If you meet the NDIS access requirements, a plan can fund supports delivered by the providers described above.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →If you are comparing providers, write down the supports you want, the days and times that suit you, and the questions you want answered. We offer TQN Care NDIS services including personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Wollongong and Geelong. Tell us what you need and we will call you back to talk it through.
An NDIS provider is a person or organisation that delivers supports and services to NDIS participants. Providers can be registered with the NDIS Commission or unregistered, and the NDIS Code of Conduct applies to both. You choose who delivers your supports within the rules of your plan.
For a participant, a provider is the business or person you engage to deliver a support in your plan. Your plan management type decides which providers you can use, and a written service agreement sets out what they will deliver.
Not always. Supports for NDIA-managed participants, specialist disability accommodation, specialist behaviour support and plan management must come from registered providers. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can use unregistered providers for many other supports. Check your plan first.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission handles provider registration and regulates the NDIS. It is an independent Australian Government agency that is separate to the NDIA. You can raise concerns about a provider with the Commission if you cannot resolve them directly.
A service agreement describes your NDIS supports and is recommended when you start with a new provider. Include the supports, times, prices, notice and cancellation terms, and how to raise concerns. Specialist disability accommodation providers must have one in place with you.
Yes. You can change providers if the supports are not meeting your needs. Check the notice terms in your service agreement, tell the provider in writing, and arrange the new provider before you stop so your supports continue without a gap.
There is no single official list of unregistered NDIS providers to choose from. To find a provider, check registration with the NDIS…
A key difference in a registered vs unregistered NDIS provider is oversight: registered providers are approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards…