The New 0138 SIL Registration Group: Everything Your Organisation Needs to Know

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has officially introduced mandatory registration for Supported Independent Living — along with a brand new Practice Standards module. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of what’s changed, who it affects, and what you need to do next.

Less than 4 weeks to 1 July 2026 — the mandatory registration commencement date. If you haven’t started your registration, now is the time to act.

Four Dates. No Flexibility.

The NDIS Commission has set clear, strictly enforced timelines. Continuing to deliver SIL without initiating registration after these dates carries severe regulatory penalties — including being required to cease service delivery entirely.

• 1 July 2026 — Enforcement Begins: Registration group 0138 officially replaces 0115 for SIL. Mandatory registration takes effect. You must have commenced an application to keep delivering SIL.
• 1 October 2026 — Unregistered Providers Hard Cutoff: If you haven’t submitted a formal 0138 application by this date, you must legally cease all SIL services. Maximum penalty: 2 years imprisonment, 120 penalty units, or both.
• Existing Registered Providers (0115) — No Immediate Action: The Commission will automatically update your registration certificate to include 0138. New standards apply at your next mid-term or recertification audit.
• New Market Entrants — Approval Before Day One: Any provider planning to launch SIL must have their 0138 registration fully approved before they can legally commence service delivery.

Not sure where you sit? Our team at Effective Policy can help you work out which pathway applies to your organisation and what you need to do next.

What Is the New 0138 Registration Group?

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has officially introduced registration group 0138 – Assistance with Supported Independent Living. This dedicated group replaces the old 0115 classification specifically for SIL, and it comes with a new Practice Standards module designed around the realities of shared living and daily in-home support.

Registration under 0138 requires a full Certification Audit — the most thorough audit level in the NDIS framework. This is not a verification audit. It involves a two-stage process assessing both your documentation systems and actual on-the-ground practice.

The new SIL Practice Standards focus on quality and safety in shared accommodation with daily supports, as well as improving guidance for frontline workers. They sit alongside the existing Core Module — they don’t replace it.

If you need help understanding what a Certification Audit involves and how to prepare, our internal audit preparation service is a good place to start.

Does the Definition Apply to You? The Four Legal Criteria

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018 have been updated to legally embed the new 0138 definition. A provider is deemed to be delivering “Assistance with Supported Independent Living” — and must therefore register — if all four of the following legislative criteria are met:

1. Continuous Care Needs: The participant with a disability requires active support at all times of the day, or for most of the day.
2. Autonomy Promotion: The assistance directly enables the participant to live in their home as autonomously as possible and access the broader community.
3. Core Task Execution: The assistance is delivered through either supervising or directly assisting with daily life tasks.
4. Provider Oversight: The provider is directly managing and delivering the coordinated package of home and living supports.

If all four criteria apply to your service model, you are delivering SIL under the new definition — regardless of how the funding line has historically been labelled. If you’re unsure, book a consulting session and we’ll work through it with you.

The Four New Practice Standards — Decoded

The Draft SIL Practice Standards Module sets out four core areas every SIL provider will be audited against. Each standard has specific quality indicators — concrete evidence an auditor will ask to see.

1. Participant Rights & Choice

This standard requires active support for participant autonomy — including the right to shape their daily routines, select preferred support workers, and dictate how they live within their shared space. Workers must support decision-making, not override it, and dignity of risk must be upheld even when a choice carries consequences.

What auditors will want to see:

• A supported decision-making policy with worker training records against it
• Accessible information formats matched to each participant’s communication style
• Records confirming participant views were sought on how and whether they want support
• Dignity-of-risk decisions documented rather than quietly overridden

2. The Safeguarding Standard

Workers must be fully trained in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, and positive behaviour support. Distinctively for shared living environments, this standard also addresses conflict and bullying between co-tenants — a gap that previous standards didn’t adequately cover.

What auditors will want to see:

• A safeguarding policy and procedure
• Training records in de-escalation, trauma-informed practice and positive behaviour support
• House-level incident management records that are actively used, not just filed
• Records showing safeguarding approaches are reviewed with participants

3. Service Quality & House Governance

Providers must demonstrate robust internal risk frameworks, proactive incident management, and visible separation between property management and day-to-day support delivery. Governance must extend to individual house level — not just organisational policy on paper.

What auditors will want to see:

• A workforce training and competency framework with supervision records
• A documented vision, values and service-delivery approach for each home
• Rehearsed, individualised emergency plans per house
• Co-tenant consultation and matching records

4. Home Environment Support Delivery

This standard catches providers who are both landlord and support provider — and it’s the most common compliance gap. The service agreement and tenancy agreement must be legally separate and non-contingent. Participant tenancy rights — keys, private space, visitors — must be protected so the home is a place of security, not leverage.

What auditors will want to see:

• Separate, signed service and tenancy agreements
• A conflict-of-interest policy made accessible to participants
• Records confirming the participant understands both agreements are legally separate
• Service agreement terms covering vacancies, co-tenant conflict, and visitor access

Need help building policies that satisfy all four standards? Our NDIS policy templates are built to current Practice Standards and are ready to customise for your organisation.

Which Transition Pathway Applies to You?

Currently registered under 0115: No immediate action required. The Commission will automatically update your registration certificate to include 0138. The new standards apply at your next mid-term or recertification audit — so use that lead time wisely. Run an internal audit now to identify gaps before your auditor does.

Currently delivering SIL unregistered: You must submit a formal application for 0138 by 1 October 2026 or legally cease all SIL services. The full certification process typically takes 3–12 months — which means you need to start your registration today.

New to the market: 0138 registration must be fully approved before you can legally commence any SIL service delivery. Don’t launch before your registration is confirmed. Learn how to avoid the common registration mistakes here.

Your Action Plan Before July

Auditor capacity is already tightening as the July cohort files applications. Here’s what to prioritise right now:

1. Confirm whether the legal definition applies to you — use the four criteria above. If in doubt, get expert advice.
2. Begin or complete your 0138 registration application if you’re currently unregistered. The registration course can save you thousands in consultant fees.
3. Write the four required policies — supported decision-making, safeguarding, practice governance, and conflict of interest. Use our NDIS policy templates to get there faster.
4. Separate your tenancy and service agreements if you’re both landlord and support provider. This is the single most common audit gap for SIL providers.
5. Stand up a house-level incident register and use it actively — auditors can tell the difference between a register that exists and one that’s lived in.
6. Book worker training in de-escalation, trauma-informed care and positive behaviour support. Our training and induction system covers all three.
7. Run an internal audit before your certification auditor arrives. Our internal audit service identifies gaps before they become formal findings.

How Effective Policy Can Help

Effective Policy specialises in NDIS provider registration, audit preparation, policy development and compliance management. Here are the services most relevant to SIL providers right now:

• Become a Registered NDIS Provider — step-by-step guidance through the 0138 registration process
• Internal NDIS Audit — identify your gaps before the certification auditor does
• NDIS Policy Templates — compliant, customisable policies built to current Practice Standards
• NDIS Consulting — expert one-on-one advice tailored to your organisation
• Compliance Management System — keep your compliance live, not just audit-ready
• Staff Training & Induction — get your workforce audit-ready across all four standards
• NDIS Commission Response Service — support if you receive a notice or complaint from the regulator
• NDIS Provider Audit Stress Help — practical support when audit pressure is mounting

Contact our team to discuss your situation and find the right starting point.

This article is based on the NDIS Commission’s Draft SIL Practice Standards Module (May 2026) and associated regulatory guidance. The final version of the standards is due before 1 July 2026. Always verify current requirements at the NDIS Commission’s Mandatory Registration hub. This article does not constitute legal advice.