The definition
The NDIS Commission's summary definition has two parts. An online application, website or system is an NDIS digital platform where:
- It acts as an intermediary between participants seeking NDIS supports and the people providing those supports, and
- Payments for those supports are processed through the platform, using NDIS funds from the participant's plan
What is in and out of scope
It only counts if its main purpose is connecting participants with supports funded from their plan. Platforms where participants find, book and pay independent workers through the platform are the typical example. They were previously called platform providers.
A website that simply lists providers, where the participant contacts the provider directly and pays them through their own plan arrangements, does not process NDIS payments, so it does not meet the definition. Booking or rostering software that does not handle plan payments is in the same position. Check the Provider Registration Rules for the full legal definition if you are unsure.
Why platforms must now be registered
A 2023 NDIS Commission inquiry found platforms give participants real choice and control, but also found problems: fees that were not always clear, personal information sometimes used the wrong way, and workers who were not always checked as safe to work with people with disability.
In December 2025 the government announced mandatory registration for digital platforms, alongside Supported Independent Living, and it started on 1 July 2026.
What registration requires
Platforms register under a new registration group, 0137 Providing an NDIS digital platform service. A registered digital platform provider must:
- Have certification audits by an approved quality auditor
- Comply with the core module of the NDIS Practice Standards
- Meet all other conditions of registration, plus conditions specific to digital platforms
Transition deadlines
- Existing unregistered platforms operating before 1 July 2026 had to submit a valid application including group 0137 before 1 October 2026, and can keep operating while it is assessed
- If an application is refused, the provider cannot deliver NDIS digital platform services
- New platforms cannot operate until the Commission approves their registration
New conditions from 1 January 2027
From 1 January 2027, registered digital platforms must also:
- Make sure every worker has a valid worker screening clearance before offering supports on the platform. Working on application is not allowed
- Check and display whether a banning order is in force against a worker, under the NDIS and aged care laws
- Check and display workers' credentials or qualifications, and explain how those checks are done
What participants should check
If you use a platform to find and pay workers, ask whether it is registered for group 0137 or has applied, and check it on the NDIS Commission's Find a registered provider search. Ask what fees you pay and who is responsible for the worker, and from 2027 look for the screening and qualification information platforms must show.