Do I Need to Register Under Registration Group 0138?

Article Summary

Do you need to register under NDIS Registration Group 0138? It depends on the supports your organisation provides. Registration Group 0138 – Assistance with Supported Independent Living (SIL) was introduced as part of the NDIS mandatory registration reforms and applies specifically to providers delivering Supported Independent Living services. This article explains who needs Registration Group 0138, what counts as SIL, how it differs from the previous registration arrangements, what the new SIL Practice Standards require, and what providers should do now to prepare for audit and ongoing compliance.

Key Points

• Registration Group 0138 is the new NDIS registration group for providers delivering Supported Independent Living (SIL) services.
• Not every provider supporting participants in their home requires Registration Group 0138. It depends on whether the supports meet the definition of Supported Independent Living.
• Providers registered under Registration Group 0138 must comply with the new SIL Practice Standards (Module 5A) as well as the relevant NDIS Core Module requirements.
• The new SIL Practice Standards place greater emphasis on supported decision-making, safeguarding, workforce capability, governance, and separating housing from support arrangements.
• Registration Group 0138 replaced Registration Group 0115 for SIL providers from 1 July 2026.
• Auditors will assess more than policies and procedures, they will look for objective evidence that the SIL Practice Standards are implemented in everyday practice.
• SIL providers should review their policies, workforce training, governance systems, participant documentation and audit evidence to ensure they are prepared for future NDIS audits.
• If you’re unsure whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation, seeking advice from an experienced NDIS registration consultant can help ensure you choose the correct registration pathway and avoid costly delays.

Do you need to register under NDIS Registration Group 0138?

The answer depends on the support your organisation delivers. 

As part of the NDIS mandatory registration reforms, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission introduced Registration Group 0138 – Assistance with Supported Independent Living (SIL). This new registration group specifically applies to providers delivering Supported Independent Living services and is accompanied by four dedicated SIL Practice Standards. 

If your organisation currently delivers SIL, or intends to in the future, it’s important to understand whether these requirements apply to you. 

What is Registration Group 0138? 

Registration Group 0138 is the NDIS registration group for providers delivering Assistance with Supported Independent Living (SIL). 

It has been introduced as part of broader reforms designed to strengthen quality, consistency and participant safeguards within Supported Independent Living services. 

Unlike previous arrangements, providers registered under Registration Group 0138 must demonstrate compliance with the new SIL-specific Practice Standards (Module 5A) in addition to the relevant Core Module requirements. 

These Standards introduce stronger expectations around: 

• Supported decision-making 

• Safeguarding 

• Practice governance 

• Agreements about tenancy, housing and support arrangements. 

What Is Considered Supported Independent Living (SIL)? 

Before determining whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation, it’s important to understand what Supported Independent Living (SIL) actually is. 

SIL is a package of home and living support for people with higher support needs. A person provides assistance with supported independent living (SIL) to a participant if: 

• The person with disability requires support at all times of the day, or for most of the day. 

• The assistance provided helps the person with disability to live in their home as autonomously as possible and access the community, by: 

• Assisting with daily life tasks, or 

• Supervising daily life tasks 

• The provider is managing and delivering supported independent living supports. Providers make sure the participant receives home and living support in accordance with the package of supports. 

• It is not SIL if: 

• A person only receives a few hours of support a day or week, or 

• A person chooses and manages their own support workers (this includes directing, planning and rostering their own support workers). 

The distinction is important because not every provider delivering supports in a participant’s home is delivering Supported Independent Living. Understanding whether your services meet the characteristics of SIL is the first step in determining whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation. 

If you’re unsure whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation, speak with an experienced NDIS registration consultant before starting your application. Getting the registration pathway right from the outset can save significant time, cost and effort. 

Who Needs to Register? 

Registration Group 0138 applies to organisations that deliver Supported Independent Living (SIL) funded through the NDIS. 

This includes providers supporting participants who require ongoing assistance with daily living tasks within their home while promoting greater independence and choice. 

If your organisation delivers SIL supports, or intends to begin delivering SIL supports, you should review the mandatory registration requirements to determine whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your services. 

I’m Already Registered for SIL. Do I Need to Change? 

If you’re already a registered SIL provider, you won’t simply continue operating under the previous arrangements. 

The Commission has introduced Registration Group 0138 alongside the new SIL Practice Standards, and providers should ensure they understand how these changes affect their registration, audit requirements and ongoing compliance obligations. 

Importantly, compliance is no longer just about meeting the Core Module requirements. Providers delivering SIL must also demonstrate implementation of the dedicated SIL Practice Standards during audit. 

What Has Changed? 

While many of the underlying quality principles will already be familiar, Registration Group 0138 introduces several important changes. 

These include: 

• Four dedicated SIL Practice Standards. 

• Greater emphasis on supported decision-making and participant will and preferences. 

• Stronger safeguarding requirements within shared living environments, including co-tenant safeguarding. 

• Increased focus on workforce capability and evidence-informed practice. 

• Clearer separation between housing and support arrangements. 

• Greater emphasis on demonstrating implementation through objective evidence during audit. 

For many providers, the biggest change isn’t developing entirely new systems, it’s ensuring existing systems are effectively implemented and consistently demonstrated in practice. 

What Will Auditors Be Looking For? 

Auditors will be looking for more than just compliant documentation. 

Providers should be able to demonstrate that: 

• Policies and procedures align with the new SIL Practice Standards 

• Workers understand their roles and responsibilities 

• Workers are trained and assessed as competent in the new requirements 

• Participants are actively supported to exercise choice and control 

• Governance systems are operating effectively 

• Risks are identified, managed and reviewed 

• Quality improvement activities are informed by incidents, complaints and participant feedback 

• Objective evidence supports everyday practice. 

In other words, auditors will be looking for evidence that compliance is embedded throughout the organisation, not simply documented. 

What Should Providers Do Now? 

If Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation, now is the time to review your systems. 

Consider whether your organisation has: 

• Reviewed policies and procedures against the new SIL Practice Standards 

• Identified any gaps against Module 5A 

• Updated workforce training and competency requirements 

• Reviewed participant documentation and service agreements 

• Strengthened governance and quality assurance systems 

• Prepared the objective evidence auditors are likely to request. 

Taking a proactive approach now can make future audits significantly smoother and help ensure your organisation is well positioned to deliver high-quality Supported Independent Living services. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Does every NDIS provider need Registration Group 0138? 

No. Registration Group 0138 specifically applies to providers delivering Supported Independent Living services. Whether it applies to your organisation depends on the support/s you deliver. 

Is Registration Group 0138 the same as Registration Group 0115? 

No. Registration Group 0138 – Assistance with Supported Independent Living replaced Registration Group 0115 on 1 July 2026 for SIL supports as part of the NDIS mandatory registration reforms. 

Unlike Registration Group 0115, Registration Group 0138 is supported by dedicated SIL Practice Standards, which set specific quality and compliance requirements for providers delivering Supported Independent Living services. 

Do I need to rewrite all of my policies? 

Not necessarily. Most providers will need to review and update some policies, procedures and supporting documentation to align with the new SIL Practice Standards and current NDIS Commission terminology. Just as importantly, providers must be able to demonstrate that these requirements are consistently implemented in practice. 

Need Help Understanding Your Registration Requirements? 

Understanding whether Registration Group 0138 applies to your organisation is only the first step. Providers must also understand the new SIL Practice Standards, prepare for audit and ensure they can demonstrate compliance through objective evidence. 

At Engels Floyd Quality Consulting, we help NDIS providers in Australia navigate registration requirements, review governance systems, prepare for audit and implement practical compliance solutions tailored to their organisation. 

If you’re unsure how the new registration requirements apply to your organisation, book a free consultation with our team. We’d be happy to discuss your circumstances and help you plan your next steps with confidence. 

Feel free to contact EFQC today to discuss your next steps and book a consultation with our experienced team