NDIS Worker Screening Check: A Plain-English Guide for Families and Carers

If someone you love relies on support workers, you want to know they are safe. The NDIS worker screening check is one of the main ways the system tries to make that happen. The name sounds technical, and families hear it said in different ways: "the NDIS check", "the worker screening clearance", "the NDISWC". This guide explains what it is, who needs one, and how you can check a worker yourself.

What is the NDIS worker screening check?

An NDIS worker screening check is an assessment by a state or territory worker screening unit. It decides whether a worker poses a risk to people with disability. The units do the check for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the NDIS Commission).

The outcome is either cleared or excluded. A cleared worker can work in certain roles with people with disability. An excluded worker cannot.

Some useful things to know:

• It's a national check. Workers apply in one state or territory, and the clearance is recognised everywhere. They don't need to reapply if they move interstate (NDIS Commission).
• It lasts up to 5 years unless it is cancelled or revoked. Workers can apply to renew up to 90 days before it expires (NDIS Commission).
• Results go into one national database, the NDIS Worker Screening Database. Employers check a worker's status there, so workers don't need to carry a paper certificate.
• It's separate from a Working with Children Check. Some jobs need both. The Commission suggests workers check this with their state's screening unit (NDIS Commission).

Who needs an NDIS worker screening check?

This depends on who the worker works for and what they do.

Workers with registered NDIS providers

People in risk-assessed roles at a registered NDIS provider must have a clearance. So must the provider's key personnel, such as the CEO, directors and board members (NDIS Commission).

A risk-assessed role is one that delivers certain supports directly and involves "more than incidental contact" with people with disability. Examples include:

• physically touching a person with disability
• building a rapport with them as a normal part of the job
• having contact with several people with disability while delivering a specialist disability support or working in specialist disability accommodation.

Contact can be physical, face-to-face, spoken, written or electronic. Staff, volunteers and students on placement can all be in risk-assessed roles (NDIS Commission).

What this means for you: the NDIS Commission says workers employed by a registered NDIS provider will already have a current clearance (NDIS Commission).

Workers with unregistered providers or hired directly

If you self-manage or plan-manage your NDIS funding, you can use unregistered providers. You can also hire workers yourself. In that case, there is no rule that the worker must hold a clearance (NDIS Commission).

You still have the right to accept only workers with a current clearance. The NDIS Commission recommends it for your safety, wellbeing and peace of mind. You can:

• hire only workers who already have a clearance
• ask a current worker to apply, or stop using them if they won't
• choose unregistered providers that require clearances for all their workers
• ask your provider to send only screened workers to support you.

How to check if a support worker is cleared

You can see a worker's status yourself if you self-manage your NDIS plan. Here's how it works, based on the NDIS Commission's participant guidance.

Step 1: Get access to the database

Apply for access to the Self-managed participants portal, which is how participants use the NDIS Worker Screening Database. After you apply, you'll get an email with a link to finalise your access. If the link expires or doesn't work, the Commission has instructions on its portal quick reference guides page.

Step 2: Link your workers

A worker has to be linked to you before you can see their status. You'll need their last name and their Worker Screening ID or Application ID. You can only link workers who have already applied for a check.

Step 3: Read their status

Once a worker is linked, their status shows on the "My workers" page. It will be one of these:

Source: NDIS Commission – Worker screening for participants

A clearance can expire, or change to excluded or suspended. It's worth checking your workers from time to time. When a worker is linked to you, you'll also get a notification as their check gets close to expiring.

If your worker is through a provider

If you plan-manage, or your workers come through a provider, you won't normally see the database yourself. Ask the provider in writing to confirm that every worker sent to you holds a current NDIS worker screening clearance. Good providers are happy to confirm this.

How does a worker apply?

The worker applies through the worker screening unit in the state or territory where they live. They apply to only one state or territory (NDIS Commission).

Links are taken from the NDIS Commission's worker screening page.

If you're the employer (self-managed participants)

Every application has to name an employer. If you hire a worker directly, that employer is you. Here's how that part works (NDIS Commission):

1. Give the worker your Participant Worker Screening ID. You can find it or generate a document with it in the Self-managed participants portal.
2. The worker applies to their state or territory screening unit and enters your ID.
3. You verify the application in the portal to confirm you intend to employ them to provide NDIS supports.

Workers pay a fee for their check, and the fee is set by each state or territory. The Commission asks participants to give out their ID only if they genuinely intend to employ the worker.

Can someone start work while they wait?

Some states and territories let a worker start with a registered provider while their application is processed, under conditions (NDIS Commission). If you hire directly, it's your choice whether to wait for a clearance. Many families prefer to wait.

Renewals and what changed in October 2026

• Renewing: Clearances last up to 5 years. Workers can apply to renew up to 90 days before expiry, through the screening unit in the state where they currently live (NDIS Commission).
• New portal for providers: From 12 October 2026, registered and deregistered providers do worker screening in the new NDIS Commission Portal. Self-managed participants and unregistered providers keep using the portals they already use. The database itself is not moving (NDIS Commission).

Screening is one safeguard, not the only one

A clearance tells you a worker has passed a check. It doesn't tell you whether they're the right fit for your family. A few more things help:

• The NDIS Code of Conduct applies to all NDIS providers and workers, registered or not. It sets out how they must behave (NDIS Commission – Code of Conduct).
• Training: The NDIS Commission offers a free online Worker Orientation Module, "Quality, safety and you". The Commission describes it as "a mandatory course for all NDIS providers and workers in the disability sector" (NDIS Commission – training modules). It's fair to ask a worker for their certificate.
• Speak up: If you're worried about a worker or provider, you can make a complaint to the NDIS Commission. In an emergency, call 000.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an NDIS worker screening check last?

Up to 5 years from the date it's issued, unless it's cancelled or revoked. Workers can apply to renew up to 90 days before it expires (NDIS Commission).

Does my support worker need a check if I self-manage?

There's no legal requirement if you hire them directly or use an unregistered provider. The NDIS Commission recommends you only accept workers with a current clearance, and you have the right to insist on it (NDIS Commission).

Is the NDIS check the same as a police check or a Working with Children Check?

No. The NDIS worker screening check is a separate national clearance for working with people with disability. Some jobs also need a Working with Children Check. Workers can ask their state's screening unit which checks their role needs.

Does a worker need a new check if they move interstate?

No. The check is nationally recognised. A worker only needs to reapply if their check expires or is cancelled (NDIS Commission).

How much does the check cost?

Each state or territory sets its own fee. Check the fee on your state's screening unit website (see the table above).

How can I see my worker's screening status?

Self-managed participants can apply for access to the Self-managed participants portal, link their worker, and see their status on the "My workers" page. If your workers come through a provider, ask the provider to confirm their clearances in writing.

---

Find screened, local support on FindMyHelp

Find NDIS providers near you

Send one free request and get matched with local providers who have availability. Free for families and carers.

Get matched

Looking for support workers or NDIS providers near you? Find providers near you on FindMyHelp. Compare local NDIS providers, see the services they offer, and send one free request to get matched. It's free for families and carers.

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Always check the official sources linked above for your situation.