How to Become an NDIS Registered Gardener

For many gardening and lawn care businesses, becoming a registered NDIS Provider is a smart way to grow and solidify your reputation as a quality provider.

NDIS registration for gardeners is a strategic choice rather than a legal requirement (as of December 2025). While recent headlines have confirmed that mandatory registration for SIL and Platform providers will apply by July 2026, these new rules do not yet apply to gardeners.

It opens the door to working with participants who have their funds managed by the NDIA (Agency Managed), who can only use registered providers. If the NDIS eventually requires some form of mandatory registration for all providers as discussed in the NDIS Review, getting registered now can help you get ahead of the crowd.

The good news for gardeners is that you’ll typically fall under a low risk category. This means you generally don’t need the expensive, week-long site audits that large support work companies go through. Instead, you go through a streamlined process called Verification.

This guide covers the specific Registration Group you need, the audit pathway, and the documentation required to get registered.

The Registration Group: 0120 Household Tasks

The NDIS Commission uses Registration Groups to categorise services. There is no group specifically for gardening, but gardening and yard maintenance fall under 0120 Household Tasks.

When you start your application on the NDIS Commission portal, this is the registration group you should select for gardening.

Verification vs Certification

There are two types of NDIS audits: Verification and Certification.

• Certification is for higher-risk services (like personal care or housing). It can be expensive and involves site visits, record reviews and interviews with management, workers, and participants.
• Verification is for lower-risk services (like gardening and cleaning). It is a desktop audit, meaning the auditor reviews your documents remotely.

NDIS registration for gardeners will generally only require a Verification Audit, unless you decide to add on additional registration groups which may trigger Certification. Only choosing 0120 Household Tasks will keep you in the Verification pathway.

You can read more about the financial and operational differences in our NDIS Certification vs Verification Audit breakdown.

The 4 Requirements for Verification

To pass a Verification audit, you don’t need hundreds of pages of clinical governance. However, you do need to prove you have a professional business structure and specific safeguarding processes in place for the NDIS participants you provide services to. The auditor will look for evidence in four key areas:

1. Human Resource Management: Do you and your staff have the required checks, qualifications and insurance?
2. Incident Management: What is your process if something goes wrong (e.g., property damage or an injury to a worker or participant)?
3. Complaints Management: How can a participant give you feedback, and how do you resolve issues?
4. Risk Management: How do you assess risks to your organisation and for your everyday work?

Read more about the NDIS Commission’s Verification requirements here.

Required Documents and Checks

Before you apply, you should gather the following evidence which your auditor will request during the audit process.

• Identity and Right To Work: If you’re operating as a sole trader or a partnership, 100 points of identification and evidence of Right To Work in Australia is required.
• Insurance: Public Liability is required at a minimum for gardeners. You may also require Accident Insurance and Professional Indemnity insurance depending on your services provided.
• NDIS Worker Orientation Module: A certificate of completion of this module should be provided for each worker.
• NDIS Worker Screening Check: All key personnel and workers visiting clients must have a current clearance.
• Infection control and PPE training: Evidence that workers have been trained in infection control and the use of PPE
• Operational Documents (policies and procedures): You’ll need a policy manual that covers the four pillars mentioned above at a minimum. These documents should reflect your daily practice and how your business actually runs, so be mindful of this if you decide to purchase generic document packs online (i.e. make sure you take the time to edit them).

The Registration Process

Step 1: Start your Application

Log in to the NDIS Commission Portal and start a New Application. Enter your business details and select 0120 Household Tasks as your registration group. You’ll be required to complete a self-assessment against the relevant NDIS Practice Standards and may be prompted to upload your evidence documentation at this time.

Step 2: Receive your Initial Scope of Audit

Once you submit your registration application, the system will generate a document called an Initial Scope of Audit. This document confirms whether you require a Verification or Certification audit.

Step 3: Engage an Approved Quality Auditor

You must engage an independent Approved Quality Auditor (AQA) from the list published by the NDIS Commission to complete your audit. Send them your Initial Scope of Audit and ask for a quote for a Verification Audit.

Verification audits typically cost between $900 and $1,500 depending on the auditor.

Step 4: Submit your Documents

If you haven’t uploaded your evidence documents as part of your application, or if the auditor notices that anything is missing, your auditor will ask you to provide your policies, insurance, and worker screening records. They will review them against the NDIS Practice Standards and determine if there are gaps. If a major non-conformity is identified, you’ll be required to provide additional evidence within a 3 month timeframe, before the auditor can finalise your audit report.

Step 5: The Decision

Once the auditor has completed your report, they will submit their recommendation to the NDIS Commission. The Commission then assesses your application and audit result, and makes the final decision on your registration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a formal qualification?

For a Verification audit, the NDIS requires you to show you are qualified to do the job. While a Certificate III in Horticulture is great, auditors will generally accept evidence of relevant experience for gardeners. You can demonstrate this with a CV detailing your work history or references from past clients.

Can I charge more if I am registered?

The NDIS Price Limits set the maximum amount a provider can charge. While being registered doesn’t mean you charge more, you will be able to expand your potential client base to include Agency Managed participants and boost your reputation as a safe provider that meets the NDIS Practice Standards.

How long does it take?

The audit itself is usually quick (often done in a few days once you submit documents). If the auditors find any gaps in your documentation you may be required to submit further evidence. Once the auditor has finalised your report, the NDIS Commission’s final processing can take several weeks or months depending on their backlog.