Ths NDIS announced on 27 August updated rules for record keeping in the NDIS.
What are ‘records’?
Records include:
- provider invoices (to show what providers billed you)
- receipts or your bank account records (to show what you paid)
- correspondence that shows any difference between these two
- service agreements (to show how much you agreed to pay)
How long must I keep records?
The length of time required depends on who you are in the NDIS.
Providers
Providers must retain records for 7 years.
Participants
Participants must retain records for 3 years.
Plan Managers
Participants must retain records for 3 years.
Other
People who are neither participant nor provider (for example nominees and child reps) must retain records for 5 years.
Tips for keeping records
If most of your payment communication is via email, make sure you have a folder in your email box that is only for ‘NDIS’ related services.
TIP: If you receive an invoice to pay in the post, take a photo and email it to yourself!
If you are super organised and save everything to your computer, create 1 NDIS folder and then sub folders for each NDIS plan year.
Note: If you are Plan Managed, it’s your Plan Manager’s job to keep records so you don’t need to worry about it!
Agency managed participants do not need to keep records as the NDIS handles all their payments.
Why should I keep records?
- Payment Integrity Claims Reviews: If a self-managed participant submits an invoice that triggers an internal system alert, the NDIA will contact the participant or their nominee.
- Payment Integrity Audit: When the NDIS requests invoices, receipts, or proof of delivery for services that have already been paid for.
The NDIA continuously screen past transactions. A historical claim might be flagged months later if it matches a high-risk category (like high-volume allied health, sudden spikes in transport, or complex support coordination).
The NDIA will require the participant or Plan Manager to provide proof of service—such as service agreements, receipts, bank statements, or support logs—before or after releasing funds.
What happens if you don’t have the records?
If the documentation is missing or invalid: The NDIA can retrospectively cancel the approval of that payment.
- For providers (including Plan Managers), the NDIA will generally take the money back from their future payment claims.
This is why Plan Managers have to make sure they are only paying for supports included in your NDIS plan.
- For self-managed participants, the NDIA may raise a formal debt against the individual and require the funds to be paid back to the scheme.
- If the refusal to supply records suggests systemic issues, the participant’s plan may be forced into Agency-management or Plan-management to restrict control over funding.
