NDIS record keeping requirements: what providers must keep and show
NDIS providers must keep complete and accurate records of the supports they deliver. The NDIA lists support logs, rosters, case notes, invoices and service agreements, and the Practice Standards ask for participant information that is accurate, current and confidential. How long records are kept is a separate question, covered in our retention guide. NoteGate supports documentation compliance by checking notes before they are saved. It does not determine whether a provider meets its record keeping obligations.
Key takeaways
- The NDIA’s record keeping page (current as of 20 August 2026) says records include invoices, support logs, rosters, case notes and service agreements, and gives the minimum identifying information: participant name, NDIS number, dates, quantity or hours, and support type.
- It says case notes outline the activities a participant has engaged in and how they relate to the specific support item and the participant’s goals.
- Failing to provide complete and accurate records during a review may result in funds having to be repaid, according to the same page.
- Incident records, reportable incident records and restrictive practice records each have a stated 7 year minimum in the NDIS Rules. Retention for other records is covered in the retention guide.
What records must NDIS providers keep?
The NDIA says NDIS providers must keep complete and accurate records, including invoices, support logs, rosters, case notes and service agreements, with minimum identifying details for each support: the participant’s name and NDIS number, the dates, the quantity or hours, and the type of support (NDIS record keeping requirements).
The NDIA page carries a notice that its information may change as the new NDIS legislation takes effect. Check it before relying on a detail.
What is required, and what is good practice?
| Point | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Keep complete and accurate records of supports delivered | NDIA record keeping page | NDIA statement of provider obligations |
| Minimum identifying details: participant name, NDIS number, dates, quantity or hours, support type | Same | NDIA statement |
| Case notes outline activities and how they relate to the support item and goals | Same | NDIA guidance on case notes |
| Participant information is identifiable, accurately recorded, current and confidential; documents have retention and disposal processes proportionate to the supports delivered | Practice Standards, core module | Outcome and indicators, assessed by the auditor |
| Incident records and reportable incident records kept for 7 years | Incident Management Rules 2018, sections 12(4) and 25(2) | Legal minimum |
| Written information about regulated restrictive practices kept for 7 years | Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support Rules 2018, section 15(3) | Legal minimum |
| Notes written soon after the shift, with the participant’s response and a follow-up for the next worker | NoteGate view | Good practice. We found no stated legal deadline for writing a note; the Practice Standards say records are made in a timely manner |
What should a case note contain?
The NDIA describes case notes as outlining “the activities a participant has engaged in and how they relate to the specific support item and the participant’s goals”. It notes they may also include progress and plans. That description is guidance about content, not a template. The test in a review is whether the note shows what support was delivered and why. Compare the worked progress note examples, and see how to link notes to goals.
How long must records be kept?
That depends on the record. The Rules state 7 years for incident, reportable incident and restrictive practice records. Section 45B of the NDIS Act, in force from 27 August 2026, sets 7 years for prescribed records relating to a claim, and which kinds are prescribed is left to the NDIS Rules. See how long NDIS providers must keep records for the sources, dates and what we could not verify.
Where does NoteGate help?
NoteGate checks each shift note before it is saved against the participant’s own requirements, returns weak notes to the worker for correction, and keeps the validation history with the accepted record. That helps a provider produce records that show what was delivered, because weak notes are corrected while the shift is fresh. It does not replace a provider’s own record keeping policies or decide whether a record meets an obligation. See NDIS compliance software for how the parts fit together, and NDIS audit evidence for how records are used in an audit.
Frequently asked questions
What records must NDIS providers keep?
The NDIA says providers must keep complete and accurate records, including invoices, support logs, rosters, case notes and service agreements, with the participant’s name and NDIS number, dates, quantity or hours, and support type.
Is there a required format for NDIS shift notes?
No regulator we found publishes one required template. The NDIA describes case notes as outlining the activities a participant engaged in and how they relate to the support item and goals. The Practice Standards ask that information is accurate, current and timely.
Does NoteGate keep records for me?
NoteGate keeps validated notes, incidents and their history in the provider’s account, stored in Australia on AWS Sydney. A provider remains responsible for its own record keeping obligations. NoteGate supports documentation compliance and does not determine compliance.
Sources
- What are the record keeping requirements? (NDIS (NDIA), retrieved 25 September 2026)
- Core module: Provider governance and operational management (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, retrieved 26 September 2026)
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018 (Federal Register of Legislation, retrieved 25 September 2026)
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018, section 15 (Federal Register of Legislation, retrieved 25 September 2026)
Related
See NoteGate check a note before it is saved
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