You run a small SIL service — maybe one or two houses — and you've just learned that registration becomes mandatory on 1 July 2026. You search "what documents do I need," and every result is either a $7,000 consultant pitch or a government page written in audit-speak. You still don't have the list. This is the list.
The short answer
A small SIL provider needs about 74 documents — roughly 25 policies, 25 forms, 10 registers, worked examples and an audit evidence checklist — each mapped to one of the four NDIS Practice Standards Core Module areas, plus any supplementary module (High Intensity, Behaviour Support) you trigger.
But here's the part the consultant quotes won't tell you: the documents are the easy half. SIL is a higher-risk support, so it triggers a certification audit — the auditor doesn't just read your policies, they test whether your staff actually follow them in the house. Six document areas account for most of what gets flagged. Get those right and you've handled the hard 20%. The full checklist is below; the six danger documents are further down. Don't pay a consultant to draft what you can map yourself in an afternoon.
What "registration documents" actually means
Auditors look at two layers. Layer one is your document set: policies, procedures, forms and registers. Layer two is implementation evidence — completed registers, signed inductions, participant records, incident reviews, training logs — proof that the documents are real practice, not a folder you bought. A template pack gets you layer one fast. Only you can build layer two, and it takes weeks of real records, which is why starting now matters more than any countdown clock.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is the source of truth for what's required. The checklist below maps the standard small-SIL document set to the four Core Module outcome areas so you can see exactly where each piece belongs.
The complete SIL document checklist, by Practice Standard area
1. Rights & Responsibilities Core Module · Outcomes 1–5
- Person-Centred Supports Policy
- Individual Values & Beliefs Policy
- Privacy & Confidentiality Policy
- Independence & Informed Choice Policy
- Safeguarding (Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation) Policy
- NDIS Code of Conduct & Worker Obligations
- Participant Rights & Responsibilities Statement
- Consent Form & Dignity-of-Risk Record
2. Governance & Operational Management Core Module · the heaviest area
- Governance & Operational Management Policy
- Risk Management Policy + Risk Register
- Quality Management & Continuous Improvement Policy
- Information Management & Records Policy
- Feedback & Complaints Policy + Complaints Register
- Incident Management Policy + Incident Register
- Human Resource Management & Recruitment Policy
- Worker Screening Policy + Screening Register
- Staff Training, Supervision & Induction records
- Continuity of Supports Policy
- Conflict of Interest Register
- Key Personnel & Governance register
3. Provision of Supports Core Module · Outcomes 1–5
- Service Access & Intake Policy
- Support Planning Policy + Support Plan template
- Service Agreement template
- Responsive Support Provision procedure
- Transitions To/From the Provider Policy
- Participant Intake & Compatibility Assessment
- Progress / shift notes & handover forms
4. Support Provision Environment Core Module · the SIL-critical area
- Safe Environment Policy + House Inspection Checklist
- Medication Management Policy + Medication Administration Record (MAR)
- PRN Protocol & medication incident form
- Participant Money & Property Policy + handling record
- Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (house-level)
- Infection Prevention & Control Policy
- Waste Management procedure
- Work Health & Safety Policy + WHS records
5. Supplementary modules (only if they apply to you) High Intensity · Behaviour Support
- Implementing Behaviour Support Plans Policy
- Restrictive Practices Policy + Authorisation & Register
- High Intensity Daily Personal Activities procedures (e.g. complex bowel care, enteral feeding, seizure support)
- Mealtime Management & dysphagia procedure
- Behaviour Support Plan implementation record
That's the shape of the 65. The remaining items are the guides that make the set audit-ready: a Practice Standards mapping table, an Audit Evidence Checklist (every policy lined up against the evidence an auditor samples), a customisation guide, a document-control register, and an implementation roadmap. We keep the complete, individually-mapped 74-document manifest in the free SIL Readiness Pack — it's the fastest way to check your current folder against the full list.
⚠ The 6 documents auditors flag most on SIL
If your time is short, get these right first. In practice these are the SIL-specific, higher-risk areas auditors test hardest:
- Restrictive practices & behaviour support — must be authorised, recorded, and reported; the single most common SIL non-conformance.
- Medication management — the MAR and PRN protocols, not just the policy. Auditors check the actual records in the house.
- Incident management — a live register and closed-loop evidence that incidents were reviewed and actioned.
- Risk management at house level — a generic risk policy with no live, house-specific register fails.
- Participant money & property — clear handling, separation and records; high scrutiny because it's high-risk.
- Emergency & continuity planning — what happens overnight, in a fire, or when a key worker is unavailable.
What it actually costs — DIY vs kit vs consultant
Here's the honest maths every SIL owner is doing in their head, laid out:
| Path | Cost | Your time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Write it yourself | $0 | 40–100+ hrs | Owners with real compliance experience |
| Compliance consultant | $4,400–$8,000+ | 2–6 weeks | Multi-house or complex providers |
| Pre-mapped document kit | $297 | 4–8 hrs to customise | Hands-on small SIL operators |
The certification audit itself ($3,000–$15,000+) is separate from all three — it's the cost of being assessed, not the cost of being ready. If a $297 kit saves you one 6-hour policy-writing day, it has already paid for itself.
Which path is right for you
If you're a sole trader or single-house operator who understands your service model — get the document kit, customise it, and put your energy into implementation evidence. That's where audits are won or lost.
If you run multiple houses, use restrictive practices heavily, or have had serious incidents — budget for a consultant or compliance lawyer to review your customised set. The stakes justify it.
If you're verification-only (lower-risk supports, not SIL) — half of this checklist doesn't apply to you. Start with the verification vs certification guide before buying anything heavier than you need.
Skip the kit entirely if you can't commit the 4–8 hours to customise it properly — a half-edited template where one policy names the director and another names the operations manager is worse than no policy at all. Auditors read accountability mismatches as proof the documents were never operationalised.
Don't buy anything yet — check your folder against the full list first
Download the free SIL Readiness Pack: the complete 74-document manifest mapped to each Practice Standard, plus a sample SIL policy so you can judge the quality before you spend a cent. If the gap is big, the $297 Complete SIL Kit fills it.
Free pack · no spam · 7-day try-and-refund on the kit if the docs aren't SIL-specific as described.
Before you customise a single template
Collect your provider details in one place first: legal entity, ABN, key personnel, house addresses, emergency contacts, insurer, document owner and review cycle. Then map the house-level operating model — who approves rosters, who completes handover, where medication records live, how overnight incidents escalate. Those practical details are exactly what separate a SIL-specific set from a generic NDIS policy library, and they're the first thing an auditor probes.
How to turn documents into audit evidence
Run a simple weekly rhythm. Each week, pull five records and check they prove the system works: one participant file, one worker file, one risk-register entry, one training record, one incident or complaint record. Log the review in a continuous-improvement register even when the result is "no action required." Over a few months that becomes a defensible trail showing management monitors the service — which is precisely what a certification auditor is looking for.
Frequently asked questions
How many documents do you need to register as a SIL provider?
Around 65 for a small SIL provider — roughly 25 policies, 25 forms, 10 registers, worked examples and an audit evidence checklist — mapped to the Practice Standards Core Module, plus any supplementary module you trigger. Having them is step one; evidencing that staff follow them is step two.
What documents do SIL auditors check first?
Restrictive practices and behaviour support, medication management (MAR and PRN), incident management with a live register, the house-level risk register, participant money and property, and emergency/continuity planning. They're the SIL-specific higher-risk areas, so they're tested hardest.
Are NDIS policy templates enough to pass a certification audit?
No. Templates remove drafting time, but you still customise, train staff, run the registers and collect evidence. Documents are the base layer; implementation is what turns them into a pass. The NDIS Commission is the source of truth for requirements.
Do I need certification or verification for SIL?
SIL is a higher-risk support, so it triggers a certification audit — more thorough than the verification pathway. That's why a SIL document set is heavier than a generic template library.
How much does it cost to prepare SIL documents?
DIY is 40–100+ hours; a consultant is $4,400–$8,000+; a pre-mapped kit covers the document layer for $297. The certification audit ($3,000–$15,000+) is separate.
When do SIL providers have to be registered?
Mandatory registration begins 1 July 2026. Follow the applicable NDIS Commission transition pathway for your circumstances. The real risk is timing — documents, training and evidence all take time, and auditors get harder to book late.