One of the quieter changes in the new NDIS laws came into force on 27 August 2026, and it applies to far more people than most realise. For the first time, there are set minimum periods for keeping records of NDIS supports and payments, and they differ depending on your role. If you self-manage, act as a nominee, run a plan management business or provide supports, here’s what you need to know.
The Record-Keeping Periods
Participants and plan managers need to keep records about NDIS support payments for three years. Nominees need to keep records for five years. Providers need to keep relevant records for seven years, and face civil penalties if they don’t.
For most agency-managed participants, the provider and the NDIA hold the relevant records. The rules matter most for people who handle payments themselves: self-managed participants, nominees and plan managers.
What to Keep
The safest approach is to keep anything that shows what support was delivered, when, by whom, and what was paid. That includes invoices and receipts, service agreements, records of the dates and times supports were delivered, bank statements showing payments, and any correspondence about claims.
For providers, it means records that support every claim, including service delivery notes. A claim that can’t be backed by records is the kind most likely to be questioned.
Why It Matters More Now
The record-keeping rules arrive alongside a broader tightening of how claims are checked. From 15 October 2026, claims submitted more than 90 days after a support is delivered face extra integrity checks and can be held for up to 28 days. From 1 December 2026, claims made more than 90 days late generally won’t be paid. We explain both in our guide to the new claiming rules.
If the NDIA asks for evidence during one of those checks, good records are what get a claim paid quickly. Poor records are what turn a routine check into a delay or a debt.
Practical Ways to Stay on Top of It
Keep everything digital. Photograph or scan receipts as soon as you get them, and store them in one folder per financial year, with a backup. Name files consistently, for example by date and provider, so you can find things quickly. Match each invoice to a bank payment as you go rather than at tax time. If you’re a nominee or self-manager, a simple spreadsheet of supports, dates, amounts and invoice numbers makes any future question easy to answer.
Where to Learn More
The NDIA is running free webinars on the new laws through October, including community sessions on 7 and 14 October and provider sessions on 6 and 9 October. Details are on the NDIS events page, and People with Disability Australia has a plain-language summary of all the changes.
The Bottom Line
Since 27 August, participants and plan managers must keep NDIS payment records for three years, nominees for five, and providers for seven. Keep invoices, receipts, service agreements and proof of payment, ideally in one tidy digital folder. With late claims facing extra checks from 15 October, good records are now the difference between a claim paid on time and one held up. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Epik Wire covers the NDIS in plain language for participants, families and providers. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
