From 27 November 2026, paying for referrals is banned

The ban on providers offering kickbacks and inducements starts on 27 November 2026. Any arrangement where you give money, gifts or other benefits in exchange for clients needs to stop before then.

Checked against official sources on 14 Oct 2026

Key dates

  • 20 Aug 2026Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Act 2026 receives Royal Assent
  • 27 Nov 2026Ban on providers offering kickbacks and inducements begins

Who this affects

Every NDIS provider — registered or not — and anyone who refers clients: support coordinators, plan managers, agents, community contacts.

The government's reform timeline lists one line for 27 November 2026: the ban on providers offering kickbacks and inducements begins. It is part of the same Act that brought in stronger penalties for fraud, longer record-keeping and stronger compliance powers for the NDIA and the NDIS Commission.

The exact legal test — what counts as a kickback or an inducement, and what exceptions apply — is in the Act and the rules that go with it. The official pages we read do not spell it out, so do not rely on a summary for a borderline case.

What is safe: telling coordinators and plan managers what you do, which areas you cover, which languages your team speaks and whether you have capacity. Being easy to find and easy to call is not an inducement.

What to do

  1. List every arrangement where someone sends you clients. If any involves money, a fee share, gifts or free services in return, stop it before 27 November.
  2. Check marketing deals with directories, agents and community groups for any per-client payment.
  3. If an arrangement is borderline, get advice from a lawyer before 27 November, not after.

Official sources

A plain-language summary of official public information, for people running NDIS businesses. It is not legal advice; for your own situation, check the source or ask a lawyer.