NDIS Worker Screening Check (QLD): cost, renewal and the combined blue card
Queensland NDIS worker screening in October 2026: $161.30 paid, free for volunteers, valid five years, renew in the last 90 days, combined blue card option.
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In Queensland the NDIS Worker Screening Check is run by Disability Worker Screening in the Department of Justice, which replaced the old yellow card. An NDIS clearance lasts five years and is valid across Australia. From 1 July 2026 it costs $161.30 for paid workers and nothing for volunteers, or $176.30 combined with a blue card.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | Disability Worker Screening, Department of Justice | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Official name | NDIS worker screening clearance (Disability Worker Screening) | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Validity | 5 years | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Cost (paid) | $161.30 for NDIS worker screening only; $176.30 combined with a blue card (fees from 1 July 2026) | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Cost (volunteer) | No fee, including students on unpaid work experience | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Processing time | No set timeframe: some applications take a day, some take weeks. The card is posted within about 28 days of the clearance | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Renewal | Renew only in the last 90 days before expiry. A valid renewal (lodged before expiry, paid and verified by your employer) lets you keep working | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Interstate clearances | Accepted: another state's current NDIS clearance covers work in Queensland, and Queensland will not issue a second one | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Apply or renew | Register and apply in the Worker Portal Renew an existing clearance | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
| Status check or register | Access is through the NDIS Commission portal: employers check status and expiry in the NDIS Worker Screening Database | ndiscommission.gov.au |
| What an employer must do | Know which workers need a clearance before they start, verify applications within 30 days, and link and delink workers in the NDIS Worker Screening Database | workerscreening.qld.gov.au |
Fees and processing times change, most often once a year. The source column links to the official page each value was checked against in October 2026.
How to apply: NDIS Worker Screening Check (QLD)
- Get a Customer Reference Number from Queensland Transport and Main Roads, such as the number on a driver licence or photo identity card. If you have none, or your TMR photo is more than five years and three months old, visit a TMR service centre first.
- Check which clearance you need: the five-year NDIS clearance for NDIS supports, or the three-year Queensland disability worker screening clearance for state-funded supports. If you do both, you need the NDIS clearance.
- Register in the Worker Portal and apply online, paying by Visa or Mastercard. If you also need a blue card, use the combined application: $176.30 for paid work, or no fee when you volunteer in both.
- Your employer has 30 days to verify your engagement. Queensland takes a no card, no start approach, so you cannot start work until the clearance is issued.
How to renew: NDIS Worker Screening Check (QLD)
- Wait until your clearance is within 90 days of expiry. Earlier renewal applications are not accepted, and you only renew if you still provide disability supports or services.
- Check that your name, date of birth, TMR Customer Reference Number and email in the Worker Portal match your TMR record, then renew online.
- Make the renewal valid before your clearance expires: submitted, paid and verified by your employer. A valid renewal lets you keep working while it is processed.
- The new card is posted once your current clearance expires. If the old clearance expires before a manual renewal is processed and verified, you may need to stop work until the new one is issued.
What employers must do
- Know whether each worker needs a clearance before they start work.
- Verify a worker's engagement within 30 days. Their application is not valid until you do.
- Link existing clearance holders to your organisation, delink workers who leave, and act on the email updates about changes to a worker's status.
- Identify your risk-assessed roles and keep a written record of them, updated within 20 business days when a role is added or reclassified.
What is specific to Queensland
- Queensland issues two clearances: the five-year NDIS worker screening clearance for NDIS supports, and a three-year Queensland disability worker screening clearance ($110.60 for paid workers) for state-funded supports.
- The combined application adds a blue card. Disability Worker Screening decides first, then Blue Card Services; if both are approved they expire on the same date.
- The NDIS clearance replaced the yellow card. A former yellow card holder who still needs a clearance applies for the NDIS clearance.
- Clearance holders report changes to their name, contact details or engagement within 14 days, and any change in police information immediately.
What Koora checks
Reviewed. Koora does not verify NDIS Worker Screening clearances against the NDIS Worker Screening Database today; source verification is on Koora's roadmap. The compliance engine checks the clearance against the requirements of each role, and Koora tracks its expiry date. A person reviews the evidence when a worker shares their Career Passport or a provider requests access, or across an organisation's own records where Crew is attached. Registered providers still verify and link their workers in the NDIS Commission portal themselves.
Your team reviews each credential in Koora, or Crew does it for you. The provider keeps the legal responsibility for who they engage.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the NDIS worker screening check in Queensland?
From 1 July 2026, $161.30 for a paid worker and no fee for volunteers, including students on unpaid work experience. A combined NDIS clearance and blue card costs $176.30 for paid workers.
When can I renew my NDIS worker screening clearance in Queensland?
In the last 90 days before it expires; earlier applications are not accepted. Submit, pay and have your employer verify the renewal before expiry so you can keep working while it is processed.
Do I need a Queensland NDIS check if I have one from another state?
No. A current NDIS clearance from any state covers NDIS work in Queensland, and Queensland will not issue a second one. Your employer links to you in the NDIS Worker Screening Database.
Is the yellow card still used in Queensland?
No. The NDIS worker screening clearance replaced it. A former yellow card holder who still needs a clearance applies for the NDIS clearance.
Can I start work while my NDIS application is processed in Queensland?
No. Queensland takes a no card, no start approach to disability worker screening, so you wait until the clearance is issued.
Related
- NDIS Worker Screening Check: a state-by-state guide for 2026
- NDIS Worker Screening Check in every state and territory: the comparison table
- Blue Card (QLD) in Queensland
- National Police Check (QLD) in Queensland
- Teacher registration (QLD) in Queensland
- Glossary: NDIS Worker Screening Check
- Which worker check do I need?: pick your sector, role and state
Sources
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/workers/fees
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/workers/processing-timeframes
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/workers/existing-ndis-and-qld-worker-screening
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/workers/before-you-start
- https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workforce/worker-screening/worker-screening-registered-providers
- https://www.workerscreening.qld.gov.au/employers
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep everything accurate, and our compliance engine keeps up with the rules as they change. Even so, we might get a detail slightly wrong or miss something. No one's perfect. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
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