NDIS Worker Screening Check (WA): cost, renewal and DoTDirect
WA's NDIS Check in October 2026: $145 for paid workers, $80 concession, $11 for volunteers, valid five years, applied for and renewed through DoTDirect.
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In Western Australia the NDIS Worker Screening Check is run by the Screening Unit in the Department of Communities, with applications lodged through DoTDirect. A clearance lasts five years and is valid across Australia. It costs $145 for paid employees, $80 for eligible concession card holders, and $11 for volunteers and students on unpaid placement.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | NDIS Worker Screening Unit, Department of Communities | wa.gov.au |
| Official name | NDIS Worker Screening Check (NDIS Check) | wa.gov.au |
| Validity | 5 years across Australia, with ongoing monitoring | wa.gov.au |
| Cost (paid) | $145 for paid employees; $80 for eligible concession card holders (generally non-refundable) | wa.gov.au |
| Cost (volunteer) | $11 for volunteers and students on unpaid placement | wa.gov.au |
| Processing time | Varies: some applications take days, some weeks or longer | wa.gov.au |
| Renewal | You may apply for a further clearance once your current one will expire within 3 months | legislation.wa.gov.au |
| Interstate clearances | Accepted: a clearance issued in any state or territory can be used across Australia | wa.gov.au |
| Apply or renew | Apply or renew through DoTDirect (NDIS tab, Worker screening) | wa.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 | Verify the worker's employment so the application stays valid, and make sure workers in risk-assessed roles hold a valid clearance | wa.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 (WA)
- Apply through DoTDirect: open the NDIS tab and choose Worker screening. Your employer must verify your employment or proposed employment, or the application can be withdrawn.
- Visit a Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure Driver and Vehicle Services centre with four original identity documents: one commencement of identity, one primary and two secondary use in the community. Alternate lodgement may be available if you cannot attend.
- Pay $145, or $80 with an eligible concession card, or $11 if you volunteer or are a student on unpaid placement.
- You can start work on application once your identity is verified and your employer has verified you, provided you have no previous exclusion or interim bar. Your employer must arrange supervision by a cleared worker and put risk management strategies in place.
How to renew: NDIS Worker Screening Check (WA)
- Keep your personal details current so the renewal reminder reaches you when you become eligible to reapply.
- Apply for a further clearance once your current one will expire within three months.
- Lodge the renewal online through DoTDirect. Renewals skip the in-person identity step.
- WA allows work on application for most applicants (verified identity, employer verification, no exclusion or interim bar). Check with the Screening Unit how that applies to your renewal.
What employers must do
- Verify the worker's employment or proposed employment. The Screening Unit can withdraw an application if the employer does not.
- Make sure every worker in a risk-assessed role holds a valid clearance or a valid application. The Screening Unit visits registered providers across WA to check.
- For work on application, put risk management strategies in place and arrange supervision by someone with a clearance.
- Link workers to your organisation in the NDIS Worker Screening Database when they start and unlink them when they leave. Linked employers are notified when a clearance is within 90 days of expiry.
- Keep a written record of each worker in a risk-assessed role, including the clearance number and expiry date. The record is kept for seven years.
What is specific to Western Australia
- WA charges volunteers $11 and offers an $80 concession fee to holders of cards such as the Health Care Card and Pensioner Concession Card.
- Working in a risk-assessed role without a clearance or an application carries up to five years in prison and a $60,000 fine. Failing to notify a change of name, address or employer carries a $5,000 fine.
- Employers see the outcome, never the worker's criminal record.
- An NDIS Check is not mandatory for people with only incidental contact with a participant, or for people working for a self-managed participant or an unregistered provider.
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 WA?
$145 for paid employees, $80 for eligible concession card holders, and $11 for volunteers and students on unpaid placement.
How do I renew my NDIS check in WA?
Once your clearance will expire within three months, lodge a renewal online through DoTDirect. Renewals skip the in-person identity step.
Can I start work before my NDIS clearance comes through in WA?
Usually, under WA's work on application rules: your identity and employment must be verified, you must have no previous exclusion or interim bar, and your employer must supervise you and manage the risk.
Does my employer see my criminal history in WA?
No. The WA Screening Unit does not give employers any details of a worker's criminal record.
Related
- NDIS Worker Screening Check: a state-by-state guide for 2026
- NDIS Worker Screening Check in every state and territory: the comparison table
- Working with Children Check (WA) in Western Australia
- National Police Check (WA) in Western Australia
- Teacher registration (WA) in Western Australia
- Glossary: NDIS Worker Screening Check
- Which worker check do I need?: pick your sector, role and state
Sources
- https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/ndis-worker-screening-check
- https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/applying-ndis-check
- https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/RedirectURL?OpenAgent=&query=mrdoc_45957.htm
- https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workforce/worker-screening/worker-screening-registered-providers
- https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/ndis-check-compliance-and-enforcement
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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