A purchase price and a profit figure are only the start of a care-provider acquisition. The buyer also needs to establish whether registration, service delivery, workforce capacity and cash collections will hold together under the proposed ownership structure. A seller's historical revenue is evidence to investigate, not a guarantee of future income.
Current NDIS ownership guidance and the aged-care Commission's October 2026 form requirements make that work especially relevant. This checklist is for owners, buyers and advisers assessing an operating business, including support coordination, SIL and home-care services.
Key points
- Check the registered entity and proposed transaction structure before assuming services can continue.
- Map notifications, audit work and portal access into the settlement timetable.
- Test participant retention, workforce continuity and collectible receivables separately from reported profit.
- Allow for payroll, integration and compliance costs as well as the purchase price.
- For aged-care submissions from 1 October 2026, use current Commission forms.
1. Establish what registration the buyer can rely on
The NDIS Commission says registration belongs to one ABN and cannot be moved to another. A different ABN requires a new registration application. Buyers must check the certificate's approved support groups and conditions. Participants must be informed and retain choice; they cannot simply be moved to the new owner. See the Commission's buying and selling guidance.
Ask your transaction adviser to explain the practical implications of an asset purchase versus a share purchase. Record the entity delivering each service, the entity issuing invoices, the registration evidence supporting delivery, and the permissions needed to operate its systems. Buying goodwill should not be treated as buying guaranteed participant revenue.
2. Give notifications and audit work an owner
The NDIS Commission requires ownership notification as soon as possible after becoming aware a change will occur or after it occurs, whichever is first. Its detailed guidance says a condition audit applies where a certification registration group and a significant organisational or governance change are involved; the audit must start within three months of purchase. Confirm scope with the Commission and an approved auditor, and arrange buyer portal access before seller access ends.
For aged-care operations, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission requires notification within 14 days for specified changes, including responsible persons and significant organisation or governance changes. Have your adviser identify which notification or application the deal requires.
There is also an immediate administrative check: from 1 October 2026, the Commission will not accept provider forms downloaded before 10 September 2026. Download a fresh version for each submission using its applications, requests and notifications page. Put the current form, supporting evidence, accountable person and due date in the transaction checklist.
3. Reconcile NDIS provider payments to delivered services
Select a sample of paid, unpaid, rejected and held claims. Trace each through service evidence, invoicing, lodgement and the bank receipt. Separate NDIA-managed claims from plan-manager invoices and self-managed participant debtors. Investigate unusual growth in unbilled work or old receivables before agreeing their settlement value.
The NDIA guide to getting paid says valid claims from my providers are usually paid within two to three business days. Payment can take about ten business days when a provider is not recorded as a my provider or a claim needs checking. Those timings are not a promise that every debtor will turn into cash on that schedule.
Use the NDIS provider payments and payroll timing reference to frame the cash-cycle review. A clean invoice does not settle an underlying delivery dispute, and a claim under review should not be treated as unrestricted cash.
4. Forecast the first 13 weeks after settlement
Build a weekly forecast from expected cash receipts and actual payment dates. Include NDIS payroll, superannuation, tax, agency labour, rent, software migration, audit costs and professional fees. Assign pre-settlement debtors, unpaid wages and other liabilities clearly in the contract with professional advice.
For a mixed home-care business, keep Support at Home collections distinct. The Department's payment guidance says services must be delivered before claiming, and claims are validated before payment. Services Australia expects to process and pay a received claim within seven days; participant contributions, where applicable, are invoiced separately. Model those receipts according to their own process.
Run a downside case with lower participant retention, slower collections and higher temporary staffing costs. Show the largest cash shortfall and the action available if it occurs. This is a buyer's planning exercise, not a prescribed regulatory liquidity ratio.
5. Build an acquisition funding checklist
Prepare the proposed structure, purchase agreement, financial statements, recent management accounts, debtor ageing, bank reconciliations, workforce costs, registration evidence and a forecast that includes repayments. Explain adjustments to profit and the evidence behind participant retention assumptions. Provide aggregated or appropriately de-identified information for early funding discussions; protect participant records.
The provider credit pack checklist is a starting point for the financial evidence. Add a separate schedule of purchase costs, integration costs, working capital and any vehicles or property. Keep a record of unresolved diligence questions and who will close them.
NDIS provider acquisition finance, a working-capital facility and property funding address different needs. Availability depends on the business, security, repayment capacity and lender assessment. Invoice finance cannot be assumed to fund disputed claims or the goodwill purchase price. Ask a prospective capital provider what evidence and conditions apply before committing to a settlement date.
Questions buyers often ask
Can I buy NDIS registration with the business?
Registration is linked to the existing ABN. If the proposed business will use a different ABN, the Commission says a new application is required. Obtain advice on the transaction structure and applicable obligations.
Will NDIS fast payments cover the first payroll?
Do not assume so. Timing depends on valid claims, the payment pathway and any checks. Confirm opening cash and a contingency against the first wage payment dates.
What NDIS loan documents should an acquisition buyer prepare?
Provide accounts, debtor and claim evidence, registration details, purchase terms, a use-of-funds schedule and a repayment forecast. The lender may require further information.
Source and method: Official NDIS, NDIS Commission, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission guidance reviewed on 5 October 2026 is linked beside the relevant facts. The diligence checklist and forecast suggestions are Provider Capital's practical interpretation, not statutory requirements or market benchmarks. This article is general information, not legal, tax, compliance or credit advice. Confirm transaction-specific obligations with qualified advisers and the relevant regulator; funding is subject to lender assessment.
