What it costs to buy an NDIS business, and the new rules
NDIS businesses are among the most searched acquisitions in the country, and the market just changed underneath the searchers. Here are the real prices, and the 2026 rules any buyer must price in.
What NDIS businesses sell for
| What you are buying | Price | The convention |
|---|---|---|
| Registration-only shells (no clients, no staff) | $40,000 to $130,000 | priced on registration groups |
| Operating providers, owner-run | priced at 2 to 3x earnings | 2 to 5x EBITDA overall |
| Established multi-client providers | $1m plus (e.g. 150-client book at ~$1.1m) |
Price follows substance: registration groups held (high-intensity and SIL registrations command premiums), the breadth of the participant book (one dominant client is a discount), documented systems and a clean audit trail. A shell sells you a doorway; an operating provider sells you income.
The 2026 rule change every buyer must know
From 1 July 2026, providers must notify the NDIS Commission as soon as a sale is likely, and ownership changes trigger mandatory re-audits. That is aimed squarely at the off-the-shelf registration trade: the thing shell buyers thought they were buying, a transferable registration without scrutiny, no longer exists in that form. Buy the business, not the certificate: participants, staff, systems and compliant records are what survive an audit and what a lender will actually fund.
Financing an NDIS purchase
Operating providers with documented earnings are financeable as business acquisitions; shells largely are not, they are a startup cost, not an earning asset. Where the buyer holds property, equity carries the goodwill component at property-backed pricing, roughly 6% to 9% p.a. as a working rule, and vehicles or equipment in the deal write separately on chattel mortgage. Property-backed borrowers generally price around 6% to 9% p.a. and non-property-backed deals around 9% to 13%, with approvals commonly back in 24 to 48 hours. Start at business acquisition finance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an NDIS business cost to buy?
Registration-only shells list at $40,000 to $130,000. Operating providers price at 2 to 5 times earnings, with established multi-client books listing above $1m.
Is buying an NDIS registration shell still worth it?
The July 2026 rules changed the maths: sales must be notified to the Commission and ownership changes trigger re-audits, so a shell no longer buys a scrutiny-free doorway. Value now sits in operating businesses.
What makes an NDIS provider worth more?
High-intensity and SIL registration groups, a broad participant book without single-client concentration, documented systems, stable staff and a clean audit history.
Can I finance an NDIS business purchase?
Operating providers with documented earnings are financeable; property equity typically carries the goodwill component. Registration shells are generally not fundable as acquisitions.
Substance over shells
Tell us the provider and the book and we will come back with what is fundable and how, usually within a day.
This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.