When choosing an aged care provider, it’s important to make sure that they deliver safe, high-quality care. The Australian Government, through the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Commission) and Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing as the System Governor (System Governor), have checks in place to make sure providers are complying with regulations and standards.
This page covers what you need to know about how compliance is measured and rated, and what it means for you.
On this page
What is compliance?
Every registered aged care provider needs to understand and comply with the aged care obligations set out in the Aged Care legislation to protect and enhance the safety, health, and wellbeing of older people receiving care.
Compliance is monitored by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Commission) and the Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing as the System Governor (System Governor). The Commission and System Governor check that providers and aged care homes are providing safe, effective, and high-quality care to older people.
If a provider is not complying with their aged care obligations, the Commission and/or System Governor may take regulatory action, for example giving a provider a formal regulatory notice. This means that the provider needs to take action to fix the non-compliance and improve how they deliver care to older people so that it is safe, high-quality care.
The Aged Care Quality Standards
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standards) apply to all government-funded aged care homes and define what quality care looks like.
Under the new Aged Care Act (the new Act), aged care providers will need to meet the Quality Standards applicable to the service types they are registered for. They are designed to improve your care outcomes and set clear expectations for providers in delivering quality aged care.
The Compliance rating
Star Ratings provide information about the quality of care an aged care home delivers and how they compare to others. Compliance is one of the 4 key areas of performance that make up the Overall Star Rating.
The Compliance rating reflects an aged care home’s current compliance performance. It is updated when regulatory decisions are made and when the non-compliance is fixed by the provider. Different regulatory decisions can be made depending on the nature of the issues and how serious they are. Where there is more than one current regulatory decision in place, the Compliance rating will reflect the most serious decision and action that has been taken.
The table below displays the different rating levels and the percentage of aged care homes nationwide that have received each rating.
| Compliance rating | What percentage of homes in Australia currently have this rating? * | |
 | Excellent | 74% |
 | Good | 24% |
 | Acceptable | 1% |
 | Improvement needed | 0% |
 | Significant improvement needed | 0% |
| Compliance rating | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| Excellent | ||
| Good | ||
| Acceptable | ||
| Improvement needed | ||
| Significant improvement needed | ||
| What percentage of homes in Australia currently have this rating? * | ||
| 74% | ||
| 24% | ||
| 1% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% |
* Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
The new Compliance rating
From 1 November 2025, the Compliance rating for an aged care home will be calculated based on:
- a graded assessment findings against the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, and
- the type of regulatory decisions in place for the provider.
Regulatory decisions
Regulatory decisions will impact the Compliance rating based on the type and severity of the regulatory decisions. Aged care homes with regulatory decisions resulting in a 1 or 2 stars in Compliance cannot receive a higher Overall Star Rating as the Overall Star Rating will be capped at 1 or 2 stars.
The Compliance rating of an aged care home will be capped when a regulatory decision has been made, or regulatory notice has been issued. This will also result in an aged care home’s Overall Star Rating being capped.
Regulatory decisions will impact the Compliance rating of a specific aged care home or aged care homes, or all residential aged care homes owned by a provider, based on evidence of whether non-compliance is related to specific aged care home/s.
From 1 November 2025, the following regulatory decisions will apply under the Aged Care Act 2024, issued by the Commission or the department as the System Governor.
Civil penalties
This regulatory decision indicates a registered provider has not complied with one or more of the civil penalty provisions in the Aged Care Act 2024. Civil penalty provisions are parts of the Aged Care Act that include obligations that a provider must comply with. If a court finds non-compliance, it may issue a financial penalty. Providers must pay the penalty, or face further legal or regulatory action.
Compensation order
This regulatory decision indicates that a court has made a compensation order against a registered provider. This occurs when a provider is found liable by a court for breaching their statutory duty of care, resulting in serious injury or illness to an individual. Providers must pay compensation by a specified date. Failure to comply may lead to further court proceedings or regulatory action.
Compliance notice (satisfied non-compliance)
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission has found that a registered provider is not complying, or has not complied, with its obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024. The Commission issues a notice and sets a date for the provider to fix the issues. Providers must follow the directions by the specified date. Failure to do so may result in a financial penalty or further regulatory action.
Compliance notice with significant failures and/or systemic patterns of conduct
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission and/or the System Governor has found a registered provider is not complying with its obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024, and that significant failures or systemic patterns of conduct need to be addressed. A compliance notice will require providers to undertake specific actions, and failure to comply may result in further regulatory action, including changes to registration and/or penalties.
Criminal prosecution (against provider)
This regulatory decision indicates that a registered provider has been found guilty by a court of breaching an offence provision under the Aged Care Act 2024. Providers must comply with all court orders, including payment of fines, by the required date to avoid further legal or regulatory action.
Enforcement of an undertaking
This regulatory decision indicates that a court has found a registered provider failed to comply with an undertaking agreed between the provider and the Commission or System Governor. The court may order the provider to comply or take other appropriate actions. Failure to comply may result in further court orders or regulatory action.
Injunction
This regulatory decision indicates that a court has placed an injunction on a registered provider. This means the provider is legally required to prevent, stop, or fix specific issues. The Commission and/or the System Governor may seek an injunction where immediate action is needed to address or prevent serious non-compliance. Providers must comply by the specified date. Failure to do so may result in further legal or regulatory action.
Notice of requirement to agree
The Commission may give an aged care home a notice of requirement to agree when there are serious compliance issues, and the Commission is considering taking away the aged care home’s approval to provide aged care. A notice of requirement to agree means the provider must agree to take actions set out by the Commission. For example, requiring them to employ an expert advisor to help them fix the issues. If the aged care home does not agree, the Commission may take away their approval to provide aged care services.
Revocation of registration
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission has ended a registered provider’s registration because they did not meet their obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024, despite extensive engagement and previous regulatory action. The Commission may revoke a provider’s registration when serious and ongoing non-compliance presents unacceptable risks to older people. This decision is made when serious concerns remain unresolved, and no other action would adequately protect older people. Providers whose registration is revoked are no longer authorised to deliver Australian Government–funded aged care services.
Suspension of registration
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission has suspended a registered provider’s registration. The Commission may suspend a provider’s registration for up to 90 days when serious non-compliance or inappropriate practices are identified at the provider level or within a provider’s aged care home(s). During suspension, providers do not receive Australian Government funding to deliver aged care services and must address the identified issues to have their registration reinstated. Suspension may end on a specified date or once corrective actions are taken.
Acceptance of an enforceable undertaking
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission and/or System Governor has agreed with a registered provider that the provider will take or avoid certain actions by agreed dates to address non-compliance with their aged care obligations. Failure to comply may result in the Commission and/or System Governor seeking a court order to enforce the undertaking or taking further regulatory action.
Compliance notice (information suggesting non-compliance)
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission and/or the System Governor has information suggesting that a registered provider is not complying with one or more obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024. A compliance notice will require the provider to take or stop taking specific actions to become compliant. Providers must follow the directions in the compliance notice by a specified date. Failure to comply may result in a financial penalty or further regulatory action.
Conditions of registration
This regulatory decision indicates that the Commission has imposed additional conditions on a registered provider’s registration to ensure that they remain compliant with the Aged Care Act 2024. Conditions of registration may require providers to take or avoid certain actions during their delivery of care services. Failure to comply may result in penalties and/or further regulatory action.
How the rating is calculated
The Compliance rating is calculated by identifying the lowest rating the aged care home qualifies for across both regulatory decision and graded assessment.
Note that if an aged care home receives a Compliance rating of 1 or 2 stars, the Overall Star Rating will be capped at that number of stars.
The Compliance rating is updated whenever regulatory decisions are made or changed, and fortnightly in response to changes to graded assessment findings against the Aged Care Quality Standards.
How can I check if a home has regulatory decisions?
You can find any current or historic regulatory decisions for aged care homes in the Find a provider tool. You can search by provider name or location to find the aged care home you are interested in, then go to the Compliance section of their profile.
Regulatory decisions issued prior to 1 November 2025
The specific formal regulatory decisions that affect the Star Ratings are listed below in order of increasing seriousness.
What happens if a regulatory decision is made against my aged care provider?
You can read the details of the decision on the My Aged Care website by viewing the Compliance section of your aged care home’s profile in Find a provider.
Your provider should also arrange a meeting with you and your family members or registered supporter. They should explain the issues and how they will address them by a certain date.
When the Commission or System Governor has found that the issues relating to the non-compliance have been fixed, the provider’s Compliance rating will be updated on the My Aged Care website.
What if I can’t see a rating?
In some cases, there may not be a Star Rating for a provider. There are many reasons why a provider may display a ‘No rating’ label. Learn more about why a rating may not be displayed.
Where can I find more information?
To learn more about the Commission’s role in ensuring high quality care and protecting the rights and interests of people receiving care, visit the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s website.