diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/autoscaler.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/autoscaler.py
index 56996a2f4..bc549a963 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/autoscaler.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/autoscaler.py
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ import collections
 
 from ray.experimental.internal_kv import _internal_kv_put, \
     _internal_kv_initialized
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _get_node_provider
 from ray.autoscaler.tags import (TAG_RAY_LAUNCH_CONFIG, TAG_RAY_RUNTIME_CONFIG,
                                  TAG_RAY_FILE_MOUNTS_CONTENTS,
                                  TAG_RAY_NODE_STATUS, TAG_RAY_NODE_KIND,
                                  TAG_RAY_USER_NODE_TYPE, STATUS_UP_TO_DATE,
                                  NODE_KIND_WORKER, NODE_KIND_UNMANAGED)
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _get_node_provider
 from ray.autoscaler._private.updater import NodeUpdaterThread
 from ray.autoscaler._private.node_launcher import NodeLauncher
 from ray.autoscaler._private.resource_demand_scheduler import \
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/aws/config.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/aws/config.py
index afa63b949..042504d24 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/aws/config.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/aws/config.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import botocore
 
 from ray.ray_constants import BOTO_MAX_RETRIES
 from ray.autoscaler.tags import NODE_KIND_WORKER, NODE_KIND_HEAD
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _PROVIDER_PRETTY_NAMES
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _PROVIDER_PRETTY_NAMES
 from ray.autoscaler._private.aws.utils import LazyDefaultDict, \
     handle_boto_error
 from ray.autoscaler._private.cli_logger import cli_logger, cf
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/commands.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/commands.py
index dfc240315..948021db2 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/commands.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/commands.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from ray.ray_constants import AUTOSCALER_RESOURCE_REQUEST_CHANNEL
 from ray.autoscaler._private.util import validate_config, hash_runtime_conf, \
     hash_launch_conf, prepare_config, DEBUG_AUTOSCALING_ERROR, \
     DEBUG_AUTOSCALING_STATUS
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _get_node_provider, \
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _get_node_provider, \
     _NODE_PROVIDERS, _PROVIDER_PRETTY_NAMES
 from ray.autoscaler.tags import TAG_RAY_NODE_KIND, TAG_RAY_LAUNCH_CONFIG, \
     TAG_RAY_NODE_NAME, NODE_KIND_WORKER, NODE_KIND_HEAD, TAG_RAY_USER_NODE_TYPE
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/providers.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/providers.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..34258ba51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/providers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+import importlib
+import logging
+import os
+from typing import Any, Dict
+
+import yaml
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def _import_aws(provider_config):
+    from ray.autoscaler._private.aws.node_provider import AWSNodeProvider
+    return AWSNodeProvider
+
+
+def _import_gcp(provider_config):
+    from ray.autoscaler._private.gcp.node_provider import GCPNodeProvider
+    return GCPNodeProvider
+
+
+def _import_azure(provider_config):
+    from ray.autoscaler._private.azure.node_provider import AzureNodeProvider
+    return AzureNodeProvider
+
+
+def _import_local(provider_config):
+    if "coordinator_address" in provider_config:
+        from ray.autoscaler._private.local.coordinator_node_provider import (
+            CoordinatorSenderNodeProvider)
+        return CoordinatorSenderNodeProvider
+    else:
+        from ray.autoscaler._private.local.node_provider import \
+            LocalNodeProvider
+        return LocalNodeProvider
+
+
+def _import_kubernetes(provider_config):
+    from ray.autoscaler._private.kubernetes.node_provider import \
+        KubernetesNodeProvider
+    return KubernetesNodeProvider
+
+
+def _import_staroid(provider_config):
+    from ray.autoscaler._private.staroid.node_provider import \
+        StaroidNodeProvider
+    return StaroidNodeProvider
+
+
+def _load_local_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.local as ray_local
+    return os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(ray_local.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _load_kubernetes_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.kubernetes as ray_kubernetes
+    return os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(ray_kubernetes.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _load_aws_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.aws as ray_aws
+    return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(ray_aws.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _load_gcp_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.gcp as ray_gcp
+    return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(ray_gcp.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _load_azure_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.azure as ray_azure
+    return os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(ray_azure.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _load_staroid_example_config():
+    import ray.autoscaler.staroid as ray_staroid
+    return os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(ray_staroid.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
+
+
+def _import_external(provider_config):
+    provider_cls = _load_class(path=provider_config["module"])
+    return provider_cls
+
+
+_NODE_PROVIDERS = {
+    "local": _import_local,
+    "aws": _import_aws,
+    "gcp": _import_gcp,
+    "azure": _import_azure,
+    "staroid": _import_staroid,
+    "kubernetes": _import_kubernetes,
+    "external": _import_external  # Import an external module
+}
+
+_PROVIDER_PRETTY_NAMES = {
+    "local": "Local",
+    "aws": "AWS",
+    "gcp": "GCP",
+    "azure": "Azure",
+    "staroid": "Staroid",
+    "kubernetes": "Kubernetes",
+    "external": "External"
+}
+
+_DEFAULT_CONFIGS = {
+    "local": _load_local_example_config,
+    "aws": _load_aws_example_config,
+    "gcp": _load_gcp_example_config,
+    "azure": _load_azure_example_config,
+    "staroid": _load_staroid_example_config,
+    "kubernetes": _load_kubernetes_example_config,
+}
+
+
+def _load_class(path):
+    """Load a class at runtime given a full path.
+
+    Example of the path: mypkg.mysubpkg.myclass
+    """
+    class_data = path.split(".")
+    if len(class_data) < 2:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "You need to pass a valid path like mymodule.provider_class")
+    module_path = ".".join(class_data[:-1])
+    class_str = class_data[-1]
+    module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
+    return getattr(module, class_str)
+
+
+def _get_node_provider(provider_config: Dict[str, Any],
+                       cluster_name: str) -> Any:
+    """Retrieve a node provider.
+
+    This returns access to an INTERNAL API. It is not allowed to call this
+    from any Ray package outside the autoscaler.
+    """
+    importer = _NODE_PROVIDERS.get(provider_config["type"])
+    if importer is None:
+        raise NotImplementedError("Unsupported node provider: {}".format(
+            provider_config["type"]))
+    provider_cls = importer(provider_config)
+    return provider_cls(provider_config, cluster_name)
+
+
+def _get_default_config(provider_config):
+    """Retrieve a node provider.
+
+    This is an INTERNAL API. It is not allowed to call this from any Ray
+    package outside the autoscaler.
+    """
+    if provider_config["type"] == "external":
+        return {}
+    load_config = _DEFAULT_CONFIGS.get(provider_config["type"])
+    if load_config is None:
+        raise NotImplementedError("Unsupported node provider: {}".format(
+            provider_config["type"]))
+    path_to_default = load_config()
+    with open(path_to_default) as f:
+        defaults = yaml.safe_load(f)
+
+    return defaults
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/util.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/util.py
index 78cc9e636..890f3d19a 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/util.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/_private/util.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from typing import Any, Dict
 
 import ray
 import ray._private.services as services
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _get_default_config
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _get_default_config
 from ray.autoscaler._private.docker import validate_docker_config
 
 REQUIRED, OPTIONAL = True, False
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
index 56fc0a1be..151aafbed 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ from typing import Any, List, Tuple, Dict, Optional
 class CommandRunnerInterface:
     """Interface to run commands on a remote cluster node.
 
+    **Important**: This is an INTERNAL API that is only exposed for the purpose
+    of implementing custom node providers. It is not allowed to call into
+    CommandRunner methods from any Ray package outside the autoscaler, only to
+    define new implementations for use with the "external" node provider
+    option.
+
     Command runner instances are returned by provider.get_command_runner()."""
 
     def run(
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/node_provider.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/node_provider.py
index 831687946..b2e935915 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/node_provider.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/node_provider.py
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
-import importlib
 import logging
-import os
-from typing import Any, Dict
-
-import yaml
+from typing import Any
 
 from ray.autoscaler._private.command_runner import \
     SSHCommandRunner, DockerCommandRunner
@@ -11,155 +7,15 @@ from ray.autoscaler._private.command_runner import \
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def _import_aws(provider_config):
-    from ray.autoscaler._private.aws.node_provider import AWSNodeProvider
-    return AWSNodeProvider
-
-
-def _import_gcp(provider_config):
-    from ray.autoscaler._private.gcp.node_provider import GCPNodeProvider
-    return GCPNodeProvider
-
-
-def _import_azure(provider_config):
-    from ray.autoscaler._private.azure.node_provider import AzureNodeProvider
-    return AzureNodeProvider
-
-
-def _import_local(provider_config):
-    if "coordinator_address" in provider_config:
-        from ray.autoscaler._private.local.coordinator_node_provider import (
-            CoordinatorSenderNodeProvider)
-        return CoordinatorSenderNodeProvider
-    else:
-        from ray.autoscaler._private.local.node_provider import \
-            LocalNodeProvider
-        return LocalNodeProvider
-
-
-def _import_kubernetes(provider_config):
-    from ray.autoscaler._private.kubernetes.node_provider import \
-        KubernetesNodeProvider
-    return KubernetesNodeProvider
-
-
-def _import_staroid(provider_config):
-    from ray.autoscaler._private.staroid.node_provider import \
-        StaroidNodeProvider
-    return StaroidNodeProvider
-
-
-def _load_local_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.local as ray_local
-    return os.path.join(
-        os.path.dirname(ray_local.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _load_kubernetes_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.kubernetes as ray_kubernetes
-    return os.path.join(
-        os.path.dirname(ray_kubernetes.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _load_aws_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.aws as ray_aws
-    return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(ray_aws.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _load_gcp_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.gcp as ray_gcp
-    return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(ray_gcp.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _load_azure_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.azure as ray_azure
-    return os.path.join(
-        os.path.dirname(ray_azure.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _load_staroid_example_config():
-    import ray.autoscaler.staroid as ray_staroid
-    return os.path.join(
-        os.path.dirname(ray_staroid.__file__), "example-full.yaml")
-
-
-def _import_external(provider_config):
-    provider_cls = _load_class(path=provider_config["module"])
-    return provider_cls
-
-
-_NODE_PROVIDERS = {
-    "local": _import_local,
-    "aws": _import_aws,
-    "gcp": _import_gcp,
-    "azure": _import_azure,
-    "staroid": _import_staroid,
-    "kubernetes": _import_kubernetes,
-    "external": _import_external  # Import an external module
-}
-
-_PROVIDER_PRETTY_NAMES = {
-    "local": "Local",
-    "aws": "AWS",
-    "gcp": "GCP",
-    "azure": "Azure",
-    "staroid": "Staroid",
-    "kubernetes": "Kubernetes",
-    "external": "External"
-}
-
-_DEFAULT_CONFIGS = {
-    "local": _load_local_example_config,
-    "aws": _load_aws_example_config,
-    "gcp": _load_gcp_example_config,
-    "azure": _load_azure_example_config,
-    "staroid": _load_staroid_example_config,
-    "kubernetes": _load_kubernetes_example_config,
-}
-
-
-def _load_class(path):
-    """Load a class at runtime given a full path.
-
-    Example of the path: mypkg.mysubpkg.myclass
-    """
-    class_data = path.split(".")
-    if len(class_data) < 2:
-        raise ValueError(
-            "You need to pass a valid path like mymodule.provider_class")
-    module_path = ".".join(class_data[:-1])
-    class_str = class_data[-1]
-    module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
-    return getattr(module, class_str)
-
-
-def _get_node_provider(provider_config: Dict[str, Any],
-                       cluster_name: str) -> Any:
-    importer = _NODE_PROVIDERS.get(provider_config["type"])
-    if importer is None:
-        raise NotImplementedError("Unsupported node provider: {}".format(
-            provider_config["type"]))
-    provider_cls = importer(provider_config)
-    return provider_cls(provider_config, cluster_name)
-
-
-def _get_default_config(provider_config):
-    if provider_config["type"] == "external":
-        return {}
-    load_config = _DEFAULT_CONFIGS.get(provider_config["type"])
-    if load_config is None:
-        raise NotImplementedError("Unsupported node provider: {}".format(
-            provider_config["type"]))
-    path_to_default = load_config()
-    with open(path_to_default) as f:
-        defaults = yaml.safe_load(f)
-
-    return defaults
-
-
 class NodeProvider:
     """Interface for getting and returning nodes from a Cloud.
 
+    **Important**: This is an INTERNAL API that is only exposed for the purpose
+    of implementing custom node providers. It is not allowed to call into
+    NodeProvider methods from any Ray package outside the autoscaler, only to
+    define new implementations of NodeProvider for use with the "external" node
+    provider option.
+
     NodeProviders are namespaced by the `cluster_name` parameter; they only
     operate on nodes within that namespace.
 
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_autoscaler.py b/python/ray/tests/test_autoscaler.py
index e5d4a0fd4..b79ebd372 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_autoscaler.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_autoscaler.py
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ from ray.autoscaler._private.commands import get_or_create_head_node
 from ray.autoscaler._private.docker import DOCKER_MOUNT_PREFIX
 from ray.autoscaler._private.load_metrics import LoadMetrics
 from ray.autoscaler._private.autoscaler import StandardAutoscaler
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _NODE_PROVIDERS
 from ray.autoscaler.tags import TAG_RAY_NODE_KIND, TAG_RAY_NODE_STATUS, \
     STATUS_UP_TO_DATE, STATUS_UPDATE_FAILED, TAG_RAY_USER_NODE_TYPE
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _NODE_PROVIDERS, NodeProvider
+from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import NodeProvider
 from ray.test_utils import RayTestTimeoutException
 import pytest
 
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_coordinator_server.py b/python/ray/tests/test_coordinator_server.py
index 713bdbf39..726ee9a80 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_coordinator_server.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_coordinator_server.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ import unittest
 import socket
 import json
 
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _NODE_PROVIDERS, _get_node_provider
 from ray.autoscaler.local.coordinator_server import OnPremCoordinatorServer
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _NODE_PROVIDERS, \
+    _get_node_provider
 from ray.autoscaler._private.local.node_provider import LocalNodeProvider
 from ray.autoscaler._private.local.coordinator_node_provider import (
     CoordinatorSenderNodeProvider)
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_resource_demand_scheduler.py b/python/ray/tests/test_resource_demand_scheduler.py
index 1f310822e..3e76c023e 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_resource_demand_scheduler.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_resource_demand_scheduler.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import copy
 import ray
 from ray.tests.test_autoscaler import SMALL_CLUSTER, MockProvider, \
     MockProcessRunner
-from ray.autoscaler.node_provider import _NODE_PROVIDERS
+from ray.autoscaler._private.providers import _NODE_PROVIDERS
 from ray.autoscaler._private.autoscaler import StandardAutoscaler
 from ray.autoscaler._private.load_metrics import LoadMetrics
 from ray.autoscaler._private.commands import get_or_create_head_node