Many people expect a rebate to have an income cut-off, because state solar rebates often do. The federal battery program is different.
Is the battery rebate means tested?
No. The program is not means tested and does not look at household income. A household on a high income gets the same STC calculation as one on a low income, for the same battery commissioned on the same date. The discount is delivered through certificates, so what you receive is a price reduction from your installer rather than a payment from the government.
Do you need to be an Australian citizen?
The program rules we are aware of do not include a citizenship or residency test for the buyer. What they test is the equipment and the install: a CEC-approved battery that is VPP-capable, a battery system of 5 to 100 kWh nominal capacity, solar at the same premises, an accredited installer, commissioning on or after 1 July 2025, and one battery installation per premises. If your situation is unusual, ask the installer to check the current rules with the Clean Energy Regulator.
What does determine who can claim
- Premises. The battery goes on a property with solar and the one-battery-per-premises rule applies. See second battery on the same property.
- Ownership and agreement. The owner of the system assigns the STCs to the installer or agent by signing the STC assignment form. See the assignment form guide.
- Business use. Small businesses can use the program too. See battery rebate for businesses.
- State schemes. These can have their own conditions. Check each scheme’s official page, and see the VPP incentive stack.
What this means for installers
The federal discount is delivered at the point of sale, so a customer should see it as a line on the quote and invoice, not as a cheque later. If a customer is asked for income evidence by anyone selling the federal rebate, that is a sign they are being asked about something else.
You do not need to collect income evidence or citizenship documents for the federal discount. You do need the owner’s signature on the assignment form, a legible name and address, and photos. Do not build an income question into your quote process: it will confuse customers and imply a test that does not exist. If you are discussing a state rebate, state the cap for that scheme separately.
What this means for you
The question to ask is not whether you earn too much but whether your property, battery and installer qualify. Check the amount on the battery STC calculator, and read the battery STCs pillar for the full rules. If the installer discount looks low against the certificate value, see /pricing/ for how certificate prices work, and how it works for the flow of an assignment.