Licensed electricians can legally install solar, but the certificate scheme asks for more. To create STCs, the system must be installed by a person who holds current Clean Energy Council accreditation for that type of system.
Licence versus accreditation
| Electrical licence | CEC accreditation | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | State regulator | Clean Energy Council |
| Lets you | Do electrical work legally | Claim STCs on compliant installs |
| Needed for STCs | Yes | Yes |
Both are required. You need an electrical licence to work, and accreditation for the system to be eligible.
What accreditation involves
The Clean Energy Council runs accreditation for grid-connected PV, stand-alone systems and battery storage. In general you need to hold a relevant licence, complete training or assessment and maintain accreditation with ongoing requirements. The details change, so use the Clean Energy Council’s own pages.
Supervision traps
Some crews have an accredited person who is not on site. The scheme expects the accredited installer to be present for key parts of the work. The detail is in the installer attendance requirements, and the written statement may be requested in an audit, see installer written statement.
Steps if you are starting out
A practical sequence for an electrician is: confirm your licence class is suitable, check the current Clean Energy Council requirements for the system type, book the training or assessment, apply for accreditation, and only then start quoting jobs that rely on STCs. In the meantime, you can work for an accredited installer under their supervision, as long as the supervision rules are met. Budget for the cost and time of training, and for the renewal cycle, since a lapse can affect jobs in progress.
What this means for installers
If you are an electrician thinking of adding solar, plan on the Clean Energy Council process first and a trader second. For how claims are checked once you are creating them, see how STC audits work. The resources hub lists our guides, and the STC trading page explains how selling works.