Metadata is the evidence behind the evidence. A photo shows what the work looked like; the embedded location and time data shows where and when it was taken, and that the installer was present. Three rows of search demand are really the same question: do I need geotags, what is in the metadata, and does it matter what I shoot with?
What the Regulator asks for
For batteries, from 1 March 2026, installers must take clear, geotagged and timestamped photos of the critical labelling, in addition to the on-site verification photos taken during installation. The metadata has to match the installation window from start to finish. Photos can be JPEG, PNG or HEIC, and PDFs are not accepted.
For solar, the Regulator’s compliance work has focused on installer attendance, and photos with location and time data at each phase of installation are how attendance is shown. Since the rules are updated from time to time, check the current guidance and your trader’s requirements.
What is in the metadata
- Date and time the picture was taken (EXIF).
- GPS coordinates, if the device had location on.
- Device make and model.
- File name and sequence.
An auditor can compare the coordinates with the site address and the times with the start and finish of the job. Photos that say they were taken at your depot, or two days earlier, tell a story you do not want.
Phone or camera?
A modern phone wins for four reasons:
- Location is built in. Turn on location for the camera app and each photo carries coordinates.
- Time comes from the network, which is harder to get wrong than a camera clock set years ago.
- It is with you. No second device to carry or sync.
- Formats suit the rules. HEIC and JPEG are on the accepted list.
A standalone camera can be used if it records GPS or you can show time and place by other means, but you gain complexity and risk.
Where metadata gets lost
- Messaging apps and social media that compress and strip data.
- Screenshots of photos, which carry the screenshot’s time, not the original.
- Photo editors, filters and crops.
- Exporting to PDF.
- Cloud tools set to resize images.
Always move the original file. If you must share by message, send as a document or file.
From the desk: check the phone’s location permission for the camera on the first day with a new device or after an update. A permission reset is the number one reason a whole job’s photos arrive with no coordinates.
Taken by someone else?
Photos taken by a crew member, or a subcontractor, raise their own issues; see who can take the photos.
What this means for installers
Make metadata part of the job card: location on, no edits, originals only, and a check at the end of the day. See the photo checklist, the STC photo requirements and the battery guide. Energy Merchants’ compliance desk pre-checks photo sets before lodgement; see how it works and STC trading.