Households are allowed to keep their own STCs. The question is whether doing so makes financial sense. In most cases it does not, but it helps to see why.
What selling your own STCs involves
- Pay the full price. Without assignment, the installer cannot discount your quote by the STC value, so you pay the full amount.
- Register. You need to be a registered person in the Clean Energy Regulator’s Registry.
- Create the certificates. You lodge the installation details and evidence, within the time limits set by the regulator.
- Sell. You find a buyer: a trader, an agent or the clearing house, which accepts STCs at $40 on a first-come basis.
At the time of writing STCs trade around $38 to $40. For 45 STCs, a typical 6.6 kW zone 3 system in 2026, that is roughly $1,710 to $1,800 gross. You will have waited days or weeks for it and may have paid a trader’s fee.
Would you get a higher discount?
Not exactly. If you keep the STCs there is no discount at all, just cash later. A fair comparison is the installer’s STC discount against your net sale proceeds. The installer’s figure is typically a little below spot, because they carry the cash flow, handle the compliance, and bear the risk of the claim. Your net could be a few dollars per STC higher, but you take on the work and the risk of the CER rejecting your claim. For a household, a gain of perhaps $50 to $150 rarely justifies that.
When it might make sense
- The installer’s discount is clearly well below market, and you have asked and they will not move.
- You have the cash flow to carry the full price for weeks.
- You are organised enough to keep installation evidence, photos and the certificate of electrical safety.
What this means for you
Ask your installer for the STC count and value per STC in writing and compare it with the spot market. If it looks fair, assign and move on. If you would like the existing explainer on selling your own STCs or the homeowners pillar, they are there. The STC calculator shows your count, and installers wanting a certificate buyer can read STC trading and pricing.
From the desk: an installer who pressures you to sign an assignment form before giving you the STC count and discount in writing is a red flag. Walk away or ask for the document first.
Common questions
Do I need an ABN? Not necessarily for a household, but registration and tax treatment depend on your circumstances; see whether the solar rebate is taxable. What if the installer is not accredited? Then the system may not be eligible at all.