Most installers do not trade certificates themselves. They assign the right to create STCs to a trader, collect the discount value, and let the trader deal with the registry. That is the usual path, and it works like this.
The steps
- Quote with the discount. Calculate certificates using kW, zone rating and deeming years, then reflect the value in the quote. See the calculator guide.
- Get the assignment signed. The customer assigns their right to the STCs, using the form described in our assignment form guide.
- Install and document. Take the full photo set on the day.
- Lodge the claim. Send the photos, forms and system details to your trader.
- Compliance check. The trader reviews and fixes or queries issues.
- Certificates are created and paid for. You receive payment at the locked rate.
Choosing the trader
This is the one decision that changes your result. Compare the published rate, when it locks, fees, settlement time and support. Our trader checklist is a quick scorecard.
Admin to get right
The paperwork on payment matters. Many traders issue a recipient created tax invoice, so you need an ABN and a clear GST position. See our guide to RCTI, GST and ABN.
What this means for installers
Energy Merchants buys STCs, battery STCs and VEECs at a published daily rate with zero fees and a named account manager. See how it works, the pricing page or start trading.
If you work across several states, remember that different schemes apply. Victorian jobs can also earn VEECs for eligible activities, and NSW has its own certificate schemes. A trader that handles all of them under one account saves duplicated paperwork. See VEECs and STCs on the same job.
Customers sometimes ask why the discount on their quote is not simply the market price multiplied by the certificate count. The honest answer is that the installer carries the risk, the admin and the cash flow delay, and the discount reflects the rate the installer’s trader pays. A clear explanation avoids awkward conversations later and builds trust before the job even starts.