Heritage homes sit in a gap that is mostly about planning, not certificates. The STC scheme does not care whether a house is listed. It cares whether the system is installed by an accredited installer using approved products, and whether the claim is documented properly.
Heritage approval is the real hurdle
Local councils and state heritage bodies treat rooftop solar differently. Some overlays allow panels on rear or non-street-facing roof planes with no permit, some require a permit, and a few restrict visible panels altogether. Rules differ by council and state, so check the council’s heritage page or ask for a pre-application opinion before you sign.
If approval is refused, or conditions force a smaller array, STCs adjust accordingly. They are calculated on the installed capacity, not the capacity you hoped for. A 4 kW system in Melbourne (zone 4) installed in 2026 creates 4 x 1.185 x 5 = 23 STCs. See the STC calculator.
Design choices that help
- Place panels on rear or side roof planes not visible from the street.
- Use low-profile, all-black panels where visible placement is unavoidable.
- Consider a ground-mounted or outbuilding array if the main roof is restricted.
- Choose micro-inverters or optimisers if shading from chimneys or neighbouring trees is a problem. They remain eligible if the products are on the approved lists.
STC claim details
The paperwork is the same. The owner signs the assignment, the accredited installer completes the installation, and the photos meet the photo requirements. A heritage property may have unusual roof materials, such as slate or terracotta tiles, so pay attention to mounting photos that show how the system is fixed and sealed, because auditors look at structure.
Timing and the deeming period
Heritage approvals can take weeks or months. Because the deeming period falls from 5 years for 2026 installs to 4 years for 2027 installs, a late approval that pushes the install past 31 December reduces the STC count by about a fifth. If you are quoting in the last quarter, tell the customer plainly that approval timing could change the discount, and avoid promising a figure until the install date is firm.
What this means for installers
Do not start the install until you have the approval in hand and keep a copy in the job file. If conditions of approval limit the layout, make sure your design and the photos match what was approved. A mismatch between approved and installed positions is a cheap thing to get wrong and an expensive thing to explain.
If a heritage building is owned by a church, trust or council, see community organisation solar for the ownership and signing points. The overall process is on how it works and in the STC trading overview.