For most people the answer is: you already have it. The federal rebate arrives as an upfront discount, not a payment you wait for.
What you actually get, and when
At quote stage the installer deducts the expected STC value from the price. You sign an assignment form and pay the lower amount. Nothing else lands in your bank account.
Behind the scenes the installer creates the STCs in the REC Registry, they are checked, and then sold to a trader. That process is what takes “days to weeks”. For a clean claim with an established trader it can be paid in a day or two, as covered in how long STC payment should take.
When the timeline matters to you
- You are asked to pay the full price first. Then you are waiting on a payment from the installer. Confirm the date in writing, or look for a quote with an upfront discount.
- State rebates. Programs such as Solar Victoria have their own approval process and income caps. The Victorian cap fell to $150,000 on 1 July 2026. Check their page for timing.
- Installation delays. The claim cannot start until the system is installed, connected and photographed.
What slows an STC claim
Common causes are blank forms, unclear photos, serial numbers that do not match, or a registry flag. See the list in STC payment delay reasons. None of these should change what you pay.
Timeline from signing to switch-on
A typical household job runs roughly as follows: quote and signing, then a few days to several weeks for scheduling and any network approval, then install in a day or two, then the installer lodges the STC claim. The utility’s inspection and meter change can add more time. None of the claim steps stop you using the system once it is connected. If your installer is slow to connect, ask for a date in writing rather than assuming the rebate is the cause.
What this means for you
Ask the installer what the net price is, and get the discount stated on the quote. For more about what an STC is, read what an STC is in solar panels, and for the wider picture start at the resources hub or see how settlement works.