The short version is that you should not claim without it. The longer version is worth knowing, because the certificate is the document that most often sits between a clean claim and a claim that comes back months later.
Why the certificate matters
STCs exist because a system was installed and connected lawfully. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) requires small-scale systems to comply with the relevant state or territory electrical laws, alongside the CEC accreditation of the installer and the approved-product rules. The electrical safety certificate, whether it is called a CES, a CCEW or a COES where you work, is the licensed electrician’s declaration that the work was completed and tested.
A claim with no certificate has no evidence of lawful electrical work. That is the gap an auditor will find first.
What actually happens if you lodge without it
There is no tick box in the REC Registry that stops you from lodging, so it can feel like the certificate is optional. It is not. Three things can follow:
- Trader hold. Most traders check for the certificate before they pay. A claim without one is usually parked until you supply it, which delays your money.
- Rejection or validation failure. If the CER asks for evidence and none exists, the certificates can be invalidated.
- Clawback. If STCs were already paid and later fail an audit, the trader will look to recover the money from whoever assigned them. See how STC clawback works.
When the certificate is late
Often the install is done and the electrician simply has not lodged the paperwork. Chase it the same week. Some practical steps:
- Ask the electrician for the certificate number and a copy, not a promise.
- Check the state regulator’s portal if your state issues certificates electronically.
- Confirm the address and the date on the certificate match your installation record.
- Only then lodge the claim.
If the work was done by an unlicensed person, or the certificate was never issued, you have a compliance problem rather than a paperwork problem. Talk to a licensed electrician about remediation before touching the STC claim.
What this means for installers
Treat the certificate like the assignment form: no signed copy, no lodgement. Put it on your job closeout checklist beside the photos and serial numbers. The STC photo requirements cover the evidence on the roof, and the certificate covers the electrical side.
Our compliance desk reviews photos, forms and certificates before anything is lodged, so a missing document is caught while the job is still fresh. If you are comparing how traders handle this, see what to look for in a trader and the wider STC trading page. Start with how it works if you want to see the sequence from install to settlement.
This is general information. The rules vary by state, so confirm your local requirements with your electrical regulator.