Submission is the stretch between finishing the install and seeing money. It looks long on paper, but most of it is checking, and most of the delay is avoidable.
Step by step
- Assignment signed. The customer assigns the STC rights. Do this before or at install.
- Install and photograph. Take the full photo set on the day, with serials.
- Assemble the claim. Photos, assignment form, system size, install date, postcode, accreditation details.
- Lodge with your trader. Upload through their portal or form.
- Compliance review. The trader checks the evidence and flags problems.
- Registry creation. Certificates are created and transferred.
- Payment. Released per the trader’s terms.
Where it goes wrong
Mostly steps 2 and 3. A missing photo or a mismatched serial can stall the entire claim. The photo requirements guide and the assignment form guide are checklists for those steps. Our insight on the top rejection reasons lists the others.
Batteries and hot water
Battery STCs have their own evidence set, including rules that tightened from 1 March 2026, and hot water systems have their own photo checklists too. Use the right checklist for the right job; see the battery submission guide and the hot water checklist.
What this means for installers
A trader that pre-checks claims shortens the loop dramatically. Energy Merchants’ compliance desk reviews every claim before lodgement. The how it works page shows our process; you can also read the STC trading pillar or start trading.
A useful habit is to keep a simple tracker with each job’s lodgement date, query date and payment date. After a month, you will see which step eats the time. If most delay sits in compliance queries, invest in training. If it sits in payment, review your trader’s terms.
For installers running multiple crews, a single shared lodgement process is worth the investment. Agree on file naming, photo order and a single person who checks the set before it is sent. That small bit of structure turns submission from an administrative scramble into something predictable, and it makes any audit far easier to answer.