The STC clearing house is the buyer of last resort in the scheme. It sells certificates at $40, and that ceiling anchors the market. At the time of writing, the spot market has been roughly $38 to $40.
How the clearing house works
You list STCs for sale in the clearing house. They are purchased from the queue in order as buyers need them. When a buyer pays $40, you are paid that amount, with no commission, but you wait for a buyer. There is no fixed date.
How a trader differs
A trader buys your STCs, usually quickly, at a published rate. They carry the cost of holding certificates, the compliance check, and the risk of waiting for liable entities to buy. In return, they pay you a little under $40.
| Clearing house | Trader | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $40 | Slightly under, published |
| Timing | Queue-based, uncertain | Stated settlement time |
| Compliance help | None | Often pre-checks claims |
| Fees | None | Varies, ask |
How to decide
Work out what your time and cash are worth. If you have a $10,000 monthly flow of STCs, a $1 per STC gap is small compared to the cost of waiting weeks, or of a rejected claim you only discover late. For a very small installer with slack cash, the queue can work.
When the clearing house still makes sense
The queue can suit a business with very low volume, spare cash and no need for speed, or one that wants to take the $40 price on a batch of older certificates. It can also be a fallback when a trader pauses buying. Treat it as a tool rather than a strategy. Most active installers settle for a rate slightly lower than $40 and gain a predictable cash flow in return, which is usually the better trade.
What this means for installers
Compare rates on the same basis: the number, the lock point and the days to payment. Our rate card shows a published rate, and how it works shows how we settle. For background see fast-track STC payment, volume rates and the STC trading page. The what an STC is worth piece gives the wider picture.