Payment time for VEECs follows the same pattern as STCs: the claim has to be complete, it has to pass the trader’s checks, and then the money moves on whatever terms the trader offers. The certificate type matters less than the provider.
The stages
- Lodgement. You provide the evidence for the activity, including product details and installer information.
- Compliance check. The trader confirms the activity, product and evidence meet the Victorian Energy Upgrades rules.
- Certificate creation and sale. The registry step is quick.
- Payment. Per terms, from one day to a month.
Why VEEC claims can stall
Activity rules are specific. A product that is not on the approved register, missing installer details or incomplete evidence will stop a claim. The Essential Services Commission administers the scheme and audits claims, so traders are careful, and a slow trader is often a cautious one.
Setting expectations
With a VEEC at about $85 to $95 in 2026, a single claim can be worth a lot, so waiting 20 or 30 days is a real cash flow cost. If your jobs earn many certificates each, compare terms carefully. See 20 days versus 1 day for the logic.
What this means for installers
At Energy Merchants, established partners are paid within 24 hours of sign-off, and a first claim clears in 48 to 72 hours. The compliance desk pre-checks every claim, so problems are caught early. See the VEEC trading pillar, how it works and the pricing page.
A sensible benchmark is to record the number of days from lodgement to cash on your last ten VEEC claims. If the average is more than a few days, or the range is wide, you have a predictability problem as well as a speed one, and predictability is what lets you plan wages, materials and the next quarter’s work.
If you handle both VEECs and STCs, ask whether a single account manager can move claims of either type through the same queue. Fewer hand-offs means fewer delays, and it gives you one person to call when something needs chasing. Consistent timing across both is a good sign that a trader runs a tight operation.