When a claim fails validation, or an application is rejected, nothing has been registered. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has decided the evidence or eligibility did not support the certificates. The point of this page is what to do next.
What a failure means
- The STCs do not enter your registry account as registered certificates and cannot be sold.
- The reason is recorded against the claim, usually a category such as photos, documents, installer details or eligibility.
- A fee-free trader does not take a fee from you for it, but its agreement may say whether advance payment is repayable.
The registry status is explained in REC Registry status meanings.
The first 48 hours
- Read the reason. Do not guess. Copy it into the job file.
- Sort fixable from unfixable. Missing or poor photos, a typo in an address or a serial, and an incomplete form are usually fixable. A non-eligible product or an install that was not attended by an accredited person usually is not.
- Contact your trader. They may already have the CER’s notice and can advise.
- Collect the evidence. Pull original photos, the assignment form, the invoice and the retailer written statement.
- Decide: recreate or stop. See how to resubmit failed STCs.
Common reasons
The causes are the same ones traders see every week: photos, serial numbers, address and installer data. The list is in why STCs fail on photos, serials and address and the top claim rejection reasons. For a longer explanation see why a claim was rejected.
Who bears the cost
If the failure came from a paperwork error and you are fixing it, the cost is time. If you were paid in advance and the claim cannot be fixed, the contract may require repayment. See STC clawback and who is responsible.
What this means for installers
Treat a fail as feedback on your process. If the same reason recurs, change the checklist. A trader that pre-checks claims should drive your failure rate down. See how Energy Merchants checks claims and the pillar on STC trading. The fix a failed STC claim page has a longer repair guide.
Talking to the customer
If the customer has paid a reduced price on the basis of the STC discount, a failed claim may leave you out of pocket, but it does not change what they owe. Do not ask the customer to pay the difference unless your contract allows it. Explain plainly that there is a paperwork issue, you are fixing it, and the installation is unaffected.