Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the right to create STCs belongs to the owner of the small generation unit at the time it is installed. For a home solar system, that is you. Ownership does not move to the installer by default, and nobody can create certificates for your system without your written consent.
How ownership usually changes hands
In practice, nearly all owners assign the right to create certificates to their installer or retailer. The assignment form is a short document that says who you are, what was installed, where, and that you hand over the right to create the certificates in exchange for a lower price. It is the paper trail the Clean Energy Regulator relies on if a claim is ever audited. See what assigning STCs means for the plain-language version.
Once you have assigned, the installer is the one creating the STCs in the registry and selling them. You are not a party to that sale and you are not paid again.
When you stay the owner
You are free to keep the rights. If you do, you pay the full price of the system and then create and sell the certificates yourself, which needs a registry account and some care. The trade-offs are covered in can I keep my STCs and can I sell my own STCs.
Things worth checking
- The assignment form should list your name and the system address correctly, along with the system size.
- The discount on your quote should match the number of STCs on the form, at a sensible price per certificate.
- You should receive a copy of the signed form.
From the desk: if a salesperson says the STCs are “theirs anyway”, they are wrong. You are entitled to see the STC count and the value being applied to your quote before you sign.
What this means for you
Signing the form is normal and not something to be nervous about. It is how the discount reaches you. What matters is that the price you are quoted already reflects the full certificate value, not a cut-down version. For the broader mechanics, see the resources hub and the STC assignment form guide.