STC creation date

Written and checked by the Energy Merchants desk · Reviewed 3 October 2026

The STC creation date is the day the creation is entered in the REC Registry. It records when the claim was made, not when the work was done. Installers sometimes use “creation date” loosely for either, and the confusion creates avoidable errors.

Why the gap matters

There is a time limit on how long after installation a creation can be made. The Clean Energy Regulator sets the deadline, which has been about 12 months from installation, though you should check the regulator’s current rule. A claim lodged after the limit may be refused. The creation date and the installation date together show whether you are inside the window.

In practice

Creation date also sets the clock for everything that follows: validation, registration, any audit and settlement. A job lodged the day after completion starts its clock earlier than one lodged three weeks later. For cash flow, shorter is better, which is why many crews lodge as soon as the paperwork is complete.

It also separates two things people mix up, the deeming rules that apply to the system and the date of the claim. The deeming period and the factor follow the installation date. Lodge a 2026 install in January 2027 and the system is still a 2026 system. See installation date and deeming period.

Worked example

A 6.6 kW system is installed on 18 December 2026 and lodged on 4 January 2027. The creation date is 4 January 2027. The installation date, which drives the 5-year deeming period for a 2026 install, is 18 December 2026. The lodgement in the new year does not move the system into the 4-year period for 2027.

Common confusion

Do not enter the creation date in a field that asks for the installation date. A wrong installation date can change the STC quantity and fail the claim.

See STC deeming period 2027, how it works and the glossary.