A battery claim is ready to lodge when six things are true: the model is on the approved list, usable capacity is stated correctly, the serial numbers match the photos, the assignment form is signed and complete, the installer details are current, and the install date sits inside the right factor period. Get those six right and most claims clear on the first attempt.
This guide walks through the sequence we use, from the moment the install finishes to the moment the claim goes to the regulator. It sits alongside the battery submission checklist, which is the reference version. Here we explain the reasoning so you can spot problems the checklist does not name.
Before you leave site
The easiest time to fix a claim is before the van leaves. Run through these on site.
- Confirm the model and variant against the approved list, and write down the exact name.
- Photograph the installation location, the battery in place, the rating plate and the serial number. Check each photo is sharp when you zoom in on the phone.
- Get the assignment form signed by the customer, with every field complete.
- Record the install date on the job. The factor and bands depend on it.
- Note the usable capacity from the product data, not the sales brochure.
- Confirm the property has no earlier battery claim, as the program allows one eligible battery per property.
The documents
| Document | What it must show | Common slip |
|---|---|---|
| Signed assignment form | Customer name, address, signature, date, installer details | Missing signature or date; mismatch with address |
| Product details | Model, variant, usable kWh | Nominal kWh entered |
| Serial numbers | Each unit, matching photos | Unreadable or mistyped |
| Installation photos | Location, battery, rating plate, serial | Dark, blurred, or taken after closing up |
| Electrical compliance | Certificate of electrical safety or equivalent for the state | Missing or does not match the address |
| DNSP approval | Network approval for the connection | Approved capacity does not match installed |
| Installer accreditation | Current accreditation details | Lapsed or wrong class |
| VPP capability evidence | Product capability for the model | Not kept on file |
Photos: the usual trouble spot
Evidence rules tightened from 1 March 2026, and photos are where we see most battery claims stall. Aim for:
- A wide photo that shows the battery in its installation location
- A close photo of the battery in place, showing context
- The rating plate, legible at full size
- The serial number, legible at full size, matching the typed serial
- Metadata left intact, so the image is not stripped or edited
For more detail see the photo requirements. The guidance on solar photos applies to batteries too, with the added rule that serials must be unmistakable.
Usable capacity: get it right once
The certificate count depends on usable kWh. If the manufacturer’s data lists nominal 13.5 and usable 12.8, the claim uses 12.8. At a factor of 6.8 that is 87 certificates, not 91. Claiming the higher number means the claim does not reconcile with the product record and is likely to be held. Keep the datasheet page that shows the usable figure on the job file.
The calculation check
Before lodging, do the sum yourself.
- Up to 14 kWh at the full factor
- 14 to 28 kWh at 60 per cent
- 28 to 50 kWh at 15 per cent
At 6.8 for installs from 1 May 2026, a 10 kWh battery is 68 STCs and a 20 kWh battery about 119. If your system’s number differs, find out why before the claim goes in. We explain the method in how battery STCs work and the changes in 2026 changes.
Lodging and what happens next
Once the pack is complete, it is lodged and validated. If a trader is pre-checking, the desk reviews each item and returns anything that needs correction before lodgement. After validation, certificates are created and transferred, and the trader pays at their rate. If a claim is queried, the quickest route is a corrected document, not a new claim.
If a claim is rejected or held
- Read the reason in full. Resist the temptation to resubmit with a quick fix.
- Identify which of the six readiness items failed.
- Correct at the source: a new photo if one exists, a re-signed form if needed, a corrected capacity if wrong.
- Resubmit with a note explaining what changed.
Where the rejection is about missing evidence you cannot recreate, such as a serial that was never photographed, a return visit may be the only fix. That is why the on-site check matters so much. For wider patterns see top STC claim rejection reasons and how STC audits work.
A pre-lodgement checklist you can copy
Before any battery claim goes in, tick each line.
- Model and variant match the approved list entry
- Usable kWh matches the datasheet, not the brochure
- Certificate count recalculated by hand and matches the claim
- Install date inside the intended factor period
- Customer name and address identical across form, certificate and DNSP approval
- Every serial typed correctly and visible in a photo
- Rating plate legible
- Assignment form signed and dated
- Installer accreditation current
- VPP capability evidence on file
- No earlier claim at the property
If one line cannot be ticked, do not lodge. The cost of a delay is days; the cost of a poorly founded claim can be much more.
Timing
Do not let a batch of battery jobs sit. Evidence is easiest to fix within a day or two of the install, when the customer is still reachable and the photos are fresh. Lodge within the week and you will rarely need a return visit.
What to do next
- Print the on-site checklist above and keep it in the van.
- Check your last five battery jobs against the six readiness items. Fix anything that is missing.
- Read the battery STC page for the broader picture and the installer guide.
If you want a second set of eyes before lodgement, our compliance desk reviews every claim before it goes in. Start trading or look at the rates.