A claim is a package of evidence and numbers that tells the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) a system exists, who owns it and how many certificates it earns. It goes wrong when something in the package is missing or inconsistent, and nearly all of that is decided on site in the first hour. This walk-through follows a job from the quote to the money, with the timings you can expect.
The steps apply to solar, batteries and heat pumps. Where they differ, we say so. Check the CER’s current guidance on anything that has changed since the date of writing, 2 October 2026.
Step 1: confirm eligibility before you quote
For solar, check that the system is 100 kW or less, or, from 1 October 2026, above 100 kW and up to 1 MW as a mid-scale system with a fixed five-year deeming period. Check the panels and inverter are on the Clean Energy Council approved lists on the installation date. For batteries, check the model is CEC-approved and VPP-capable, within 5 to 100 kWh usable. For heat pumps, check the model is on the CER’s register.
Step 2: calculate the certificates from the installation date
For solar, STCs = kW x zone rating x deeming years. A 6.6 kW system in zone 3 in 2026 earns 6.6 x 1.382 x 5 = 45.6, so 45 STCs. For a battery, use usable kWh through the tiers at the factor. A 13.5 kWh battery at 6.8 earns 91. Use the date the job will be installed, not the date you quote. The STC calculator and battery STC calculator do this for you.
| Job | Inputs | STCs | At $38 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar 6.6 kW, zone 3, 2026 | 6.6 x 1.382 x 5 | 45 | $1,710 |
| Solar 10 kW, zone 4, 2026 | 10 x 1.185 x 5 | 59 | $2,242 |
| Battery 13.5 kWh, 2026 | 13.5 x 6.8 | 91 | $3,458 |
Step 3: get the assignment form signed
The owner assigns the right to the certificates to you, or to your agent, in writing. The form must name the right person, match the address and the system, and be signed before you lodge. If the signatory is not the owner, such as a tenant or a company director without authority, the claim is at risk. The assignment form resource has a template, and who owns the STCs explains the edge cases. Also see assignment form requirements.
Step 4: install and capture the evidence
Take the photos on the job, not afterwards. The standard set is the array and roof, the inverter and its label, the serial numbers, the switchboard, labelling and the meter. For batteries, labelling photos must be geotagged and timestamped from 1 March 2026. The photo requirements checklist and battery photo guide list the shots.
Step 5: complete the paperwork
You will usually need:
- the signed assignment form;
- the installer’s declaration or written statement, where required;
- electrical compliance documents (CES, CCEW or COES in your state);
- the DNSP connection approval, where applicable;
- proof of product serials against the approved list;
- the invoice, with the STC discount shown.
Our installer written statement answer explains the declaration.
Step 6: enter the system and lodge the certificates
Using your REC Registry account, or your trader’s lodgement portal, enter the system details: address, postcode, kW or kWh, installation date, product models, installer and owner details. Create the certificates against the installation. Check the zone, the deeming years and the capacity against your calculation before you hit submit.
The most common data errors are:
- A postcode that puts the job in the wrong zone.
- An installation date that differs from the compliance certificate.
- A capacity that includes panels not actually installed.
- A serial number typed with an extra digit.
Step 7: sell or transfer the certificates
If you hold a trader agreement, the certificates are transferred to the trader on a stated rate. The rate should be fixed on lodgement of a complete claim. Check the trading guide for what to ask. If you sell on the spot market or to the clearing house, the process and timing differ.
Step 8: validation
The CER validates certificates. For most claims this happens quickly, but audits and risk reviews can add time. If your trader pre-checks, many problems are caught before this stage. If a claim fails, see how to fix a failed claim and why claims are rejected.
Step 9: get paid
Payment comes on the trader’s settlement term. Terms vary from 24 hours for established partners to 20 business days or more. See how long STC payment should take. Keep your records for the period the CER requires, including photos and forms, because audits can look back.
A realistic timeline
| Stage | Who | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Quote and assignment | Installer and owner | Day 0 |
| Install and photos | Crew | Day of install |
| Paperwork and lodgement | Office | Within 1 to 3 days |
| Pre-check | Trader’s desk | Same day |
| Validation | CER | A short period for clean claims |
| Payment | Trader | 24 hours to 20 business days, by contract |
If you lodge on day 3 and your trader settles in 24 hours, you are paid by day 5 or 6. If your trader takes 20 business days, you are paid in week 5. On 40 solar jobs a month that gap is about $68,000 of certificates outstanding, using 45 STCs at $38 per job.
Differences by technology
Solar. Zone and deeming year are the main variables. Mid-scale systems above 100 kW up to 1 MW can claim from 1 October 2026, but the CER has said applications open mid to late November, so hold evidence and plan for the wait. See mid-scale solar STCs.
Batteries. Usable kWh, tiers and the evidence rules. See the tier explainer.
Heat pumps. Model, zone and the old unit photo. See heat pump STCs for plumbers.
After lodgement: reading the signals
Once a claim is in, it usually ends up in one of three states. Knowing which helps you act at the right time.
Moving normally. The claim is validated and paid on the trader’s term. Nothing to do except record the payment against the job.
Queried. The desk or the CER has asked a question: a blurred serial, a mismatch between the install date and the compliance certificate, or a missing signature. Reply the same day with the exact item requested. A queried claim answered in an hour is usually paid within the normal term. One left for a week is paid a week late.
Rejected. The claim failed validation or was refused. Find the reason, fix it and re-lodge in line with your trader’s process. See how to fix a failed STC claim and claims that fail validation.
Two further traps are worth knowing. If you add panels to an existing system, treat it as a new claim with its own date and paperwork. And if two systems share an address, such as a house and a shed, make sure each has its own details so that a reviewer can tell them apart.
What to do next
- Print the nine steps and pin them in the office.
- Add the three-document read-back to your claim routine.
- Check how your trader pre-checks and when the clock starts. See how it works.
- Look up the current rate on the pricing page, then start trading when you are ready to lodge.