To create VEECs you must be accredited by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) for the activity you are delivering, complete the work to that activity’s specification using approved products, collect the required evidence, and then create the certificates in the VEU Registry. Certificates are only worth something if they survive an audit, so the dull parts, such as evidence and record keeping, decide whether the job pays.
This guide is for installers and businesses deciding whether to become an accredited provider or work under one. The detail of each activity is on the ESC’s website and changes, so use this as the map and the ESC as the source for requirements.
Step 1: Decide your route
You have two realistic options.
| Route | What it means | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Become an accredited provider | You apply to the ESC, create certificates in your own name and carry the compliance obligations | Businesses with volume and admin capacity |
| Work under an accredited provider | The provider creates and sells certificates, you install and supply evidence | Smaller installers who want less admin |
Becoming a provider gives you control of certificates and margin, but the audit exposure is yours. Working under a provider is simpler, but you give up some of the value.
Step 2: Accreditation
The ESC assesses applicants for the activities they want to deliver. Expect to show who you are, your licences and qualifications relevant to the work, and systems for record keeping and compliance. Requirements differ by activity, so read the ESC’s accreditation guidance for yours. Ask for the processing time before you commit to a start date.
Step 3: Understand the activity specification
Every activity has a specification: which products qualify, installation standards, who must install, what evidence is required, any limits on when the activity can be claimed, and the formula for the number of certificates. For a heat pump hot water system, for example, the activity covers eligible models and what existing system it replaces. Do not assume the rules match STC requirements; where a job can earn both, you must meet both sets. See VEECs and STCs on the same job.
Step 4: Check the product
Before quoting, confirm that the exact model is approved for the activity at the date of installation. Approvals can be added or removed. Keep a record of the date you checked and the model and serial numbers installed. A job on an unapproved product earns nothing.
Step 5: Do the job and gather the evidence
Typical evidence includes:
- customer details and signed consent;
- the address and the date of the work;
- product make, model and serial numbers;
- photos of the old system and the new installation;
- licence or qualification details of the installer;
- any certificates of compliance required by the activity.
Take photos on the day, not afterwards. Photos that do not clearly show the model plate or the installed unit are one of the most common reasons for delays. Our STC photo requirements are a useful discipline even when the VEU rules differ in detail.
Step 6: Create the certificates
Once the work is complete and the evidence is in order, you enter the details in the VEU Registry and the certificates are created. Accuracy matters: wrong addresses, wrong model numbers or a wrong activity can invalidate a batch. Many providers have a second person check each entry before submission.
Step 7: Sell or transfer
Certificates can be sold to a retailer or a trader. The transfer is recorded in the registry. See our guide on how to sell VEECs for the options and what to look for in terms.
A quick margin check
Illustrative numbers: a job that creates 20 VEECs at $90 yields $1,800 of certificate value. Say the product and labour cost you $2,300 and you charge the customer $1,000 after passing on a VEU discount, so your revenue is $1,000 plus $1,800 from certificates, or $2,800, leaving a $500 margin. If the certificate price falls to $75 before you sell, the same 20 certificates yield $1,500, revenue drops to $2,500 and your margin falls to $200. That is why many providers sell certificates soon after creation instead of holding them.
The numbers are for illustration. Actual counts and prices differ.
The mistakes that cost money
- Unapproved product or wrong model variant. Variants of the same product can have different approval status.
- Missing or weak photos. Evidence is judged by what the file shows, not by what you remember.
- Wrong activity or ineligible replacement. An activity may only apply to certain existing systems.
- Consent not in order. Without the customer’s valid agreement, certificates can be challenged.
- Late creation. Activities can have time limits between installation and creation.
- Weak internal checks. One person entering and submitting without review.
Record keeping and audits
The ESC can audit certificates after creation, so keep every job file for the period the activity or the Act requires, and check the current retention period on the ESC site. A good file contains the signed consent, the quote and invoice, the photos with metadata intact, the product approval check, the installer’s licence details and a copy of what was entered in the registry. If a buyer asks you to substantiate a batch, you want to hand over a complete file within a day, not spend a week reconstructing it.
Treat the first twenty jobs as a pilot. Audit your own files against the specification, look for patterns in what is missing, and fix the process before volume climbs. Providers who skip this step usually find out about their weak point from a rejected batch.
How buyers look at your certificates
A buyer is taking on the risk that the ESC will reject or reverse your certificates, so they price that risk in. A provider with a clean record, tidy files and consistent volumes tends to be an easier counterparty than one with gaps. Some buyers will pre-check claims before accepting them. Others will ask for a warranty that you will replace or refund any certificate that is later reversed. Read these terms before you sign, and keep your cash flow able to absorb a reversal.
For related answers, see VEEC aggregators and what a VEEC is.
What to do next
- Read the ESC page for your activity and note the evidence list.
- Decide between becoming a provider and working under one.
- Set up a simple pre-lodgement check, and line up a buyer. See VEEC trading and our pricing, or the partner program for what a named account manager and pre-checks can add.
- Read the answer on VEEC payment time to plan your cash flow.