Solar rebate Australia 2026: how it works and what you get

The 2026 solar rebate is a discount worth about $1,700 for a typical 6.6 kW system in a capital city, delivered as small-scale technology certificates (STCs) rather than a government payment. In 2026 the system earns five years of deemed generation, which is the maximum the scheme will ever give again, because the deeming period drops by one year each January until it ends in 2030.

The rebate is calculated from three inputs you can check yourself: the system size, your postcode zone, and the year. There is no application form to the government and no income test on the federal part. What households actually do is assign their STCs to the installer, who creates and sells them. The rest of this guide shows what you should see on a quote.

The 2026 formula, step by step

STCs = system size (kW) x zone rating x deeming period (years), rounded down.

For 2026 installs the deeming period is 5 years. Zone ratings are 1.622, 1.536, 1.382 and 1.185 for Zones 1 to 4.

The 10 kW row is 69.1, rounded down to 69. The 13 kW Zone 1 row is 105.4, so 105. Note that eligible small-scale systems are capped at 100 kW in size and generate fewer than 250 MWh a year.

What an STC is worth in 2026

STCs trade on the open market and, separately, through the Clean Energy Regulator’s clearing house at a fixed $40 each. At the time of writing the spot market has been around $38 to $40. A trader or installer sells at a discount to the $40 ceiling to get paid immediately instead of waiting in the clearing house queue. See what an STC is worth in 2026 for how that discount works.

For the 6.6 kW Zone 3 system, 45 STCs at $38 is $1,710. At $40 it is $1,800. That is the number you should expect to see as a discount, give or take what your installer keeps. For homeowners, the installer’s cut is a legitimate cost of doing business. For installers, it is a margin to protect by choosing a trader with a published daily rate: see our pricing page.

Eligibility in plain terms

• The panels and inverter must be on the Clean Energy Council’s approved lists.
• The installer must be accredited (and an appropriately licensed electrician).
• The system must be new or an eligible addition, with compliant photos and paperwork.
• Systems must be grid-connected or off-grid fixed to the premises, not portable.

Our installation type guide explains how replacement or additional panels are treated, and the photo requirements checklist lists what the Clean Energy Regulator expects to see in an audit.

How the money reaches you

For most households the money never reaches you as cash. You sign an assignment form, the installer lodges a claim, the certificates are registered and sold, and the proceeds fund the discount already on your invoice. If instead you keep the STCs, you need to register in the REC Registry (or use an agent), find a buyer and wait for payment. Few households choose this route.

Installers wait varying times for settlement. A direct clearing house sale can be slow; a trader pays faster. Read how long STC payment should take for the realistic ranges.

What changes in January 2027

In 2027 the deeming period falls to 4 years. A 6.6 kW Zone 3 system would earn 36 STCs instead of 45, losing nine certificates, or roughly $340 at today’s spot price. For a 13 kW Zone 3 system the drop is larger in absolute terms. Our guide to the 2027 deeming change shows the full schedule.

That does not mean you should rush into a poor install. A $340 reduction does not justify buying the wrong system. But if you were already going to install and the quote is sound, the end of the year is a sensible target.

Common traps in 2026

1. A rebate quoted without an STC count. You cannot verify it.
2. A very high discount that assumes a high STC price. The market price is capped by the $40 clearing house.
3. Extras bundled as a rebate. Free batteries or “government-funded” add-ons are usually the battery program discount instead, which is separate and has its own rules. See the Cheaper Home Batteries guide.
4. Uncertified equipment. If a product is not on the approved list, no STCs can be created.

A worked comparison of two quotes

Say you receive two quotes for a 6.6 kW system in a Zone 3 suburb. Installer A quotes $6,200 “after rebate” with no STC count. Installer B quotes $7,950 gross, lists 45 STCs credited at $38 each ($1,710), and a net price of $6,240.

On the face of it A is cheaper by $40. But A has not told you what rebate it assumed. If it assumed a lower STC value, then the gross price might be higher than B’s. If it assumed the full $40 and is running thin, it may pad costs elsewhere, for example on installation labour or product quality. The point is not that one is right: it is that only B’s quote can be audited. You can check 45 STCs against the formula in thirty seconds, and you can check $38 against the published market.

Also compare the warranty terms, the inverter’s export capability, the installer’s accreditation number and the clearly stated install window. A $200 difference in net price is smaller than the cost of a poor install.

The paperwork you will be asked for

Even though the installer handles the claim, the homeowner has a part to play. Expect to supply or sign:

• the STC assignment form, which transfers the certificates to the installer;
• proof of ownership or the owner’s consent if you rent the property out;
• access for photos and inspection after installation;
• a copy of the electrical safety certificate and the network connection approval.

Keep these in one folder. If the Clean Energy Regulator audits the system years later, the installer will ask you for them.

For more on the mechanics, see our answers on how the solar rebate works and how many STCs a 6.6 kW system earns.

What to do next

1. Calculate your STCs using the table above.
2. Get quotes that state STC count, price per STC and net price.
3. If you are an installer or reseller, compare how settlement works at how it works, the STC trading pillar, and the daily numbers on /pricing/.
4. Keep your photos, serial numbers and signed forms together from day one.