If a notice from the Clean Energy Regulator lands in your inbox, the first thing to know is that it is a process, not a verdict. It has stages, deadlines and a set of documents you can prepare for. The installers who handle it well do three things: they read the request closely, they respond on time and they send exactly what was asked, organised so a reviewer can follow it.
This article walks through what happens in order. For what the regulator looks at in principle, and the possible outcomes, read STC audit: what it is and how to be ready first. This one is the field guide for the days after the request arrives.
Stage 1: the request arrives
Requests come in a few forms. A document request asks you to supply specific records for named jobs. An inspection means a regulator-appointed inspector visits the property, checks the physical system and files a report. A claim query arises during validation when something does not add up.
Record three things the moment it lands: the deadline, the list of jobs and the contact. Forward it to whoever owns compliance in your business, and tell your trader or agent if they lodged the claims. Do not reply from memory.
Stage 2: read the scope before you gather anything
Auditors ask for specific things. A common mistake is to send everything you have, in no order, hoping volume looks like diligence. It does the opposite. Match your response to the list: if they ask for photos, the assignment form and the electrical certificate for job 4417, send those three, labelled, and nothing else.
Stage 3: build the pack
For each job, assemble in this order:
- Cover note naming the job, address and installation date.
- Signed assignment form.
- Photos, as original files with location and time data intact.
- Electrical safety certificate and network approval.
- Serial number schedule for panels, inverter and any battery.
- Installer attendance record: who was on site and when.
- Any correspondence with the owner relevant to the claim.
Check the dates against each other before sending. If the certificate and the photos do not agree, write one clear sentence explaining why, and attach evidence for your explanation.
Stage 4: inspections
At the time of writing, regulator guidance describes a program that inspects a small sample of installations, generally within a year of installation, through appointed inspectors. After the visit, you receive a report and a window, historically around two weeks, to respond. Findings are graded; some are safety issues that need rectification, others are paperwork matters.
If an inspector is coming, the owner is usually contacted directly. Make sure customers have your contact details and know that an inspection is part of the scheme, so they are not alarmed. A homeowner who feels informed is more likely to be helpful on the day.
Stage 5: respond, rectify, record
Respond by the deadline, even if you cannot yet supply everything. A partial response with an explanation and a date is far better than silence. If an inspection finds a defect, rectify it quickly and send evidence: before-and-after photos, a revised certificate, whatever proves the fix. Then log the finding and change something in your process so it does not repeat.
Stage 6: the outcome
A typical timeline looks like this, with variation depending on the regulator’s workload and the complexity of the matter.
| Stage | Who acts | Your priority |
|---|---|---|
| Request received | Regulator | Note deadline and scope |
| Pack prepared | You or your agent | Match what is asked |
| Submission | You | Send early, confirm receipt |
| Review | Regulator | Be available for queries |
| Outcome | Regulator | Act on it within the stated time |
Outcomes run from closure with no action, through requests for more information, to certificate cancellation and, for serious matters, action affecting accreditation. See who is responsible for a failed audit.
What the new battery rules add
From 1 March 2026, installers must take geotagged and timestamped photos of critical labelling, including the emergency labelling at the meter box, for every battery installation. The photos need not go in with the claim, but you must supply them when asked, and failure to do so can delay or reject a claim. See our battery photo requirements guide for the shot list.
Common reasons a response fails
- Photos sent as screenshots or compressed copies that have lost metadata.
- Assignment forms with a different name or address from the claim.
- A response sent after the deadline “because we were chasing the crew”.
- Attendance not documented, so the regulator cannot see who installed.
- Different answers from different people.
A worked example: one job, one request
Say the regulator asks for evidence on a 6.6 kW zone 3 job installed on 14 March, claimed for 45 STCs (about $1,700). You have ten business days.
- Day 1: log the request, assign an owner, pull the job file and tell your trader.
- Day 2: check the file against the list. You find the assignment form and photos, but the electrical certificate is dated 12 March, two days before the claimed install date.
- Day 3: ask the electrician why. The certificate was issued on completion of the switchboard works, before the array commissioning. Get a short written statement and the commissioning record.
- Day 4: compile the pack with a cover note that states the sequence of dates plainly and attaches proof.
- Day 5: submit, ask for acknowledgement and diarise a follow-up.
The gap was innocent, but unexplained it would have looked like a discrepancy. Explained in a sentence with proof, it is just a timeline. That is the difference preparation makes.
How long things can take
Regulator timeframes are not fixed and vary with workload and the type of request. Plan on the basis that your response deadline is short and the regulator’s review can be much longer. Cash tied up in a claim under review stays tied up. If you have sold the certificates already, your buyer may also ask questions, so keep them informed early rather than late.
Talking to the customer
Inspections involve the homeowner. Send a short, friendly note when the job is done explaining that the regulator may inspect a sample of systems, that it is routine and that the inspector will contact them directly. If you are told an inspection is scheduled, call the customer. A calm homeowner who knows what to expect is the best witness your installation can have.
What to do next
Keep a ready-made template for the pack, so the first time you build one is not under deadline. Use the STC compliance checklist to test your files, and the resources library for forms. Our desk reviews claims before lodgement, which is the cheapest audit defence; see how it works and the STC trading pillar. The answer on CER audits for solar installers is the short reference.