The STC process has ten steps, and every one of them has an owner, a typical time and a way to go wrong. Seen as a chain, it explains why two installers with the same rate can have very different months: one loses days at the evidence step, another at validation, another at a slow buyer. If you know where your own chain is weakest, you know where to spend your effort.
This is the end-to-end view. It deliberately includes the steps people forget, such as quoting with the right deeming year, and gives each a time and a risk. For the trader’s side in detail, see how STC trading works; for the registry claim, see how to claim STCs.
The ten steps at a glance
| # | Step | Owner | Typical time | Failure point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quote with the STC discount | Sales | Day of sale | Wrong zone, deeming year or price |
| 2 | Install to standard | Accredited crew | Install day | Product off list, attendance gap |
| 3 | Assignment signed | Crew and customer | Install day | Unsigned, name mismatch |
| 4 | Evidence captured | Crew | Install day | Missing or unreadable photos |
| 5 | Claim prepared | Office | 1 to 3 days | Data errors, wrong installation type |
| 6 | Pre-check | Trader or second person | Hours to 2 days | No pre-check at all |
| 7 | Lodgement and rate lock | Trader or agent | Same or next day | Rate not locked until later |
| 8 | Validation and registration | Regulator | Days to several weeks | Queries, incomplete documents |
| 9 | Sale to buyer | Trader | Variable | Market or buyer delay |
| 10 | Settlement and RCTI | Trader | 1 day to weeks | Slow terms, invoice errors |
Step 1: quote with the STC discount
The process starts with a number. For a 6.6 kW system in zone 3 installed in 2026, the count is 45, around $1,710 at $38. Use the zone for the postcode and the deeming year for the installation date. A mistake here cannot be fixed later, because the customer has already been promised the discount. See how to calculate STCs for solar.
Step 2: install to standard
The accredited installer must do or supervise the work, with approved products and compliance with the relevant standards. Check product lists on the installation date. See the STC scheme for installers.
Step 3: assignment
The owner signs the form assigning the certificates. Check the name against the electricity bill, the address and the date. Do it before the crew leaves.
Step 4: evidence
Photos with location and time data, serial numbers, certificate and approval. Use the solar installation photo checklist and photograph by stage. This is the step that most often goes wrong and the hardest to repair afterward.
Step 5: claim preparation
The office enters the data and recalculates the STC count. A second person should sign off. The STC compliance checklist covers the lines.
Step 6: pre-check
A person or desk who did not prepare the claim reviews it. This is the cheapest stage at which to find an error. If your trader does not pre-check, build your own.
Step 7: lodgement and rate lock
The certificates are created in the REC Registry, within the 12-month window from installation. The rate is locked at an agreed point; ask which. Ours is on lodgement of a complete claim.
Step 8: validation and registration
The regulator validates the claim and registers the certificates. This can take days or several weeks, depending on completeness and workload. During this stage nothing is in your control except being available for queries.
Step 9: sale
The certificates are sold to a liable entity or to the clearing house at a fixed $40 ex GST. Spot has been roughly $38 to $40 at the time of writing.
Step 10: settlement
You are paid and an RCTI is issued. Keep it with the job. See RCTI, GST and ABN.
What each delay costs
Per 6.6 kW job worth about $1,710:
| Delay | Cash effect on one job | On 40 jobs a month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day late | $1,710 held 1 more day | $68,400 held 1 more day |
| 1 week late | $1,710 held 7 more days | Around $16,000 average extra balance carried |
| Rejection and relodge (7 days) | Same, plus office time | Add admin hours |
Time compounds across a pipeline. If your average job takes 20 days from install to cash, 40 jobs a month means about $45,000 is permanently in flight. Bring it down to 5 days and it is about $11,000. That difference is working capital you can spend on stock and wages.
Where the regulator fits
The regulator is involved at steps 7 and 8 and may return later through an audit or inspection. Keep the full evidence set for each job. See STC audit: what to expect for what happens if you are asked to produce it.
The same ten steps for a battery job
A battery job follows the same chain with heavier consequences at certain steps. The quote (step 1) uses usable kWh, the factor for the installation year and the tiers: a 13.5 kWh battery earns 91 STCs in 2026 and 76 from 1 January 2027, so the date matters more than on solar. The install (step 2) needs an accredited installer, a CEC-approved VPP-capable battery and AS/NZS 5139 compliance. The evidence (step 4) includes geotagged, timestamped photos of critical labelling, such as the emergency label at the meter box, which must be supplied on request. The claim is worth roughly double a typical solar job, so every delay is more expensive and every rejection hurts more. See battery installation photo requirements and how to calculate battery STCs.
Who to call at each step
Knowing who owns each step matters on the day something goes wrong. Quote questions go to the sales lead. Installation and evidence questions go to the crew lead. Claim data goes to the office owner. Pre-check, lodgement, rate and settlement questions go to your trader or account manager. Regulator queries are handled by whoever is named as the contact on the claim. Write the names beside the table and keep it where the office can see it.
What to do next
Print the ten-step table and mark your own average time at each stage. Fix the biggest delay first, and compare your settlement terms with the pricing page. The STC trading pillar and how it works show how a partner fits into steps 6 to 10; the answer on the STC submission process is the short version. When you want those steps handled with a named account manager, see the Partner Program or start trading.
Related answers: how long STCs take to be paid and STC payment delay reasons.