A solar system earns certificates the moment it is installed, and the person who gets them is the person who owns the system at that moment. That is the rule. Everything else, including installers’ discounts, agent arrangements and trader payments, is built on the owner either keeping the right or passing it on.
Most of the time the answer is straightforward: you bought the system, you own it, you assign the certificates to your installer in return for a discount. But there are several situations where the answer is less obvious: rented homes, strata, company-owned buildings, leased systems and builders installing solar in a new home. This article goes through each, because a mistake on ownership can invalidate a claim.
The basic rule
Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the right to create STCs belongs to the owner of the small generation unit or the solar water heater or heat pump at the time of installation. The owner can create the certificates, or assign the right to create them to a registered person, usually an agent or the installer. The assignment form records that choice. See the assignment form guide for its fields.
Two practical points follow. First, the person signing the form needs to be the owner. Second, the right can only be assigned within a limited period after installation, which is 12 months.
Who owns the system, in practice
A homeowner who pays for the system
The simplest case. You paid, you own it, you sign. If there are two owners on the title, one signature is normally enough for the form but check with your installer, as practice varies.
A landlord and a tenant
If a landlord installs solar on a rental property and pays for it, the landlord owns the system and holds the STC right. The tenant has no claim. If a tenant pays for a system with the landlord’s written permission, the tenant may be the owner, but the system would then be a fixture on someone else’s property, and the agreement should say who owns it. Sort out ownership in writing before the job. For a clean claim, the name on the assignment form and the name on the invoice should match.
Strata and body corporate
For solar on common property, the body corporate generally owns the system, so the certificates belong to the body corporate. The assignment form should be signed by an authorised representative, with the decision recorded in the committee’s minutes. Keep that record.
Companies and businesses
A business that buys a system owns it, and the form is signed by someone with authority. For systems up to 100 kW and under 250 MWh a year, STCs apply upfront. From 1 October 2026, systems up to 1 MW also create STCs; larger systems move into the LGC scheme. Both are covered in commercial solar and STCs.
Leases and power purchase agreements
In a solar lease or PPA, a finance company or provider usually owns the system, and so the right to the certificates sits with them, not with you as the host. That is often reflected in a lower monthly price. The contract should say who gets the certificates. If it does not, ask.
New builds and builders
When a builder installs solar as part of a new home, ownership at the time of installation can be the builder’s, not the buyer’s, depending on the contract and the timing. The certificates attach to the owner when the system is installed. The paperwork needs to show the right person. If you are buying a new home, ask who is claiming the STCs and whether the price already reflects the discount.
What you are actually signing
The assignment form is a legal document. By signing, the owner declares that they own the system, that they have not already created or assigned the STCs for this installation and that they are assigning the right to a named registered agent. The form is lodged with the Clean Energy Regulator as evidence and can be used in audits.
From the desk: mismatched names are one of the most common causes of a stalled claim. The owner on the assignment form, the name on the invoice and the name on the electrical paperwork should line up. If the owner is a trust or a company, put the entity name, not an individual’s, and add the ABN. A two-minute check at signing saves a two-week delay later. Our top STC claim rejection reasons lists the other usual suspects.
Who ultimately gets the money
There are two flows, and people mix them up:
- Who holds the right: the system owner, who may assign it.
- Who pays for the certificates: electricity retailers and other liable entities, who must surrender STCs each year to meet their obligations under the Renewable Energy Target.
Between them sit the installer, the agent and the trader. In a standard sale, you assign the right, the installer deducts the discount from your price, and the installer’s trader pays the installer for the certificates. At the time of writing STCs have been roughly $38 to $40 each, so a 45 STC system is worth about $1,700 to $1,800. The how the solar rebate works article traces the full chain.
Cases that go wrong
- Selling a house before the claim is made. The owner at installation still holds the right, even after settlement. Make sure the certificates are assigned before you sell or that the contract of sale covers it.
- Two parties claim the same STCs. If a customer assigns to one agent and the installer claims through another, the registry rejects the second. Always check no earlier assignment exists. See what assigning STCs means.
- Time limit missed. If no one creates the certificates within 12 months, the right lapses. The value is gone.
- System not eligible. The right only exists for eligible systems, installed by an accredited installer and using approved equipment. See who is eligible for STCs.
What if you want to keep them
You can create the STCs yourself or through an agent and sell them for cash, but you then pay the full system price upfront. The trade-offs are covered in should I keep my STCs or assign them to my installer.
What to do next
- Confirm who legally owns the system and put the correct name on the form.
- Read the assignment form line by line before signing and keep a copy.
- For rentals, strata or leases, get the ownership and certificate position in writing before the job starts.
- Ask your installer who their agent or trader is and when the claim will be lodged.
- Browse the resources hub for the paperwork guides, or the STC trading page if you are an installer wanting to see how claims are settled.