Guide, checked 3 November 2026

How STC trading works

A plain walk through the chain, from the customer's signature to the money in your account, and the three ways a retailer or installer can turn STCs into cash.

The chain, step by step

Assignment. The customer signs an STC assignment form giving the right to create the certificates to a registered agent. The usual trade is a discount on the system.
Install and paperwork. The installer, designer and retailer each sign their statements, and the installer captures serial numbers and photos on site.
Creation. The agent creates the certificates in the REC Registry, within 12 months of the install, and uploads the documents.
Audit. The regulator checks them. It can fail a claim that is incomplete, incorrect or ineligible.
Fees and registration. Once validated they show as pending registration. After the first 250 certificates, the fee for small generation units such as solar panel systems is $0.47 per certificate, and it then applies to the first 250 as well.
Sale. Registered certificates are sold on the open market or listed in the clearing house. Electricity retailers buy them to meet their legal obligations.

Three ways to get paid

How	You do	You get
A trader buys unregistered STCs	The job, the install data and the claim. The trader's agent creates and sells the certificates.	The trader's price, usually within days. No registry account or fees.
You register, then sell to a trader	Become a registered agent, create the certificates, pay the fees and wait for the audit.	Usually a little more per STC, but later, and the audit risk is yours.
You register and sell yourself	All of the above, plus find a buyer or list in the clearing house.	Up to $40 plus GST per STC if it sells, with no guarantee of when in the clearing house.

Most installers use a trader or aggregator rather than trading on their own, because it keeps cash moving. Becoming a registered agent means applying to the regulator, completing its online program and staying a fit and proper person.

Why panel validation matters

The regulator's Solar Panel Validation initiative lets an app check panel serial numbers against verified manufacturer data while the installer is on site. It then produces a signed data package for the agent, and the regulator says it can process those claims faster, as long as it finds no other compliance risks.

The regulator's general guide is that validation usually takes 4 to 6 weeks, and longer if documents are incomplete. So whether your claims go through panel validation can make a real difference to how quickly anyone in the chain gets paid.

Where BridgeSelect fits

BridgeSelect is one of the installer app providers listed in the regulator's validation initiative. Your office uses the portal to manage jobs, and your installer uses the app to scan and verify serial numbers, take geotagged and timestamped photos, and collect signatures, even without an internet connection.

BridgeSelect says one login can work with several certificate traders, so you do not have to rebuild your process to try a new one. How a job runs with us.

Deadlines to watch

12 months: certificates must be created within 12 months of the installation date. If you are within 8 weeks of the deadline, the regulator recommends using a registered agent rather than setting up your own account.
Each January: panel deeming years fall by one, so a system installed in January gets fewer STCs than the same system in December.
Every six months: the battery factor steps down. Battery STCs, by date.
5 years: the regulator can ask for the documents for up to 5 years after creation, even on an approved claim.
End of 2030: the scheme ends.

Sources

Checked on 3 November 2026. Rules and market prices change. General information only, not tax, legal or financial advice: check your own position with your accountant.

FAQ

Common questions

What is an STC trader?

A business that buys STCs, or the right to create them, from solar retailers, installers and system owners and then sells them on. Many are also registered agents, which means they can create the certificates in the REC Registry for you.

What is the difference between registered and unregistered STCs?

Unregistered means the certificates have not been created and approved yet: you sell the right to create them, and the agent does the rest. Registered means they have passed the regulator's audit and are sitting in someone's REC Registry account. Registered certificates usually fetch a little more, because the seller has already paid the fees and carried the audit.

How long do I have to claim STCs?

Certificates must be created in the REC Registry within 12 months of the installation date.

Do I need a REC Registry account to sell to a trader?

Not if the trader or its agent creates the certificates for you. You need a registered agent account only if you want to create them yourself for other people's systems, and a registered person account if you own the system and create your own.

Related guides

STC price: what an STC is worth
The $40 clearing house cap, recent market trades, and what traders pay.
GST on STCs
When GST applies, who invoices whom, and how the discount looks on the customer's invoice.
How to choose an STC trader
What to check on price, payment, contract and risk before you assign a certificate.
Battery STCs for retailers and installers
Factors by install date, the taper, and the paperwork that holds up claims.

Let us handle the rest of the chain

$41 per STC incl GST, paid in 1 business day. There is no lock-in or minimum.

Open a trader account Call 0435 166 168