On 1 January 2027 both federal rebates step down. Under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, a battery earns 5.7 certificates per eligible kWh instead of 6.8, so a 10 kWh battery gets 57 certificates instead of 68. For solar panels, the deeming period falls from five years to four, so a system earns about a fifth fewer certificates. What counts is the date the system is installed, not the date the customer signed.
What changes, and when
| Date | Batteries | Solar panels | Victoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Now to 31 December 2026 | 6.8 certificates per eligible kWh | 5-year deeming period | Solar Homes rebates continue |
| 1 January 2027 | 5.7 per eligible kWh | 4-year deeming period | No change |
| 1 July 2027 | 5.2 per eligible kWh | 4 years until 1 January 2028 | Current arrangements end 30 June 2027; support moves to Victorian Energy Upgrades |
The battery factor then keeps falling every six months, and the solar deeming period by a year each January, until the scheme ends in 2030. The battery tiers stay the same: full support on the first 14 kWh of usable capacity, 60% from 14 to 28 kWh, 15% from 28 to 50 kWh, and nothing past 50 kWh. Those tiers have applied since 1 May 2026.
What it means on a typical job
| 10 kWh battery, installed by 31 December (6.8 per kWh) | 68 certificates |
| Same battery, installed from 1 January (5.7 per kWh) | 57 certificates |
| Battery difference at A$37 a certificate (example price) | A$407 |
| 6.6 kW solar in Melbourne (zone 4), installed in 2026 (5 years) | 39 certificates |
| Same system, installed in 2027 (4 years) | 31 certificates |
| Solar difference at A$37 a certificate (example price) | A$296 |
The certificate price moves with the market, so the dollar figures are examples. The certificate counts aren't: they follow from the factors and the zone. Check any system in the CER's STC calculator and the postcode zone list.
Which date counts
For solar panels, the regulations define the installation date as the day the system is first able to produce and deliver electricity. For batteries, the regulator says rebates are set by the installation date, not when a contract is signed. A job signed in November and installed on 4 January earns the 2027 rate.
Certificates can still be created up to 12 months after installation, so a job installed on 30 December doesn't need its paperwork lodged by New Year's Eve. It needs to be installed, with every photo, selfie and serial number captured on the day. Missing evidence can't be recaptured later without a return visit.
What to do before 31 December
- List every signed job and its booked install date, and flag any that could slip into January
- Check distributor pre-approvals are in for every December job, because a late approval moves the install date
- Tell customers in writing which rate their quote assumes, and what happens if the install moves
- Update quote and contract wording for jobs that might install in 2027
- Brief installers on photos: selfies at setup, mid-install and commissioning, serial numbers, battery labels
- Check every battery is on the approved list and meets the program's rules before it goes on the truck
- Plan who checks each job pack in late December, when your office is busiest
Who wears the difference
If you take the certificate value off the customer's price at the point of sale, a job that slips into January costs you the gap, not the customer, unless your contract says otherwise. On the battery example above that is A$407 at A$37 a certificate. Decide now how your quotes and contracts handle it. Common choices are a price valid only for installation by a stated date, or a clause that adjusts the rebate to the installation date. Have your contract reviewed before you change it, and tell customers plainly so the change doesn't surprise anyone.
Don't rush the paperwork
A December peak is when paperwork errors pile up. In July 2026 the regulator suspended 21 companies and failed claims for incomplete work, and it now checks battery label photos with an AI tool. A rejected claim pays later than one done right the first time. Our installer paperwork checklist lists what each job needs and who signs each document.
If the December rush is more paperwork than your office can check, SolarOps puts solar-trained specialists on job packs, approvals and certificate paperwork, ready for your installers and agent to sign.
