A rejected STC claim is rarely a dramatic failure. It is usually a small thing, found late, that costs you days or weeks. The serial number is a smudge. The date on one document does not match another. The assignment form is missing a signature.
Here are the ten reasons claims bounce most often, and what a pre-check desk does about each. Our compliance desk reviews every claim before lodgement, which is how these get fixed while your crew still remembers the job.
1. Blurry or unreadable serials
Serial numbers on panels, inverters and batteries have to be legible in the photo and match what is entered in the claim. A single wrong digit can invalidate the match.
The fix: photograph labels square-on, in good light, with the number filling the frame. The desk compares every serial in the claim against the image and asks for a retake before anything is lodged.
2. Wrong installation type
Choosing “new” when it is an addition, or “replacement” when it is new, changes how certificates are calculated and what evidence is needed.
The fix: confirm the installation type against the customer’s existing system and the job record. The desk checks that the type, the quantity and the documents all describe the same job.
3. Missing geo-tags
Photos need location data that supports the installation address. Phones with location services off, or images that have been edited or forwarded and stripped of metadata, fail this test.
The fix: turn on location tagging in the camera app and upload the original files. The desk checks metadata and flags images that do not carry it. See STC photo requirements.
4. CES date mismatch
The Certificate of Electrical Safety (or the equivalent in your state) carries a date. If it does not line up with the installation date in the claim, the system looks wrong on paper.
The fix: reconcile dates before lodging: installation, electrical sign-off and the date on the claim. The desk lines them up and queries any gap.
5. Non-approved panel or inverter
Components must be on the approved lists at the time of installation. A model that was approved last year may have since been removed, or a particular variant may not be listed.
The fix: check each model against the current Clean Energy Council list on the installation date. The desk does it as a routine step, so a bad component is caught while there is still time to discuss it with the customer.
6. Missing DNSP approval
For grid-connected systems, the network approval from the distribution company must exist and match the system being installed.
The fix: attach the approval and make sure the capacity and address match. The desk confirms that the approval covers the size of system claimed.
7. Unsigned assignment form
Without a valid assignment from the owner, you do not have the right to transfer the certificates. An unsigned form, a wrong name, or a signature dated before the installation can all cause problems.
The fix: check signatures and names before the crew leaves site. The desk reads each form for completeness and consistency. Our resources section has a guide to the assignment form.
8. Nominal versus usable capacity on batteries
Battery datasheets quote more than one capacity. Only usable capacity counts for the program, and the figure in the claim must match the approved listing.
The fix: use the usable kWh stated for the approved model, not the headline figure. The desk checks the number against the product record. The battery submission guide explains the difference in detail.
9. Wrong module count
If the claim says 18 panels and the photos show 16, or the claim says 20 and the invoice says 18, something will give. Module count drives system size, which drives certificates.
The fix: count panels in the photos and check them against the claim and the invoice. The desk does the count.
10. Invoice without system size
An invoice that does not state the system size, or states it in a way that disagrees with the claim, weakens the evidence.
The fix: make the invoice show the system capacity and components, consistent with the claim. The desk flags invoices that leave it out.
The pattern behind the list
Look across the ten and you will see the same theme. These are mismatches, not mysteries. A document says one thing and a photo says another. Two dates disagree. A figure is entered in the wrong field.
That is why pre-checking works. The desk is not applying special knowledge. It is reading the claim the way an auditor would, with fresh eyes, before it is lodged. For how audits work from the regulator’s side, read how STC audits work.
What a pre-check desk does in practice
- Opens your upload and checks it is complete
- Reads every serial against the photos
- Cross-checks product approvals, dates and capacity
- Confirms forms are signed and consistent
- Replies the same day with anything that needs fixing
The result is fewer bounces and faster payment. It is also less back-and-forth for your office staff, who would otherwise be chasing a crew member for a photo three weeks after the install.
We do not promise a claim cannot be rejected. Nobody can. What we do is catch problems before they cost you time, and then pay within 24 hours of sign-off. The full process is on the how it works page.
Making it routine
If you do not have a pre-check desk, build a one-page checklist and use it every time. Include:
- Serial photos for each major component
- Panel count, matching the invoice
- Signed assignment form
- DNSP approval attached
- CES or equivalent, with dates matching
- Invoice showing system size
- Geo-tagged originals, not screenshots
If you are doing solar, the STC trading page shows what we ask for on every job. For batteries, see battery STCs.
To have the desk check your next claim before it is lodged, start trading with us.