Photos are the first thing an auditor looks at and the first thing our compliance desk checks. A claim with a complete, legible photo set is quick to clear. A claim with a blurry inverter label or a missing switchboard shot is the one that comes back to you three weeks later.
This checklist covers what a solar PV claim needs at the time of writing. Programs and registry rules change, so treat it as the working standard we apply at the desk, and ask us if your situation is unusual.
The mandatory photo list
Take these on every job, every time. Tick them off before you leave site.
Array and roof
- Array wide shot. The whole array in one frame, showing every panel on the roof. If one frame cannot do it, add a second angle and say so in the file name.
- Mounting method and roof type. A close shot of rails, feet or brackets showing how the system is fixed, and the roof material (tile, Colorbond, tin, flat).
- System overview. A wider shot that ties the array, inverter location and switchboard to the same property.
- Panel labels. At least one panel rear label or a clear photo of the module model, where accessible before installation.
Inverter
- Inverter installed. The inverter fixed to the wall, with enough around it to show location and clearances.
- Inverter serial label. Close enough that every character of the serial number is legible. This must match the serial you enter on the form.
- DC isolators. Photograph each DC isolator where installed, including the label.
Switchboard and meter
- Main switch “Inverter Supply” label. The main switch on the switchboard with the label clearly readable.
- Meter board showing the solar connection. The meter board with the solar supply visible, so the connection to the network is evident.
- Switchboard overview. The board with the door open and the new solar circuit breaker visible.
Quality rules that matter
Good photos are boring. They are in focus, well lit and uncropped. Hold yourself to these rules.
| Rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Geo-tagged | Ties the image to the installation address |
| Time-stamped | Ties the image to the install date on your paperwork |
| Not cropped or edited | Edited images can be treated as unreliable evidence |
| Serials legible | A serial you cannot read is a serial that cannot be verified |
| One subject per photo | Easier to match each image to a checklist item |
| Landscape, full frame | Avoids lost context at the edges |
Naming files
Name each file for what it shows, for example inverter-serial.jpg or array-wide.jpg. It costs ten seconds and saves us a round of questions. If you upload through the portal, it keeps your photos in a logical order.
Common rejections
These are the issues we catch most often before a claim is lodged.
- Illegible serial numbers. Glare, shadow or distance. Re-shoot with the phone close and the flash off, or tilt the label to the light.
- Missing “Inverter Supply” label. The label is on the switchboard but the photo shows the board from too far away.
- No meter board photo. Installers photograph the switchboard and assume that covers it. It does not.
- Photos from a different property. Often a reused photo from a previous job. Geo-tags give this away quickly.
- Date mismatch. Photo dates that fall after the claimed installation date, or well before the work started.
- Cropped or screenshot images. Screenshots lose location and time data.
- Incomplete array. A photo of half the roof when the system has two arrays on different faces.
Before you submit
Run through this short check before you lodge the job with us.
- Every item in the mandatory list has at least one photo
- All serials are readable at full size
- Photos are geo-tagged and dates match your paperwork
- File names say what each image shows
- The photos belong to this job and this address
If the system includes a battery, you also need the photo set in the battery submission guide. For the forms that go with these photos, see the STC assignment form guide.
What happens next
Upload the photos with your paperwork through your portal or email them to the desk. Our compliance desk reviews the set and tells you straight away if something is missing, so you can fix it while the customer’s roof is still fresh in your mind. Once it clears, settlement follows within 24 hours for established partners, as set out in how it works. Today’s rate is on the pricing page, and the full process for solar jobs is on our STC trading page.
Not signed up yet? Start trading and your account manager will walk you through your first claim.