Victoria has three main incentives that reduce the cost of going solar — two federal, one state. Here’s how each works in 2026, who can claim it and what changed this year.
The short version: almost every home solar system gets a federal STC discount. Eligible owner-occupiers can add a Solar Victoria rebate of up to $1,400 (plus an optional interest-free loan). And home batteries get a federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount with no income test. You can combine all three.
Rebates at a glance
| Incentive | For | Who funds it | Who can claim | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STCs (small-scale technology certificates) | Solar panels | Federal | Almost all homes and small businesses | Discount on your quote |
| Solar Victoria solar panel rebate | Solar panels | Victorian Government | Eligible owner-occupiers | Up to $1,400, after an eligibility check |
| Solar Victoria interest-free loan | Solar panels | Victorian Government | Rebate recipients who opt in | Matches your rebate, repaid over time |
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program | Home batteries | Federal | Any household adding a battery to solar | Discount on your quote |
1. STCs — the federal solar discount
Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) are the reason solar is far cheaper in Australia than the hardware price suggests. When you install an eligible solar system, it creates STCs based on how much clean energy it’s expected to generate until 2030.
How it works:
- Your installer claims the STCs and takes their value off your quote — you don’t apply for anything
- The amount depends on your system size, your location’s sunlight zone and the market price of STCs
- There’s no income or property test — it applies to homes and small businesses (systems up to 100 kW)
- The discount falls every year as the scheme winds down towards 2030, so a system installed this year receives more than the same system next year
The system must use approved panels and inverters and be installed by an accredited installer — which every quote from a reputable company should already include.
2. The Solar Victoria solar panel rebate
The Victorian Government’s Solar Homes Program offers a rebate of up to $1,400 on a new solar panel system for eligible households. You can also choose an interest-free loan equal to your rebate amount, repaid over time, to reduce the upfront cost further.
Who is eligible in 2026?
To qualify for the Solar Victoria solar panel rebate, generally:
- You must own and live in the home (owner-occupier)
- Your combined household taxable income must be under $150,000 a year
- The property must be valued under $3 million
- The property must not already have solar, and must not have received a Solar Homes solar rebate before
- You must use a Solar Victoria authorised retailer, and get your eligibility approved before installation
What changed on 1 July 2026
The income limit dropped from $210,000 to $150,000. Households above the new limit can no longer claim the state rebate — but they still receive the federal STC discount, and can still claim the federal battery discount on a home battery.
Don’t install first, apply later. The Solar Victoria rebate must be approved before your system goes in. If installation happens first, you can lose the rebate. We check eligibility with you before we book your install.
Landlords and renters should check Solar Victoria directly — the owner-occupier rebate doesn’t cover rental properties, and rental programs have their own rules.
3. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program
Victoria no longer has its own battery rebate — the Solar Victoria battery loan closed in 2025. Instead, Victorian households can use the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which has applied since July 2025.
How it works:
- Like STCs, the discount is delivered through certificates and comes straight off your quote
- There’s no income test and no property value cap
- The battery must be connected to solar (new or existing), be an approved product, and be installed by an accredited installer
- Batteries from 5 kWh up to 100 kWh of usable capacity are eligible, but only the first 50 kWh attracts the discount
What changed on 1 May 2026
The program was restructured so the discount is tiered by battery size:
| Usable battery capacity | Share of the full discount |
|---|---|
| First 14 kWh | 100% |
| Over 14 kWh, up to 28 kWh | 60% |
| Over 28 kWh, up to 50 kWh | 15% |
| Over 50 kWh | No discount |
In practice, that means the program now strongly favours typical home-sized batteries. Very large batteries still qualify, but each extra kilowatt-hour above 14 kWh gets less support.
The discount also now steps down every six months, so the same battery receives a smaller discount the later it’s installed. The exact dollar value changes with the certificate price — which is why we confirm your discount in writing in your quote.
Combining rebates: solar panels + battery
If you install new solar panels and a battery at the same time, you can stack the incentives:
- STCs on the solar panels (everyone)
- The Solar Victoria rebate on the panels — and optional interest-free loan (if eligible)
- The Cheaper Home Batteries discount on the battery (no income test)
Installing both together usually also saves money on the installation itself — one visit, one hybrid inverter and one set of paperwork. See our solar panel and solar battery pages for what’s involved.
How to claim — step by step
- Get a quote that shows every rebate as a separate line item, so you can see your true out-of-pocket cost
- Check Solar Victoria eligibility before you book — your retailer starts this with you
- Approve your quote once your eligibility is confirmed
- Installation — your installer claims the STCs and battery certificates on your behalf
- Rebate paid — the Solar Victoria rebate is applied as part of the process, and the federal discounts are already off your price
At Sun Current we handle the paperwork for all of these as part of every quote. Get in touch and we’ll confirm exactly what you’re eligible for.
Official sources
Rebate rules change — always confirm the current details:
- Solar Victoria — solar panel rebate
- Cheaper Home Batteries Program — Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme — Clean Energy Regulator
This guide reflects the rules as at October 2026 and is general information, not financial advice. Eligibility is confirmed individually in your quote.
