Solar Homes Victoria 2026: Rebates, Loans and Limits

What Solar Homes Victoria Offers on 29 October 2026

Solar Victoria had 4 household offers open on 29 October 2026 and 1 closed, according to the program pages Grantsights checked that day. The rebates are capped by monthly releases, so "open" doesn't mean unlimited.

Remaining counts are Solar Victoria's own figures, last updated 27 October 2026, 11:17am. Solar Victoria says more rebates are released each month.

Two things matter more than the headline amounts. First, the rebate is calculated after the federal STC discount has already come off the price, and it's capped at 50% of what's left. Second, every offer depends on Solar Victoria approving your eligibility before installation. In Solar Victoria's words, if you install before approval, you won't receive a rebate.

Who Qualifies for the Solar Panel Rebate

Five tests decide eligibility, and the income test changed on 1 July 2026. According to Solar Victoria's solar panel (PV) rebate page (opens in a new tab), updated 21 October 2026, you could get the rebate if:

• You live there. You're the owner-occupier of an existing home, or the owner of a home under construction where the system will go.
• Combined household taxable income is under $150,000 a year. That's the combined taxable income of all owners. Solar Victoria needs proof of income for each owner on the council rates notice or title, from the same financial year.
• The property is worth under $3 million, or will be when construction finishes.
• The address is new to the program. It hasn't had a Solar Homes solar panel or battery rebate before.
• No recent solar. The address hasn't had a solar panel system installed in the last 10 years. If your system is older than that, you may qualify to replace or expand it.

You'll also need 2 forms of identification with matching names, such as a driver's licence and a Medicare card. You must use a retailer on Solar Victoria's authorised retailer list (opens in a new tab) and a product on its product lists. There's no limit on system size, only on the rebate.

The income cap change. Solar Victoria's 29 May 2026 announcement (opens in a new tab) cut the cap from $210,000 to $150,000 for solar panel and hot water rebates from 1 July 2026, for both owner-occupiers and rentals. Solar Victoria said more than 80% of its existing customers would have been eligible under the new cap, and that 55% of solar panel rebates and 52% of hot water rebates had gone to homes with combined income under $100,000. If your household earns between $150,000 and $210,000, that deadline (5 pm, 30 June 2026) has passed and you're now out.

Solstice Energy exemption. Households affected by Solstice Energy's closure of its compressed natural gas network don't have to meet the $150,000 income cap, according to Solar Victoria's Solstice Energy page (opens in a new tab). For hot water they can also replace a system of any age, and a $600 top-up is available if they don't qualify for a Victorian Energy Upgrades hot water discount.

What the Rebate and Loan Are Worth in Practice

The solar panel rebate pays up to 50% of the purchase cost, to a maximum of $1,400, after other discounts including STCs, according to Solar Victoria. So you get the full $1,400 only if the price after the federal discount is at least $2,800. Grantsights worked through three hypothetical quotes using that rule; they aren't real customers.

Grantsights calculation from Solar Victoria's published rule. A $1,400 loan is repaid at $29.17 a month over 4 years, starting 30 days after your installation is approved, by direct debit.

For example, a Casey household with a $5,000 quote after STCs would see $1,400 off the invoice, and could borrow another $1,400 interest-free, leaving $2,200 to pay the retailer when the system's installed. If you qualify, the rebate is worth it on almost any quote above $2,800 after STCs, but it's not worth buying a cheaper, lower-quality system just to beat a release running out. Solar Victoria says Solar Homes customers with solar panels save up to $500 a year on energy bills, and up to $1,000 a year if they use more of their solar power during the day.

The loan is now chosen at the start. From 1 May 2026, if you want the loan you must select it when you apply. No collateral is needed. The loan money is paid with the rebate straight to your retailer.

Solar for Rentals, Apartments and Hot Water

Victoria's solar rebate isn't only for owner-occupied houses, but the other routes have their own rules and, as the data below shows, far lower take-up.

Rental properties

Landlords (rental providers) can claim up to $1,400 per rental property, plus a matching interest-free loan, on a maximum of 2 rental properties each financial year, according to Solar Victoria's rental properties page (opens in a new tab). The renters' combined household taxable income must be under $150,000, the property must be worth under $3 million and not have had a Solar Homes solar or battery rebate before, and the landlord and every renter must sign a Solar Homes rental provider-renter agreement. If the property is owned by a trust, super fund or business on the rates notice, it isn't eligible. A landlord who takes the loan must also supply a credit report, which Solar Victoria says can take up to 10 days to arrive.

Renters can start the conversation. Solar Victoria publishes an email template for renters, and its template says renters can contribute up to 50% of the monthly loan repayment. From 1 March 2027, new minimum energy efficiency standards also apply to rental properties in Victoria.

Apartments, units and townhouses

The Solar for Apartments program (opens in a new tab) pays owners corporations up to $2,800 per apartment and up to $140,000 per building, until 30 June 2027 or until rebates run out. Solar Victoria's 26 October 2026 release (opens in a new tab) said the rebate covers an average of 76% of installation costs, buildings of up to 150 lots can now apply (up from 50), the median property value limit has been removed, and owners corporations can allocate up to 20% of the solar power to common property. Individual owners can't apply; the owners corporation must. The release said more than 150 installations had been completed, almost half on rental properties, reaching more than 2,800 residents.

Hot water

The hot water rebate (opens in a new tab) is up to $1,000 for an eligible heat pump or solar hot water system, or up to $1,400 for an eligible locally made product such as listed Dux, Earthworker Energy, Everhot and Neopower models. It's 50% of the purchase price after STCs and Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates. The system you replace must be at least 3 years old, the same $150,000 income and $3 million property caps apply, and homes under construction aren't eligible. Solar Victoria said an extra 27,000 hot water rebates are available in 2026-27. From 1 March 2027, existing Victorian homes must replace a gas hot water system that reaches end of life with an efficient electric one, such as a heat pump.

What Happened to the Victorian Battery Rebate

Victoria's state battery support has closed. Solar Victoria's solar battery loans page (opens in a new tab), updated 16 April 2026, says it's no longer taking applications for interest-free battery loans. Its Notice to Market 2026-27 (opens in a new tab), in force from 1 July 2026, says the same and points to the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which opened on 1 July 2025.

If you search "battery rebate Victoria" today, the money available is the federal discount, applied by your installer through STCs. It has no income test, but it needs solar panels and an approved, virtual power plant-capable battery. The federal rate fell on 1 May 2026 and falls again on 1 January 2027. Our solar battery rebate guide explains the federal rates and worked examples in detail.

Households that already have a Solar Victoria battery loan keep repaying it: Solar Victoria says repayments are up to $183.34 a month over 4 years, and it offers hardship support if you're struggling to pay.

The federal program dwarfs the old state one. According to the Australian Government's Clean Energy Regulator postcode data, Victorians installed 109,979 batteries under the federal program from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2026 (43,472 in the second half of 2025 and 66,507 in 2026 so far). Solar Victoria's own figures show about 21,400 batteries supported over its whole program since 2018.

Where Victoria's Solar Rebates Went: Grantsights Analysis of Solar Victoria Data

Solar Victoria's council-level dataset counts 445,485 systems installed with a Solar Homes rebate or loan across Victoria's 79 councils and 2 unincorporated areas, to its 1 January 2026 publication date. Grantsights analysis of that file found 331,600 solar panel systems, 74,999 hot water systems, 20,992 batteries and 17,446 heating upgrades.

Data: Solar Victoria, Products and systems installed per Local Government Area (LGA) (opens in a new tab), publication date 1 January 2026, CC BY 4.0, downloaded 29 October 2026. Counts are installations with a Solar Victoria rebate and/or loan, recorded on the day of installation. Grantsights summed the 81 rows; percentages are Grantsights calculations.

The councils where the most solar rebates went are Melbourne's outer growth suburbs, not its inner city:

Solar panel figures combine owner-occupier, rental and business rows. Batteries combine rebate and loan rows. Same source as above.

Four findings matter for anyone applying now:

One rebate in three went to 5 outer-suburban councils. Casey is a case in point: with 31,467 solar panel systems, it has more than the whole of the City of Melbourne, Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip combined. Casey, Wyndham, Hume, Melton and Whittlesea account for 112,199 of the 331,600 solar panel systems, or 33.8%. That fits Solar Victoria's own figures showing most rebates went to households earning under $100,000, and it's a reason the new $150,000 cap shouldn't affect most applicants in those areas.

The rental rebate is barely used. Only 4,900 rental solar installations appear in the data, 1.5% of solar panel systems, against 323,090 owner-occupier systems. On 27 October 2026, Solar Victoria had more rental rebates left in its current release (1,526) than owner-occupier ones (1,357). If you're a renter, asking your landlord is a realistic request, not a long shot.

Apartments have mostly missed out. The City of Melbourne, where most homes are apartments, had just 354 solar panel systems. That's why the October 2026 expansion of Solar for Apartments matters for city renters and owners.

Victoria's solar market is shrinking even with rebates. Figures from the Australian Government's Clean Energy Regulator show 68,519 small-scale solar systems installed in Victoria in 2023, 67,343 in 2024 and 62,282 in 2025, with 48,231 in 2026 to 30 September (installers have 12 months to register, so 2026 will rise). In 2026 so far, Victorians installed more federally discounted batteries (66,507) than new solar systems.

The July 2027 Change to Victorian Energy Upgrades

Solar Homes rebates as they work today have about 8 months left. On 17 October 2026 the Victorian Government announced that household solar support will move into the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program from 1 July 2027, according to Solar Victoria's 21 October 2026 update (opens in a new tab). Until 30 June 2027, eligible households can keep applying for the $1,400 rebate and loan as now.

What isn't known yet: the value of the new VEU solar discount, whether it will have an income test, and how it will be claimed. Solar Victoria says the design of the new VEU residential solar activity is still under way and that it will keep administering existing solar loans and hot water rebates. VEU discounts are normally given by an accredited provider on your quote rather than paid by a government agency, so the experience may change. Grantsights won't guess at the new amount; check the Solar Victoria page before you sign any quote dated after June 2027.

Solar Victoria also said the program has approved more than 500,000 rebates and loans since 2018, including 353,100 rooftop solar systems, 89,400 hot water systems, 21,400 batteries, 34,900 reverse cycle air conditioners and 9,900 zero-emissions vehicles, according to its 28 May 2026 release (opens in a new tab). Those are approvals, so they're higher than the installation counts in the council data.

How to Apply for Solar Homes, Step by Step

The process takes 6 main steps, and the order matters because installing too early cancels the rebate.

1. Pick an authorised retailer. Only retailers on Solar Victoria's list can upload quotes. Solar Victoria recommends getting at least 3 quotes.
2. Get a written quote and grid pre-approval. The retailer must get pre-approval from your electricity distributor to connect and export, and tell you about any export limits, before uploading the quote to the portal.
3. Don't sign or pay a non-refundable deposit yet. Solar Victoria recommends not accepting a quote in writing or paying a deposit until it has confirmed you're eligible. If you do pay a deposit, make sure it's fully refundable.
4. Upload your documents. You'll need 2 forms of ID, proof of income for every owner and proof of ownership. Opt in to the loan now if you want it.
5. Wait for your QR code. Once you're approved, Solar Victoria emails a unique QR code. Your installer must scan it on site before work starts.
6. Install within 120 days, or 270 days for a home under construction, then pay the retailer the price minus the rebate (and minus the loan, if you took one).

If you need help, Solar Victoria's phone line is 1300 376 393, 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays except public holidays.

Solar Rebate Scams and Pushy Sellers in Victoria

Solar Victoria says door-to-door sales for the Solar Homes Program were banned in 2021 and telemarketing was banned from 1 May 2024, so a cold call or knock offering a "Solar Homes" deal is a red flag. Its guide to choosing a retailer (opens in a new tab) asks people to report any authorised retailer doing either to enquiries@team.solar.vic.gov.au, and reminds you that a 10-day cooling-off period lets you cancel an agreement without penalty.

Consumer Affairs Victoria's rebate scam page (opens in a new tab), updated 22 April 2026, describes the pattern: scammers pretend to be from a government, bank or well-known organisation, say you're owed money, then ask for an "administration fee" to release it. Its advice:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls, emails or letters saying you're owed money.
• Check that the organisation and the rebate are real by contacting them directly, using details from an independent source.
• Beware of fake websites carrying real logos.
• Don't rely on caller ID, because scammers can buy local numbers.

Solar Victoria's own warning adds that only Solar Victoria can confirm your eligibility, and that government agencies won't ask for banking details over the phone. A common mistake is giving a seller your ID and income documents "to check eligibility" before you've chosen a retailer; upload them yourself in the Solar Victoria portal instead. Report scams to Scamwatch (opens in a new tab) and call your bank straight away if you've paid. The ECO4 guide shows the same cold-calling pattern around "free" upgrades in the UK.

What Solar Victoria Doesn't Tell You

Solar Victoria's pages are clear on the rules, but a few things only show up when you read them side by side.

The rental page still quotes the old income cap in one place. Its "prove your eligibility" section asks for renters' income under $210,000, followed by a note that it changes to $150,000 from 1 July 2026. The eligibility list at the top of the same page, and the May 2026 announcement, use $150,000. The newer figure applies.

"$2,800 off solar" is a rebate plus a loan. The rental page's email template for renters is headed "save up to $2,800 off solar." That's $1,400 of rebate and $1,400 of interest-free loan that the landlord repays. It isn't $2,800 of free money.

Small systems don't get the full $1,400. Because the rebate is 50% of the price after STCs, a cheap system can get well under the maximum. It's easy to underestimate how much the federal discount already takes off, so ask your retailer to show the STC discount and the Solar Homes rebate as separate lines.

The monthly release can run out. Solar Victoria releases rebates each month, and the remaining count on its pages falls as approvals come in. If the release runs out, you wait for the next one, and your quote may expire.

The program will change before many systems' loans are repaid. A 4-year loan taken out in 2027 will still be running long after the July 2027 move to VEU. Solar Victoria says it will keep administering existing loans, so your repayments don't change, but any new rebate after June 2027 will follow VEU rules.

Who shouldn't rush. If you're a household earning over $150,000, a landlord whose property is held in a trust or company, or someone who had solar installed at the address in the last 10 years, the state rebate isn't available to you. The federal STC discount still is, and it's worth comparing quotes on that basis alone.

Energy Rebates Elsewhere in Australia and Overseas

If you're buying rather than upgrading, the First Home Owner Grant guide compares every state's grant, including Victoria's. Victorian small business owners will find a different set of programs; our Queensland small business grants guide and NSW small business grants guide show how thin state business grant money usually is. Outside Australia, see the UK solar panel grants guide, the Warmer Kiwi Homes grant in New Zealand and the SEAI grants guide in Ireland.

Sources Checked

All sources were read or downloaded on 29 October 2026:

• Solar Victoria, Solar panel (PV) rebate (opens in a new tab) (updated 21 October 2026; remaining count updated 27 October 2026)
• Solar Victoria, Solar rebates for rental properties (opens in a new tab)
• Solar Victoria, Hot water rebate (opens in a new tab)
• Solar Victoria, Solar for Apartments (opens in a new tab) and Expanding solar savings for more Victorians (opens in a new tab) (26 October 2026)
• Solar Victoria, Solar battery loans (opens in a new tab) (updated 16 April 2026) and Notice to Market 2026-27, section 1 (opens in a new tab)
• Solar Victoria, Solar support to continue through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program (opens in a new tab) (21 October 2026)
• Solar Victoria, Solar Homes Program continuing to provide targeted assistance (opens in a new tab) (29 May 2026) and Solar Victoria hits 500,000 approvals (opens in a new tab) (28 May 2026)
• Solar Victoria, Supporting Solstice Energy customers to go electric (opens in a new tab) and Authorised retailers (opens in a new tab)
• Solar Victoria, How to choose a good solar or hot water retailer (opens in a new tab) and Warning to solar panel retailers on marketing tactics (opens in a new tab) (2018, updated 8 December 2025)
• Solar Victoria via the Victorian Government open data portal, Products and systems installed per Local Government Area (LGA) (opens in a new tab) (publication date 1 January 2026)
• Clean Energy Regulator, Small-scale installation postcode data (opens in a new tab) (current at 30 September 2026)
• Consumer Affairs Victoria, Rebate scam (opens in a new tab) (updated 22 April 2026)