The battery discount steps down in stages: which date counts?

Verified 17 October 2026

The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program takes around 30% off the upfront cost of a battery. The discount gets smaller in steps, about twice a year since May 2026, and the date your battery counts as installed decides which step you get. This guide is about that date and what to ask your installer. It doesn't cover whether a battery is worth buying.

The steps

The discount comes from small-scale technology certificates. The number you get for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of usable battery capacity is set by a factor, and the factor drops in steps until 2030.

The factor keeps falling after that, to 2.1 for the second half of 2030. Since 1 May 2026 size matters too. The first 14 kWh gets the full factor, each kWh above 14 up to 28 gets 60% of it, and each kWh above 28 up to 50 gets 15%.

Which date counts

The government says the discount you are entitled to is set by the factor on the date the battery is installed. It also says a battery counts as installed from the date the certificate of electrical compliance is issued, or your state or territory's equivalent. That is the date on the paperwork after the electrical work is signed off. It can differ from the day the installer visits.

The date to watch is the one on the compliance certificate. Signing a quote or paying a deposit doesn't set it.

Questions to ask before you sign

The government says retailers should be clear about which incentives are in their quotes and how changes to the program could affect the final price. Get the answers in writing, and keep your quotes and emails.

How you get the discount

You don't need to apply to the government. Your installer or retailer either takes the discount off the price or pays you a rebate after the install. You can also claim the certificates yourself, but only if you haven't handed that right to your installer. The certificates can be created within 12 months of the compliance certificate date.

If your battery is already in

Nothing in the steps changes what you were given. What matters now is your electricity plan. A battery changes when you buy and send out power, so the plan you had before may not suit you now. Here is how to tell. Your first bill is worth a close read too: what to check on it.

Where PowerLens fits

PowerLens compares electricity plans. It doesn't sell batteries or check battery quotes. Once your battery is in, start with a recent bill. PowerLens says Stay or Switch, and the Stay answer is free in full. For time-based plans you can add your meter data file (NEM12) later. It's free. Here is where to get it. No saving is guaranteed.

Where to check the details