A deadline is looming….Solar Victoria has announced changes to who qualifies for rebates under the Solar Homes Program, and they kick in on 1 July 2026. If you or someone you know has been sitting on the fence about going solar or switching to a heat pump hot water system, now genuinely is the time to move.
The Short Version
The household income cap for Solar Homes Program rebates is dropping. From 1 July, eligibility will be limited to households with a combined income under $150,000 per year — down from the current $210,000 threshold.
If your household earns between $150,000 and $210,000, you’re still eligible right now. But that window closes at 5pm on 30 June 2026, and it won’t reopen.
What’s Still on the Table
The rebates themselves haven’t changed — just who can access them. That means:
Solar panels — Reduce what you pull from the grid, earn credits for what you put back, and take a real chunk out of your electricity bills long-term.
Hot water heat pumps — One of the smartest upgrades a household can make right now. Heat pumps use a fraction of the energy of a traditional electric system, and the rebate makes the upfront cost a lot easier to stomach.
Are both still fully supported under the program, and both are worth doing regardless of what energy prices do next (spoiler: they’re not going down).
The Bit That Matters If You’re Close to the Threshold
If your combined household income sits between $150,000 and $210,000, your application needs to be fully submitted — not started, not saved — through the Service Victoria portal before 5pm on 30 June.
Partially completed applications don’t count. If it’s not submitted in full by the deadline, eligibility under the current cap is gone.
Already have an application in progress? Make sure any outstanding documents are returned within 14 days of being requested. Applications that stall or time out won’t be grandfathered in after 1 July.
Under $150k household income? Nothing changes for you — you’re still eligible after 1 July.
Let’s Get Moving
We’re helping customers get their quotes finalised and applications across the line before the deadline. If you’ve been thinking about solar or a heat pump upgrade, get in touch now and we’ll make sure you don’t miss out.