SEAI Solar Grant Paperwork: What Your Installer Handles vs. What You Have to Do

The SEAI Solar Electricity Grant has 12 distinct tasks from application to payment. Some land on you, some on your installer. The table below shows who does what and when — so you know exactly what to expect before you sign anything.

The 12-Task Responsibility Split

The most common source of confusion for homeowners going through the SEAI grant process is not the grant itself — it is not knowing which tasks are theirs to complete and which the installer handles. The short version: you make the grant application and accept the offer; your installer handles ESB Networks and uploads the completion documents to SEAI; your BER assessor publishes the BER.

Source: SEAI Solar Electricity Grant scheme guide; ESB Networks NC6 microgen notification.

What the Homeowner Handles

You carry more of the administrative load than many homeowners expect. The grant application at mgen.seai.ie must be filed by you, in your name, linked to your MPRN. The application asks for:

• Your MPRN (on your electricity bill)
• The year the house was built and the size of the system
• The name of your SEAI-registered solar PV company
• Your bank account details for grant payment

Once SEAI issues your Letter of Offer, you must review and accept it — this cannot be delegated to the installer. The LoO typically arrives 2–4 weeks after application. Works must not begin until you have the LoO, or the grant is lost.

After installation, your part is booking the post-works BER and checking that your company has uploaded everything. SEAI says the company submits the completion documents, and you can track the payment request by logging into the portal.

What the Installer Handles

Your installer handles ESB Networks and the completion paperwork for SEAI. Specifically:

• NC6 form — the microgen connection notification to ESB Networks. SEAI says the installer must send it before installing the system, and it usually takes at least 4 weeks (20 working days). It notifies ESB Networks that a microgeneration system is being connected. ESB Networks microgenerators page.
• Mini-generation (NC7) — the NC6 route covers inverters up to 25 A single-phase (about 6 kVA) or about 11 kVA three-phase. Above that, the installer applies under ESB Networks' mini-generation route (NC7), which comes with a fee and a connection offer. Most home systems use NC6 only.
• Safe Electric / RECI completion certificate — your installer provides this to you at install completion. It is mandatory documentation. Your company also uploads a copy to SEAI. Keep yours for future property sales.
• Declaration of Works — completed and signed by the installer and uploaded to SEAI by the solar PV company, along with the test and commissioning certificate, the completed NC6 form, photos and the invoice.

Who the Grant Is Paid To

The SEAI grant is paid to the bank account entered on your application. SEAI says that must be your account (the applicant) or the solar PV company's account.

If it is your account, you pay the full invoiced amount to the installer when works are complete, then receive the grant from SEAI, typically 4–6 weeks after the post-works documents and BER are in.

If an installer offers to take the grant off the price and have it paid to them, that is allowed, but check the bank details in the portal and get the deal in writing. If the grant is refused, you still owe the full cost of the system.

Can the Installer Handle the Portal on My Behalf?

Some installers offer an admin service to guide you through the mgen.seai.ie portal, or to complete sections of the application alongside you. This is permitted. You remain the applicant and the responsible party, and you must review and accept the Letter of Offer yourself. An installer cannot accept the LoO on your behalf.

If an installer offers this service, clarify upfront whether it is included in the quote price or charged separately. It should be minor additional admin, not a significant fee. The portal itself, once you have used it once, is straightforward to navigate.

The BER Assessment After Installation

A post-works BER assessment is required to complete the SEAI grant claim. This is typically arranged and paid for by the homeowner, not the installer.

Cost: a post-works BER assessment from an SEAI-registered BER assessor runs €150–€250 depending on the assessor and your location. The assessor must be registered with SEAI; the BER must be issued post-installation.

Some solar installers bundle a BER assessment as part of their package. If your quote includes one, confirm in writing whether it is included in the listed price or billed as a separate line item after installation.

Your BER assessor then publishes the post-works BER on the National BER Register, which SEAI checks before paying. See the full process in the SEAI solar grant application guide.

One Page Summary: Before, During, and After

If the full table above is more detail than you need right now, here is the three-phase version:

• Before install: You apply for the grant and accept the Letter of Offer. Your installer provides the quote, confirms SEAI registration and sends the NC6 to ESB Networks.
• At install: The installer completes the physical work, signs the Declaration of Works, and hands you the Safe Electric / RECI completion cert.
• After install: You book and pay for the BER assessment; the assessor publishes it. Your solar PV company uploads the invoice, certificates, NC6 and signed Declaration of Works to SEAI. SEAI pays the grant 4–6 weeks later.

For the full step-by-step process with timing and portal screenshots described, see the SEAI solar grant application guide. For the grant value, eligibility rules, and what systems qualify, see the SEAI solar grant overview.

Frequently Asked Questions