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8 October 2025
VEU program fees for 2026 and 2027 and release of VEU assessment summary report
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has worked closely with the Essential Services Commission (ESC) to revise the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program fees for 2026 onwards.
The VEU program fees are designed to ensure that the ESC can achieve cost recovery for the services it provides as the administrator and regulator of the VEU program, in line with the requirements under the Victorian Pricing for Value Guide. Changes to VEU program fees will take effect on 1 January 2026.
The late lodgement of accreditation renewal fee is reducing from $13,814 to $7,376, while most fees are remaining at the current levels:
| Fee type | Revised fees (effective from 1 January 2026) |
|---|---|
| Annual accreditation renewal fee | $1,000 |
| Application for accreditation fee | $3,000 |
| Extended accreditation fee | $1,500 |
| Project-based activity fee | $500 |
| Product application fee | $500 |
| Opening a VEET registry account fee | $2,000 |
| Review of reviewable decision fee | $750 |
Based on the targets of 4.4 million Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) in 2026, and 4.6 million VEECs in 2027, the certificate creation fee is increasing from $2.33 to $4.35 and the lodging an energy acquisition statement fee is increasing from $3,122 to $4,829.
The changes to VEU program fees for 2026 onwards are as outlined in the table below:
| Fee type | Revised fees (effective from 1 January 2026) |
|---|---|
| Certificate creation fee | $4.35 |
| Lodging an energy acquisition statement fee | $4,829 |
| Late lodgement of accreditation renewal fee | $7,376 |
For the full table of fees, see the Notice to Fix Fees on the Victoria Government Gazette and the Notice of Decision on the Public Notices website.
Rationale for fee changes
The VEU program fees have been revised to ensure the ESC can recover its costs of administering the VEU program under the program targets for 2026 and 2027. Certificate fees provide most of the program revenue for the ESC and therefore the target level has a direct correlation with cost recovery.
In line with stakeholder feedback and initial policy analysis, the initial fees that an accredited provider must pay to participate in VEU will continue to be capped at current levels to lower the barriers for participation for smaller accredited providers.
For the ESC to recover its operational costs, the certificate creation fee and the fee for lodging an energy acquisition statement need to increase. However, the late lodgement of accreditation renewal fee is decreasing significantly, as the ESC has reviewed and recalculated the costs associated with late applications.
The new certificate fee represents a small increase of 1.4% relative to certificate prices. This change is of a similar scale to the regular variations typically observed in certificate prices. Additionally, the increase in certificate creation fee is modelled to have a near negligible impact on household energy bills of less than $0.10 per year.
Supplementary Response to Consultation
DEECA has published a Supplementary Response to Consultation on the Engage Victoria website in addition to the Notice to Fix Fees. This Supplementary Response to Consultation is intended to provide additional information on the process and rationale for the final fee decisions.
Stakeholders are encouraged to read the Supplementary Response to Consultation in conjunction with the Targets Response to Consultation (also available via the Engage Victoria website), which addresses stakeholder feedback on a range of matters consulted on in the VEU 2026 and 2027 Targets Regulatory Impact Statement, including fees.
Program assessment summary report
DEECA undertook an assessment of the VEU program to inform the analysis to set the 2026 and 2027 VEU program targets. The assessment considered the VEU program against three key evaluation questions, with a focus on the 2021-2025 target period:
- How are the benefits and costs of the VEU program distributed?
- How has the VEU program delivered against its legislated objectives and intended outcomes?
- How well is the program operating from consumer and industry perspectives?
A summary of this assessment is now available at the Engage Victoria website and is attached below. This summary report highlights VEU program successes and includes recommendations for future opportunities for program improvement.
Next steps
The fees were fixed via a Notice to Fix Fees published on the Victoria Government Gazette and the Notice of Decision on the Public Notices website. The fees will take effect on 1 January 2026.
DEECA intends to review the VEU program fees again as part of the process for setting the 2028 to 2030 VEU program targets. Stakeholders will be consulted again during this process.
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Page last updated: 08/10/25