What is the solar export limit in Victoria in 2026?

SHORT ANSWER

There is no single Melbourne or Victorian residential export limit. For ordinary basic connections, several Victorian distributors publish a maximum export capability of 5 kW per phase, which means up to 5 kW on single phase and up to 15 kW across three phases. But the approved limit for an individual address can be lower, including 0 kW in constrained areas. Eligible flexible-export connections can sometimes allow more than the low static offer.

Your distributor, not your electricity retailer, assesses the connection. Local substation and street capacity can change the offer, so two otherwise similar homes can receive different approvals.

This is why DNSP pre-approval should be confirmed before a quote is treated as final.

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Which electricity distributor serves your address?

Your distributor, not your electricity retailer, handles the poles and wires and assesses the solar connection at the property.

Start typing a Victorian street address and select it from the suggestions.

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The lookup uses the Victorian Government's electricity-distributor GIS boundary layer after an address is selected. A postcode alone is not treated as proof of the distributor.

Victorian solar export limits by distribution network

NetworkPublished basic / standard positionConstrained or flexible-export position
AusNetFor systems up to 30 kW, AusNet publishes up to 5 kW export per phase, or 15 kW across three phases. SWER has a lower published figure.Eligible constrained residential customers can receive flexible exports of up to 5 kW per phase, depending on available capacity. AusNet says this is currently aimed at customers who would otherwise receive a maximum fixed export of 1.5 kW per phase.
CitiPowerThe current CitiPower/Powercor network access standard lists 5 kW maximum export capability on single phase and 15 kW across three phases under the basic-connection pathway. The approved site limit may be lower.Customers receiving a 0 kW pre-approval can be offered flexible exports. Published flexible operation can allow export up to inverter capacity, capped at 10 kW, when the network has capacity.
JemenaJemena's current connection material lists up to 5 kVA maximum export for relevant single-phase basic connections and 15 kVA for relevant three-phase basic connections.For emergency-backstop-enabled basic connections, Jemena's published procedure says a successful internet-connected commissioning outcome is set to 5 kW per phase. Its procedure specifies a much lower fallback where required communications are unavailable.
PowercorThe current CitiPower/Powercor network access standard lists 5 kW maximum export capability on single phase and 15 kW across three phases under the basic-connection pathway. The approved site limit may be lower.Customers receiving a 0 kW pre-approval can be offered flexible exports. Published flexible operation can allow export up to inverter capacity, capped at 10 kW, when the network has capacity.
United EnergyFrom 1 July 2026, United Energy's published basic thresholds list 5 kW maximum export capability on single phase and 15 kW across three phases, with a 0 W low-static setting where applicable.Its first flexible-export phase launched 1 July 2026 for eligible customers receiving a 0 kW pre-approved limit. It can allow export up to inverter capacity, capped at 10 kW, with temporary reductions when required.

This table is not a network approval. Maximum capability is not the same thing as the export your address will receive. Your distributor's written connection offer is the controlling figure.

Array size, inverter size and export limit are separate numbers

A home can consume solar behind the meter or charge a compatible battery before surplus electricity reaches the export limit. A 5 kW export limit therefore does not automatically mean the roof array or inverter must also be 5 kW.

For example, AusNet's published small-connection pathway explicitly separates total inverter capacity from export capability, and CitiPower/Powercor's current network access standard does the same.

What is a static export limit?

A static export limit is a fixed maximum amount of power the system can send to the grid at any moment. The inverter or export-control equipment is configured so net export stays at or below that connection condition.

If your panels are producing more than the house is using and the permitted export is already at its ceiling, the inverter can reduce generation unless a battery or additional household load can absorb the surplus.

What are flexible exports in Victoria?

Flexible exports let a compatible system's permitted export vary with available network capacity. When the local network has room, a participating system can export more. When the network is constrained, the limit can be reduced automatically.

As at 21 October 2026, published offers differ by network. CitiPower and Powercor offer flexible exports to eligible customers who receive a 0 kW pre-approval; United Energy launched the same type of pathway on 1 July 2026. Those three networks publish flexible export up to inverter capacity with a 10 kW cap for the relevant offer. AusNet publishes flexible export up to 5 kW per phase for eligible constrained residential customers.

These are opt-in connection products for eligible sites, not a blanket promise that every Victorian home can dynamically export at the maximum figure.

Why do internet connection and the emergency backstop matter?

Victoria's emergency backstop and flexible exports use compatible communications to let the network manage relevant inverters. They are related technologies but not the same thing.

The emergency backstop is a last-resort power-system security mechanism. Flexible exports are an everyday connection arrangement designed to use more available hosting capacity.

Connectivity can also affect the fallback export setting. AusNet says an approved internet exemption for the relevant small-system pathway is limited to a fixed 1 kW export. Jemena's current emergency-backstop procedure says successful internet-connected commissioning receives 5 kW per phase under the basic pathway, while loss of the required connection can lead to a much lower fallback setting. United Energy also warns that loss of communications can affect exports for internet-connected systems.

What does a 0 kW solar export limit mean?

A zero-export connection means the system must prevent net solar export to the grid under the approved arrangement. Solar can still serve household loads and may charge a compatible battery, but control equipment must keep grid export within the approved zero limit.

A 0 kW static offer is no longer necessarily the end of the discussion. Depending on the distributor and site, a flexible-export alternative may be available.

Can a battery help when solar exports are constrained?

Yes, when the battery has room and sufficient charge power. Storage can absorb surplus solar that might otherwise be curtailed, then supply the house later.

A battery does not remove the network connection conditions, and it cannot absorb unlimited solar after it is full. Battery inverter capacity can also form part of the connection assessment, so design the whole system rather than treating storage as a workaround.

See the battery sizing guide ↗

How do export limits affect solar economics?

An export constraint matters most when a large share of generation would otherwise leave the property. A home with strong daytime demand can still use a larger array efficiently even when exports are capped.

The value of exported energy also depends on the retail plan. Use the current Victorian feed-in tariff guide alongside the network limit rather than assuming every exported kilowatt-hour has the same value.

When comparing system sizes, separate expected self-consumption, battery charging, permitted export and potential curtailment.

Quick answers about Victorian solar export limits

What is the maximum solar export for a single-phase Victorian home?

Several Victorian basic-connection pathways publish a maximum of 5 kW export on single phase, but the actual address can receive less. Eligible flexible-export offers can operate differently.

What is the maximum export for a three-phase home?

Several basic pathways publish up to 15 kW total, commonly expressed as 5 kW per phase. Again, the property-specific approval controls.

Can my panels be larger than my export limit?

Yes. Panel capacity, inverter capacity and export limit are different quantities. The allowed inverter/system capacity still depends on the distributor, supply and connection offer.

Why did my neighbour get a better export limit?

Available hosting capacity is assessed at network level and can differ with feeder, transformer and connection conditions. Do not assume a nearby property's approval will apply to yours.

Is an export limit the same as Victoria's emergency backstop?

No. An export limit is part of the normal connection arrangement. The emergency backstop is a last-resort mechanism for rare power-system security events.

What should you ask the solar retailer?

  • Which distribution network serves this exact address?
  • What written connection and export offer has been approved?
  • Is the proposed export setting static, flexible or zero export?
  • What are the panel capacity, solar inverter capacity and battery inverter capacity separately?
  • Does the equipment support the required CSIP-AUS communications and Victorian emergency-backstop requirements?
  • What happens to generation when the approved export ceiling is reached?
  • If a battery is included, how does the financial model separate self-consumption, battery charging and exports?

Check the address before designing around an export assumption.

Use the distributor lookup above, ask the retailer for the actual pre-approval, then use the Melbourne solar and battery calculator to model the household around the confirmed connection conditions.

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Sources and further reading

Editorial references checked: 21 October 2026

Source labels identify who published each reference, not an independent endorsement. Confirm current requirements and exact product terms before purchasing.