- You generate the DCR certificate on the NISE Solar DCR portal at solardcrportal.nise.res.in.
- The flow is: register → log in → enter module serials → generate the certificate.
- The certificate carries a 16-digit DCR number used in PM Surya Ghar claims.
- ALMM-listed is not DCR. DCR proves the module and cells were made in India.
- Verify the exact URL, screen flow and serial step — the UI changed during 2025-26.
If you fit DCR panels on a PM Surya Ghar job, you must hand over proof those panels were made in India. That proof is a DCR certificate with a 16-digit number, and you create it yourself on the NISE portal. This guide walks the whole flow for a vendor back-office.
What a DCR certificate is
A DCR certificate proves a solar module meets the Domestic Content Requirement — that both the module and the solar cells inside it were made in India. It is not a quality badge and not a price tag. It is a made-in-India proof tied to the exact panels on one roof.
When a scheme demands DCR panels, the homeowner only gets the subsidy if you can show this proof. The certificate carries a 16-digit DCR certificate number that travels with the claim. No valid number, no subsidy — so this step is not optional on a DCR job.
Why ALMM-listed is not the same as DCR
This is the trap that costs vendors the most: an ALMM-listed module is not automatically a DCR module. The two checks answer different questions, and you need both on a subsidy job.
Two different checks, two different proofs
ALMM (the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers) confirms a model and its maker passed quality approval. DCR confirms the module and its cells were made in India. A panel can be ALMM-listed and still fail DCR if its cells were imported. Always confirm both before you quote a DCR job.
Source: MNRE DCR policy & the NISE Solar DCR portal — verify against NISE and the current MNRE order.
Who needs to generate a DCR certificate?
The vendor or installer who supplies and fits the DCR panels generates the certificate, not the homeowner. If you run an EPC back-office, this is your job before the subsidy claim moves.
It sits on the vendor, not the customer
A homeowner cannot prove a panel was made in India. You can, because you bought the modules and hold the serials. So the DCR portal account, the serial entry and the certificate all sit with the vendor. DCR is mandatory where the scheme requires it, notably the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy.
Naming the portal: the NISE Solar DCR portal
You generate the DCR certificate on the NISE Solar DCR portal, run by the National Institute of Solar Energy. The address is solardcrportal.nise.res.in.
Verify the exact URL and screen flow on solardcrportal.nise.res.in — the UI changed during 2025-26, and the serial auto-fetch behaviour changed too. Always re-check the steps below against the live portal and its current FAQ PDF before you depend on them.
What to have ready before you start
Gather these first so you can finish in one sitting. Missing serials are the usual reason a vendor has to stop halfway.
- Your firm details — to register the vendor account on the portal.
- The module make and model — exactly as supplied and ALMM-listed.
- Every panel serial number fitted on that roof, matching the installed panels.
- The customer / job reference so the certificate ties to the right install.
- Proof the modules are DCR, from your supplier, before you quote DCR at all.
Step-by-step on the NISE portal
Here is the flow from a fresh account to a downloaded certificate. Treat every screen label as point-in-time and confirm it against the live portal, since the UI changed during 2025-26.
Register as a vendor on the NISE DCR portal
Go to the NISE Solar DCR portal and create a vendor or installer account. Enter your firm details and verify your email or phone. Verify the exact URL and screen flow on solardcrportal.nise.res.in, the UI changed during 2025-26.
Log in to the portal
Sign in with the credentials you just made. The login lives on the NISE Solar DCR portal home screen. If the layout looks different from this guide, that is the 2025-26 UI change, so follow the on-screen labels.
Start a new B2C DCR certificate
Open the B2C DCR certificate section and start a fresh request for the customer job. B2C covers the residential and small jobs most installers do under PM Surya Ghar.
Enter the module model and serial details
Pick the module make and model, then enter the panel serial numbers fitted on the roof. Match the serials exactly to the panels installed, or the claim can be rejected later.
Let the portal fetch the serial data
The portal may auto-fetch the manufacturing data tied to each serial to confirm the cells were made in India. This auto-fetch behaviour may have changed during 2025-26, so check what the screen asks of you.
Generate and download the DCR certificate
Once the serials check out, generate the certificate. The portal issues a PDF carrying the 16-digit DCR certificate number you will use in the subsidy claim.
Steps are point-in-time and may differ from the live portal. Verify against NISE and the current MNRE order before you rely on them.
The serial entry and auto-fetch step
The serial step is the heart of the certificate, because it ties each physical panel to its made-in-India record. Get the serials exactly right or the claim can fail later.
How the auto-fetch is meant to work
When you enter a panel serial, the portal may auto-fetch the manufacturing data behind it and confirm the cells were made in India. You then would not retype that data by hand. This serial auto-fetch behaviour may have changed during 2025-26, so read what the screen asks before you assume it fills itself.
Double-check the serials against the roof
Match every serial to the panel actually fitted, not the delivery note. A swapped or mistyped serial is a common reason a DCR claim is later rejected. Photograph the labels on site so your back-office can verify each number against the install.
The 16-digit DCR certificate number
When the certificate generates, it carries a 16-digit DCR certificate number. This number is the proof that travels downstream into the subsidy claim — most often the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy.
You enter or attach this number when you file the claim on the National Portal, so the scheme can confirm the modules and cells were made in India. Keep the PDF and the number on file against the job. If you need to check a number is genuine, see our DCR verification guide, and if a claim bounces, our rejection fixes guide walks the common causes.
How SuryaHub helps you keep DCR proof in order
The DCR certificate is easy to generate and easy to lose. SuryaHub keeps each job, its module serials, the DCR certificate PDF and the 16-digit number in one place, and runs the PM Surya Ghar government workflow so the DCR proof is ready the moment the claim needs it. It ties into procurement and inventory so the serials you bought are the serials you claim. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and AI features are on the roadmap, not live promises.
Keep every DCR number tied to its job
See how SuryaHub tracks serials, DCR certificates and the subsidy claim end to end.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate a DCR certificate on the NISE portal?+
To generate a DCR certificate, register as a vendor on the NISE Solar DCR portal, log in, start a B2C DCR certificate request, enter the module model and panel serials, let the portal check the serials, then generate the certificate. Verify the exact URL and screen flow on solardcrportal.nise.res.in, because the UI changed during 2025-26.
What is the NISE DCR portal URL?+
The NISE Solar DCR portal is at solardcrportal.nise.res.in. Please verify the exact URL and screen flow on solardcrportal.nise.res.in before you rely on it, because the portal UI and the serial auto-fetch behaviour changed during 2025-26. Always confirm the current address against the NISE site and the latest FAQ.
Is an ALMM-listed module the same as a DCR module?+
No. ALMM-listed is not the same as DCR. ALMM listing means the model and maker passed quality approval. DCR proves the module and its solar cells were made in India. A panel can be ALMM-listed yet still not qualify as DCR, so you must confirm both for a subsidy job.
What is the 16-digit DCR certificate number used for?+
The 16-digit DCR certificate number is the proof of domestic content used downstream in subsidy claims, notably the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy. You enter or attach it during the claim so the scheme can confirm the modules and cells were made in India. Verify the current use against the National Portal.
Does the NISE portal auto-fetch panel serial data?+
The NISE portal may auto-fetch the manufacturing data tied to each panel serial to confirm Indian-made cells. This serial auto-fetch behaviour may have changed during 2025-26, so check what the screen asks of you. Verify the current step on solardcrportal.nise.res.in and the portal FAQ before you rely on it.
How does SuryaHub help with DCR certificates?+
SuryaHub keeps each job, its module serials, the DCR certificate and the 16-digit number in one place, and runs the PM Surya Ghar workflow so the DCR proof is ready when the claim needs it. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and AI features are on the roadmap.
Sources & references
Portal steps, the DCR meaning and the 16-digit number come from primary government sources. Always confirm the current process on the NISE portal and the latest MNRE order before you act — the portal UI and serial step changed during 2025-26.
- NISE Solar DCR Portal ↗
The official portal where vendors register and generate DCR certificates. Verify the exact URL and screen flow here.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
DCR policy and the orders that make DCR mandatory for certain schemes.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Where the DCR number is used downstream in residential subsidy claims.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against NISE, MNRE & National Portal sources · updated 20 June 2026.
Method: Portal steps and the DCR rules are taken from the government sources above and re-checked regularly. The NISE portal URL, screen flow and serial auto-fetch changed during 2025-26 — verify on solardcrportal.nise.res.in. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots, and AI features are roadmap.
Change log: 20 Jun 2026 — first published.