- DISCOM empanelment puts your EPC on the approved installer list.
- It is per-state and not portable — you register again in each state.
- National Portal registration is free; the cost is the bank guarantee and staff.
- Criteria — net worth, BG, experience, trained staff — differ by SNA (verify).
- Verify the current SNA notice for each state before you apply.
DISCOM vendor empanelment is the gate to subsidised and net-metering-eligible work. Until you are on the approved installer list, a homeowner cannot pick you on the portal, and you cannot take the job. The good news: it is mostly paperwork, a bank guarantee, and meeting a few criteria the state sets.
What DISCOM vendor empanelment is
DISCOM vendor empanelment is how a solar EPC gets onto a distribution company's approved installer list. A homeowner applies on the National Portal, sees the empanelled vendors for their area, and picks one. If you are not listed, the subsidised and net-metering work goes to someone who is.
There are two layers. You register your firm on the National Portal, and you are empanelled by the DISCOM — your state's electricity distribution company — that actually runs the scheme on the ground. Both must be in place before consumers can choose you. Our National Portal workflow guide shows where this sits in the full flow.
Why EPCs need empanelment
EPCs need empanelment because it unlocks the two things that make rooftop work bankable: the subsidy and net metering. A homeowner who wants the central subsidy must use an empanelled vendor, and the same listing routes net-metering-eligible jobs your way.
Empanelment also signals trust. Being on the approved list tells a consumer the DISCOM has checked your documents and your bond. That makes your quote easier to win. The flip side is accountability — poor work can cost you the listing, so treat it as a standard to keep, not a box to tick.
The portal track and the DISCOM track
Empanelment runs on two tracks that must both clear. The portal track is your national firm registration; the DISCOM track is the state-level approval that actually lists you for consumers. Knowing which track a delay is stuck on saves you days of chasing the wrong office.
The portal track
On the National Portal you create your vendor profile, enter your PAN and firm details, and select your operating areas. This is free and national. It is the easy half. Our PM Surya Ghar vendor registration guide covers the scopes and the Performance Bank Guarantee in full.
The DISCOM track
The DISCOM track is where the state criteria apply. The State Nodal Agency (SNA) or DISCOM checks your net worth, bank guarantee, experience and trained staff against its current empanelment notice. This is the half that varies most, so read the notice before you apply.
Criteria tracker — verify each line
These are the criteria that commonly gate empanelment. Every one differs by state SNA and changes with each scheme cycle, so treat the table as a checklist of what to look up, not a set of fixed numbers.
Caption: Common empanelment criteria across states. Source: state SNA / DISCOM empanelment notices — re-verify every 30 days. Criteria for the pilot states (Maharashtra/Gujarat) should be checked against the current SNA notice.
Documents you need to register
Have these ready before you start. A missing or expired document is the most common reason a file is sent back. The set is similar to the National Portal vendor list, plus anything your state SNA asks for.
- Firm PAN and GST certificate with a matching firm name.
- Incorporation or partnership proof (CIN, partnership deed, or Udyam).
- Valid electrical contractor licence for the state of work.
- Cancelled cheque of the firm bank account for payouts.
- Trained technicians — details of the Suryamitra/SCGJ staff your state requires.
- Bank guarantee / PBG for your scope, with the correct wording.
Step-by-step to get listed
Once your documents and bond are ready, the process is short. Here is the flow from registration to listing.
Register on the National Portal
Enter your firm PAN, organisation details and contact, then verify by OTP. Portal registration itself is free.
Pick your operating states and DISCOM areas
Select only the DISCOM areas you can actually serve. This controls where consumers find you in the vendor search.
Meet the SNA / DISCOM criteria
Check the current state empanelment notice for net worth, bank guarantee, experience and trained-staff requirements. These differ by state and scheme cycle.
Upload documents and submit the bond
Attach the document set and provide the bank guarantee or PBG for your scope. Some DISCOMs ask for a physical copy after online approval.
DISCOM review and listing
The DISCOM verifies your file and bond, then lists you as an approved installer for the selected areas.
Why empanelment is per-state
Empanelment is per-state because each DISCOM runs its own network and sets its own criteria. The National Portal is shared, but the approval that lists you for consumers belongs to the state. So an EPC approved in one state is not approved in the next — you register and empanel again, and carry a bank guarantee for each.
This is the single biggest planning point for a growing EPC. Before you promise a client in a new state, confirm you can be empanelled there and budget for the extra bond. Our multi-state operating playbook gives a framework for tracking empanelment across DISCOMs without losing one.
Staying on the approved list
Staying on the list is about quality and upkeep. Do good work, keep your documents and bank guarantee current, and avoid the complaints that lead to suspension or blacklisting. Empanelment is an ongoing relationship, not a one-time form.
Track every renewal
The quiet risk is a lapsed document or an expired guarantee that drops you from the list without warning. Keep a calendar of every renewal date per state. When you also win subsidy work, the empanelment and the subsidy and net metering interaction both depend on staying listed, so protect it.
How SuryaHub helps you get and stay empanelled
SuryaHub keeps every DISCOM login, document set, bank guarantee and renewal date in one place across states, inside one government-workflow record. Run each job from lead to listing, so no empanelment lapses and no renewal is missed. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and the criteria here are verify-current figures, not guarantees.
Track every empanelment in one place
See how SuryaHub keeps logins, bonds and renewals across states.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is DISCOM vendor empanelment for solar EPCs?+
DISCOM vendor empanelment is how a solar EPC gets onto a distribution company approved installer list, so consumers can pick the EPC for subsidised and net-metering-eligible work. An EPC registers on the National Portal and is empanelled by the DISCOM that runs the scheme in that state.
Is one DISCOM empanelment valid across all states?+
No. DISCOM empanelment is per-state and not portable. Being approved in one state does not let an EPC work in another. A multi-state EPC registers and is empanelled separately in each state, and carries a bank guarantee for each. Verify each state empanelment notice before you expand.
What criteria does a solar EPC need to get empanelled?+
Common empanelment criteria include a minimum net worth or turnover, a bank guarantee, past installation experience, trained manpower, and a valid electrical contractor licence. These differ by state SNA and change with each scheme cycle, so verify the current empanelment notice for your state before you apply.
How much does DISCOM empanelment cost an EPC?+
Registration on the National Portal is free. The real cost is funding the bank guarantee or PBG for your scope and keeping trained technicians on staff. Some states set a net worth or experience bar too. Verify the current bank guarantee amount and criteria with your state SNA notice.
How can an EPC stay on the approved installer list?+
An EPC stays on the approved installer list by doing quality work, keeping documents and the bank guarantee current, and avoiding the complaints that lead to suspension or blacklisting. Empanelment is an ongoing relationship, not a one-time form. Track every renewal date so the listing never lapses.
How does SuryaHub help with DISCOM empanelment?+
SuryaHub keeps every DISCOM login, document set, bank guarantee and renewal date in one place across states, so no empanelment lapses and no renewal is missed. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and the criteria here are verify-current figures, not guarantees.
Sources & references
Empanelment criteria and the registration process come from primary government and state sources. Criteria change with each scheme cycle, so always verify the current SNA empanelment notice for your state before you apply.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Vendor registration and the consumer/vendor process.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
Scheme guidelines and empanelment framework.
- MSEDCL / state SNA notices ↗
State empanelment criteria (verify the current notice).
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against National Portal / MNRE / state SNA sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: High-refresh page. Empanelment criteria, documents and bank-guarantee figures are taken from primary sources and re-verified every 30 days against MoP/MNRE/SERC and state SNA notices. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.