TL;DR The CAU schedule works as an ethical and advisory minimum reference, but it is not a mandatory price control (the 2003 antitrust law struck down any imposed schedule). In practice, firms charge 60–110% of the CAU schedule value depending on region and portfolio. Use the schedule as an institutional argument, never as your only reference.

What the CAU fee schedule is

The CAU fee schedule is the official reference of the Council of Architecture and Urbanism. It was last updated in late 2025 and applies to 2026. Important: it is not binding. The STF ruled in 2003 that a mandatory fee schedule is anticompetitive. The CAU one is advisory and ethical.

How the official calculation works

The general formula is:

Fee = regional CUB × area (m²) × complexity coefficient

Coefficients vary by typology (single-family residential ~7–10%, commercial 8–12%, hospital 12–18%, etc.) and by project stage (preliminary design, legal project, executive project).

In 2026, with the residential Southeast CUB around R$ 2,450/m², a complete single-family residential project gives a CAU schedule of around R$ 175–245/m², well above the real market median.

CAU schedule vs. reality

Why does the market charge less? Four reasons:

  1. Competition. The client compares 3 proposals and has no instinct to "pay by the schedule". They compare prices.
  2. Historical underpricing. The older generation got clients used to lower prices.
  3. Fragmented market. Many new professionals entering push prices down.
  4. Schedule with limited typology. The schedule does not cover interiors, small retrofits, consulting: categories that became a large part of the market.

The result: most charge between 60% and 110% of the CAU schedule, depending on repositioning and the regional market. Those who charge 100%+ have a consolidated portfolio, authority, and a good sales package.

How to use the schedule as an argument

Even though it is not mandatory, the CAU schedule is a value anchor. Use it like this in the proposal:

  • Show the schedule value: "By CAU, this project would cost R$ X."
  • Present yours: "Our proposal is R$ Y." (Y < X in general.)
  • The client sees an implicit discount, and the proposal becomes easy to accept.

It works very well with a rational client or a B2B client.

CAU schedule in Limify

Calculate by CAU and by your own R$/m² in parallel

Limify shows the CAU schedule value in the proposal as an anchor and your real value alongside it. The client sees the "discount" without you having to say it.

Try it free

Legal and ethical limits

You are not required to follow the schedule. But there is a limit. Charging abusively below it is considered "aviltamento" (price debasement) by CAU/BR and can trigger an ethics sanction. In practice, proceedings for aviltamento are rare, but they exist. Charging less than 50% of the CAU schedule for a complete project is risky territory, on top of being financially unsustainable.

Next read: 2026 fee schedule with real benchmarks by region.