TL;DR Yes, always add a validity period. 30 days is the standard. Without a clause, you are assuming costs will not rise in 6 months, which is not true. A simple clause, in the footer: "This proposal is valid for 30 days from the date of issue."

Direct answer

Yes, always. Without a validity clause, the client can show up 6 months later and demand the old price, and legally you end up in a tricky position. Costs go up, your schedule changes, but the old proposal stays "valid" if it has no deadline.

Which term to use

  • 30 days: the market standard, enough time for the client to decide.
  • 15 days: for projects where you need to lock in your schedule fast.
  • 60 days: corporate clients with a slower internal process.
  • More than 60 days: only if you include an adjustment clause indexed to IPCA/INCC.

Ready-to-use clause

Add this to the footer of the proposal:

"This proposal is valid for 30 (thirty) days from the date of issue. After this period, values are subject to revision based on operating costs and schedule availability."

If the client comes back after the deadline, you can honor the price (good faith) or adjust it (your right). With a clause, the choice is yours. Without a clause, the choice is not so much yours.

Limify

Automatic validity on every proposal

Limify adds an automatic expiration date to every digital proposal. The client sees the deadline, and the link expires on its own.

Try it free