HOAI – Fee Schedule for Architects and Engineers 2026

The HOAI governs the remuneration of design services by architects and engineers in Germany and is relevant in procurement law for design tenders.

Definition: The Fee Schedule for Architects and Engineers (HOAI) is a German regulation that sets minimum and maximum rates for the remuneration of design services by architects and engineers and thus provides the framework for pricing in the award of design contracts.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: HOAI 2021 (HOAI amendment following the CJEU judgment of 4 July 2019, case C-377/17)

What is the HOAI?

The HOAI has for decades been the authoritative remuneration framework for architectural and engineering services in Germany and directly influences the tendering and award of design contracts by public contracting authorities. It divides design services into service profiles (e.g. building design, structural design, technical equipment) and service phases (1–9), and lays down fee tables with minimum and reference rates.

CJEU judgment 2019 and the HOAI amendment 2021

On 4 July 2019, the CJEU ruled (case C-377/17) that the binding minimum and maximum rates of the HOAI infringe the EU Services Directive 2006/123/EC (Bolkestein Directive) in so far as they apply to providers from other EU member states. The 2021 amendment (HOAI 2021, BGBl. I p. 2636) responded to this: the fee tables have since served as a reference framework, no longer as binding minimum or maximum rates. The contracting parties can depart from them.

Service profiles and service phases

The HOAI divides architectural and engineering services into nine service phases (LP 1–9), from basic evaluation through to object maintenance.

Service phase	Designation
LP 1	Basic evaluation
LP 2	Preliminary design
LP 3	Draft design
LP 4	Approval planning
LP 5	Detailed design
LP 6	Preparation of the award
LP 7	Assistance with the award
LP 8	Object monitoring / site supervision
LP 9	Object maintenance

HOAI and procurement law

When tendering design services, the HOAI fee tables are relevant as a reference value for cost estimation and for assessing whether tenders are commercially viable. Since no binding minimum rates apply any more, public contracting authorities must, in the case of conspicuously low tenders, verify whether the service can actually be delivered viably at the offered price. The VgV contains specific rules for the award of design services (§§ 73 ff. VgV), including the design competition.

Austria: comparable rules

Austria does not have a statutory fee schedule equivalent to the German HOAI. The remuneration of architects and consulting engineers is governed by the Performance and Fee Schedule (LHO) of the chambers as a non-binding recommendation. The award of design services is governed by the BVergG 2018.

FAQ

Are HOAI fees still binding? No. Since the HOAI amendment 2021, the fee tables are only reference values. Contracting parties can make deviating arrangements.

Does the HOAI also apply to foreign planners? The same (liberalised) law applies to all providers; foreign planners are not bound by the HOAI but can voluntarily use it as a reference.

Which services are covered by the HOAI? Design services for buildings, interiors, outdoor facilities, engineering structures, transport facilities, structural design and technical equipment, as well as urban planning and landscape planning.

Last updated: January 2026 All information is provided without warranty. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in procurement law.