Maceió's self-declared building licensing system is a new way to issue the Project and Construction Permit for works considered to have low urban impact. The model was regulated by Municipal Decree No. 10,374 of July 31, 2026, detailed by IPLAM Normative Instruction No. 003 of August 25, and publicly launched by the City Hall on September 18. The main change is that, when a project meets the rules and the documentation is correctly submitted, the permit is issued through an electronic workflow, with technical responsibility centered on declarations made by an authorized professional and with municipal inspection continuing afterward.
The City Hall states that the new procedure may reduce processing time by up to 90% for eligible cases. This percentage is an administrative expectation, not a guaranteed deadline for every application. Eligibility depends on the property, use, location, size of the work, complementary permits and the accuracy of the information declared.
Which works may use the self-declared licensing system
The decree separates two main situations. The first covers maintenance or adaptation work with no urban impact. To qualify, the intervention cannot add or remove built area, alter the structure, modify the roof, or change the building volume or number of floors.
The second covers new construction, extensions or renovations, provided all limits are met at the same time:
- total built area of up to 1,500 m², considering the sum of all floors, including basements, pilotis and mezzanines when enclosed and usable;
- maximum height equivalent to three floors. For this limit, the decree does not count a fully buried basement or a stair penthouse with an area smaller than 10% of the floor immediately below;
- full compliance with the urban planning and building parameters that apply to the zone where the property is located, under the Master Plan, the Urban Planning and Building Code and complementary rules.
In practice, being below 1,500 m² and having no more than three floors is not enough. The responsible professional must also confirm compliance with setbacks, planning indexes, permitted use, occupancy rules, accessibility and any other requirements that apply to the address.
Which works are excluded
Decree No. 10,374/2026 lists exclusions that apply even when a building is small. They include institutional and industrial buildings, large commercial buildings, venues for events or public gatherings, high-risk activities, medium- or high-risk storage facilities and fuel stations.
Other excluded situations include:
- developments subject to a Neighborhood Impact Study, known locally as EIV;
- works that depend on additional development rights, paid development rights or transfer of development rights;
- works subject to prior environmental licensing, except where the regulation expressly allows otherwise;
- properties in Special Cultural Preservation Zones or Special Cultural Preservation Units;
- listed properties or properties undergoing heritage listing procedures;
- conservation units or environmental protection areas with specific restrictions;
- areas mapped as having geological, hydrological or flood risk;
- rights of way or influence areas of mobility infrastructure where legal restrictions apply.
Location review is therefore decisive. A project that meets the area and height thresholds may still be directed to the conventional procedure if there is a territorial, environmental, heritage or risk-related restriction.
Who can issue a self-declared permit
The system does not allow any applicant to complete the self-declaration alone. Technical responsibility must be assumed by a qualified professional registered in the Municipal Register of Professionals Authorized for Self-Declared Licensing, known as CMPHA.
Within the legal limits of their professional scope, the decree recognizes civil engineers, architects and urban planners, and building technicians. Normative Instruction No. 003 requires an active and regular professional registration, no disqualifying disciplinary penalty, participation and approval in the municipal training course, approval in a certification exam, signature of a specific responsibility agreement and maintenance of the minimum technical score set by the municipality.
Registration is free and certification is valid for two years, with renewal depending on continued compliance with the requirements and the updating rules established by IPLAM. The regulation also creates a score and audit system that increases oversight of professionals with repeated noncompliance.
How the electronic application works
Applications under the self-declared regime are processed through the Unified Electronic Protocol System, SUPE, available through the Maceió Citizen Portal and the IPLAM channels. The Normative Instruction also provides for assisted in-person service for applicants without digital access.
- Eligibility check: before filing, the professional must confirm that the work fits the decree's limits and does not fall under any exclusion.
- Authorized professional: the compliance declaration must be signed by a professional registered in the CMPHA and legally authorized for the activity.
- Electronic filing: the project, declarations, property documents, technical responsibility documents and payment records are submitted through the system.
- Data cross-checking: the regulation provides for electronic verification against municipal databases, including property records, official maps, zoning, embargoes, risk areas, permanent preservation areas and conservation units.
- Issuance: once the regime's requirements are met, the self-declared permit is issued within the electronic filing workflow. The document states that the license was granted based on self-declaration.
- Subsequent inspection: fast issuance does not end municipal oversight. IPLAM may review documents, audit cases and inspect the work during construction or after completion.
Which documents are required
The decree and the Normative Instruction establish a minimum set of documents, without preventing the system from requesting additional items depending on the project:
- digital architectural project in the format required by the licensing authority;
- ART or RRT for the design;
- ART or RRT for construction execution;
- compliance declaration signed by the CMPHA professional, identifying the urban parameters checked;
- declaration by the owner or lawful possessor confirming the accuracy of the information and acknowledging the responsibilities assumed;
- proof of payment of applicable fees and charges;
- property documentation, such as an updated registry certificate or recognized possession title;
- identification documents of the applicant;
- other documents required by the system or by specific regulations.
The decree also requires the applicant to provide complementary approvals and analyses required for the building type, including Fire Department review when applicable. Self-declaration does not replace environmental licensing, fire safety rules, accessibility standards or other mandatory approvals.
Permit validity and responsibility for declarations
The self-declared permit is valid for one year from issuance and may be extended for one additional year upon a justified request, provided the project parameters and legal compliance remain unchanged.
The owner or lawful possessor and the authorized professional are responsible for the information provided, the documents submitted, the project's compliance with the law and the consistency between the approved project and the work actually carried out. The municipality may suspend, amend or revoke the license when it identifies indications of noncompliance or confirms irregularities.
What remains subject to inspection
The term self-declared does not mean construction without inspection. Decree No. 10,374/2026 authorizes the municipality to verify eligibility, examine documents, inspect the site, request information, demand corrections and compare the approved project with the executed work.
If an irregularity is found, measures may include notice, administrative fine, work embargo, permit revocation, suspension or removal of the professional from the register, referral to the relevant professional council and, in cases provided by law, demolition. If the permit is revoked, continuation of the work depends on a new license under the ordinary procedure, in addition to the other administrative consequences provided by the rules.
Quick checklist before choosing this route
| Question | What to check |
|---|---|
| Is the work no more than 1,500 m²? | Add all countable built areas on every floor. |
| Does it have no more than three floors? | Apply the decree's specific exceptions for a buried basement and a small stair penthouse. |
| Are the use and location eligible? | Check zoning, risk, cultural protection, EIV requirements, environmental restrictions and other exclusions. |
| Is there a CMPHA-authorized professional? | Only a registered professional may sign the compliance declaration for this regime. |
| Are the ART or RRT and project ready? | The process requires technical responsibility for both design and execution, plus the digital project. |
| Are complementary approvals required? | Check Fire Department, environmental, accessibility and any other authorization required for the activity or building. |
Where to follow the rules, register and application process
The operational reference should always be the IPLAM services portal, because forms, checklists, professional lists and system procedures may be updated. Electronic filing is available through the Citizen Portal. For the general criteria and launch information, see the official September 18, 2026 announcement. The City Hall also published information about the training required for professionals.
Before work begins, the practical step is to confirm eligibility with the responsible professional and check the system for any requirement specific to the property. The advantage of the new procedure is speed for genuinely low-impact and well-documented projects, while technical responsibility and the possibility of inspection remain fully in force.
