Written by Acorn Sales Company, manufacturing stamps and seals since 1964 · Reviewed by Holly R, VP of Sales and Marketing at Acorn Sales, against the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists and Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(1), 364-X-11-.03(2) on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
An Alabama geologist seal must be circular and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter, and the artwork comes from the Board rather than from a wording list. Rule 364-X-11-.02(2) says the seals “are to be circular in form and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter with copy of the design to be furnished each licensee upon registration.” That is a floor with no ceiling, which is unusual, and it is a reason to build from the design the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists hands you instead of assembling a legend from another state’s rule.
Use is not optional even though the statute phrases acquisition as a permission. Rule 364-X-11-.03(2) requires that “Each sheet of plans, drawings, documents, specifications and reports shall be signed, sealed, and dated by the licensee or permit holder preparing them, or directing and controlling their preparation.” A bound volume may be sealed on the title or index sheet alone under subsection (3), provided that sheet identifies every other sheet and any sheet prepared by a different licensee carries its own seal.
Two Alabama geology seals exist and they are not the same object. Rule 364-X-11-.01 governs the seal of the Board, which no corporation or company may use at all and which you may show on your own stationery or business card only at 1.5 inches or smaller with your license number prominently beside it. That is not the device you seal reports with.
Alabama geologist seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Alabama rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Conditional | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(1), 364-X-11-.03(2) |
| Required elements | The Board furnishes the design on registration; the rule prescribes shape and size rather than a word list | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(2) (copy of the design furnished to each licensee) |
| Size and shape | Circular and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(2) |
| Device allowed | Rule 364-X-11-.02(3), as amended effective 14 August 2023, reads: “Rubber stamps, identical in size, design, and content with the approved seals, or a board-issued electronic seal, may be used by the licensee at his/her option.” Note the phrase board-issued: Alabama contemplates the electronic seal coming from the Board rather than being generated by the licensee. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(3) |
| Signature and date | Seal, signature and serial number together, and the date with them. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.03(1), (2) |
| What must be sealed | Geological drawings, specifications, reports and other geological documents, defined broadly in rule 364-X-11-.03(1) as “any document, illustration, or paper (including those electronically or photostatically reproduced), resulting from professional services or supervision of professional services, where such services requires the application of geological principles or data.” Each sheet is sealed under subsection (2); a bound volume may be sealed on the title or index sheet alone under subsection (3), provided that sheet identifies all the others and sheets prepared by another licensee are separately sealed. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.03(1) through (5) |
| Electronic seal | Alabama permits electronic or digital reproduction of the seal and ties it back to the design rule rather than to a technology. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.02(3), 364-X-11-.03(1) |
| Renewal and lapse | Expiration and renewal sit in chapter 364-X-13 and disciplinary action in chapters 364-X-15 through 364-X-17. | Ala. Admin. Code ch. 364-X-13 |
| Firm requirements | Not applicable as a seal matter. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-11-.01, 364-X-11-.03(1) |
| Regulator | The Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists | Ala. Admin. Code ch. 364-X-11 (Seals), rules 364-X-11-.01 (Seal of the Board), 364-X-11-.02 (Seal of the Licensee, amended effective August 14, 2023) and 364-X-11-.03 (Seal on Documents, amended effective April 19, 2018), read in full from the Alabama Legislative Services Agency administrative code site, together with the agency 364 chapter list |
Is a seal required in Alabama?
The statute makes the seal available and the rules make its use compulsory on geological work product. Rule 364-X-11-.02(1) provides that on approval of the application “the registrant will be advised that he/she may secure an official seal which shall be applied to geological drawings, specifications, reports and other geological documents prepared by him or under his responsible supervising control in accordance with Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-41-14(a).” Rule 364-X-11-.03(2) states the obligation without qualification: “Each sheet of plans, drawings, documents, specifications and reports shall be signed, sealed, and dated by the licensee or permit holder preparing them, or directing and controlling their preparation.”
What must appear on the seal
- The Board furnishes the design on registration; the rule prescribes shape and size rather than a word list
Alabama states the geometry and hands over the artwork: rule 364-X-11-.02(2) says the seals “are to be circular in form and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter with copy of the design to be furnished each licensee upon registration.” The rule does not print a legend or an element list, so copy the Board’s furnished artwork rather than assembling wording from another state. One prohibition is explicit and separate: rule 364-X-11-.01 forbids any corporation or company from using the seal of the Board or any representation of it, while allowing a licensed professional geologist to use the Board seal on individual business stationery or business cards provided the license number appears prominently with it and the Board seal does not exceed 1.5 inches in diameter. The Board’s seal and your licensee seal are two different objects.
Size and shape
Circular and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter. Rule 364-X-11-.02(2) sets a floor, not a range and not a fixed figure, which is unusual. There is no stated maximum for the licensee seal. Note the separate 1.5 inch cap in rule 364-X-11-.01, which applies to reproductions of the Board’s own seal on stationery and cards, not to your licensee seal.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
Rule 364-X-11-.02(3), as amended effective 14 August 2023, reads: “Rubber stamps, identical in size, design, and content with the approved seals, or a board-issued electronic seal, may be used by the licensee at his/her option.” Note the phrase board-issued: Alabama contemplates the electronic seal coming from the Board rather than being generated by the licensee. The safe buy is a rubber stamp identical in size, design and content to the approved seal, with the Board issued electronic seal for digital work.
Signing and dating
Seal, signature and serial number together, and the date with them. Rule 364-X-11-.03(1) provides that “The seal, signature, and serial number of a licensee on a document constitute a certification that the document was prepared by the licensee or under his/her direct supervision or that he/she has reviewed the document in sufficient depth to fully coordinate and assume responsibility for plans prepared by another geologist.” Rule 364-X-11-.03(2) requires each sheet to be signed, sealed and dated. The rule does not require the signature to cross the impression.
A minimum diameter with no maximum, and a Board issued electronic seal
Rule 364-X-11-.02(2) is a floor rather than a band: the seal must be circular and “at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter.” No Alabama rule caps the licensee’s geologist seal. Every other Alabama design board states either a fixed figure or a range. Build at or above 1 5/8 inches and copy the design the Board furnishes you on registration.
Which documents must be sealed
Geological drawings, specifications, reports and other geological documents, defined broadly in rule 364-X-11-.03(1) as “any document, illustration, or paper (including those electronically or photostatically reproduced), resulting from professional services or supervision of professional services, where such services requires the application of geological principles or data.” Each sheet is sealed under subsection (2); a bound volume may be sealed on the title or index sheet alone under subsection (3), provided that sheet identifies all the others and sheets prepared by another licensee are separately sealed. Subsection (4) requires additions, deletions or revisions affecting public health and safety or state and local codes to be signed, sealed and dated by whoever made them. Subsection (5) reaches working drawings, sketches and reports intended to communicate work to be performed or to define a contract scope. A report cannot be issued in a company name alone: subsection (1) requires the signature and seal of the licensed geologist accepting responsibility.
Electronic and digital seals
Alabama permits electronic or digital reproduction of the seal and ties it back to the design rule rather than to a technology. Rule 364-X-11-.03(1) provides that “When appropriate, use of electronic or digital reproduction of the seal or stamp is allowed, provided the reproduction is in accordance with 364-X-11-.02 and 364-X-11-.03(3).” Rule 364-X-11-.02(3) authorizes a board-issued electronic seal. No cryptographic standard, certificate authority or digital signature criteria appear in chapter 364-X-11. The sources here are rules 364-X-11-.01,.02 and.03 in full.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
Expiration and renewal sit in chapter 364-X-13 and disciplinary action in chapters 364-X-15 through 364-X-17. Not addressed: chapter 364-X-11 says nothing about sealing after expiration, nothing about destroying or surrendering the device, and nothing about whether the license number changes on reinstatement. The sources here are rules 364-X-11-.01,.02 and.03 in full and the agency 364 chapter list, which runs from organization through amendment of rules with a separate Appendix I of forms.
Firm requirements
Not applicable as a seal matter. Alabama prescribes no firm seal and no certificate of authorization number on a sealed geological document. What chapter 364-X-11 does is bar the corporate route entirely: rule 364-X-11-.03(1) provides that “A geological report, document, or illustration cannot be submitted in the name of a corporation, company, or partnership without the signature and seal of the licensed geologist accepting the responsibility for the work described.” Rule 364-X-11-.01 separately forbids a corporation or company from using the Board’s seal or any representation of it to advertise the licensure of its employees or to imply Board sanction.
What to check before you order
Order a circular device at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter, cut identical in size, design and content to the artwork the Board furnishes you on registration. A rubber stamp is the ordinary choice, and the Board may issue you an electronic seal for digital work. Sign, seal and date each sheet of plans, drawings, documents, specifications and reports; for a bound volume you may seal the title or index sheet alone if it identifies every other sheet. Seal revisions that affect public health and safety or code compliance, and seal working drawings and sketches that define a contract scope. Keep the Board’s own seal off your letterhead unless you show your license number prominently and keep that reproduction at 1.5 inches or smaller, and never let a company use it at all.
Browse geologist stamps and seals.
- How to Obtain Your Geologist Seal Alabama State Easily
- Buy Alabama Geologist Stamp: Tips for a Smooth Purchase
Frequently asked questions
Is a geologist seal required in Alabama?
In practice, yes, on geological work product. Rule 364-X-11-.02(1) says that on approval of the application “the registrant will be advised that he/she may secure an official seal which shall be applied to geological drawings, specifications, reports and other geological documents prepared by him or under his responsible supervising control.” Rule 364-X-11-.03(2) then states the duty flatly: each sheet of plans, drawings, documents, specifications and reports shall be signed, sealed and dated. The statutory basis is Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-41-14.
What size is an Alabama geologist seal?
Circular and at least 1 5/8 inches in diameter, under rule 364-X-11-.02(2). Read that as a minimum rather than a target. No Alabama rule caps the diameter of a licensee’s geologist seal, so anything from 1 5/8 inches upward satisfies the rule and you can size for legibility on the page you actually seal. The 1.5 inch figure you may have seen belongs to rule 364-X-11-.01 and governs reproductions of the Board’s own seal on stationery, not your seal.
What wording goes on an Alabama geologist seal?
Whatever the Board’s furnished design carries. Rule 364-X-11-.02(2) prescribes geometry and then provides that a copy of the design is furnished to each licensee upon registration, so Alabama does not publish an element checklist in the way most states do. Take the artwork from the Board and have it cut to match rather than building a legend from an engineering or surveying rule in another state.
Can I use a rubber stamp in Alabama?
Yes, and it is the safe buy. Rule 364-X-11-.02(3), amended effective 14 August 2023, reads: “Rubber stamps, identical in size, design, and content with the approved seals, or a board-issued electronic seal, may be used by the licensee at his/her option.” Identical in size, design and content is the operative phrase, so the stamp has to reproduce the furnished artwork at 1 5/8 inches or larger rather than approximate it.
Does Alabama allow an electronic geologist seal?
Yes, and note where it is expected to come from. Rule 364-X-11-.02(3) authorizes “a board-issued electronic seal,” and rule 364-X-11-.03(1) allows electronic or digital reproduction of the seal “provided the reproduction is in accordance with 364-X-11-.02 and 364-X-11-.03(3).” The wording points at the Board as the source of the digital artwork rather than at a licensee generating a CAD image. Chapter 364-X-11 names no cryptographic standard, no certificate authority and no digital signature criteria.
Where do the signature and date go?
Together with the seal on each sheet. Rule 364-X-11-.03(1) provides that “The seal, signature, and serial number of a licensee on a document constitute a certification that the document was prepared by the licensee or under his/her direct supervision,” or that the licensee reviewed it in sufficient depth to fully coordinate and assume responsibility for plans prepared by another geologist. Subsection (2) requires each sheet to be signed, sealed and dated. The rule does not require the signature to cross the impression.
Which Alabama documents have to be sealed?
Geological drawings, specifications, reports and other geological documents, which rule 364-X-11-.03(1) defines broadly as “any document, illustration, or paper (including those electronically or photostatically reproduced), resulting from professional services or supervision of professional services, where such services requires the application of geological principles or data.” Subsection (4) reaches additions, deletions or revisions affecting public health and safety or state and local codes. Subsection (5) reaches working drawings, sketches and reports meant to communicate work to be performed or define a contract scope.
Can a company issue a geological report under its own name in Alabama?
No. Rule 364-X-11-.03(1) provides that “A geological report, document, or illustration cannot be submitted in the name of a corporation, company, or partnership without the signature and seal of the licensed geologist accepting the responsibility for the work described.” Alabama prescribes no firm seal and no certificate of authorization number for a sealed geological document, so responsibility runs through the individual licensee every time.
May my firm put the Board’s seal on its website or letterhead?
No. Rule 364-X-11-.01 forbids any corporation or company from using the seal of the Board or any representation of it, including to advertise the licensure of its employees or to imply Board sanction. You personally may use the Board seal on individual business stationery or business cards, but only if your license number appears prominently with it and the reproduction is no larger than 1.5 inches in diameter.
What happens to my seal if my license lapses?
Expiration and renewal sit in chapter 364-X-13, with disciplinary action in chapters 364-X-15 through 364-X-17. Chapter 364-X-11, the seal chapter, says nothing about sealing after expiration, nothing about surrendering or destroying the device, and nothing about whether the license number changes on reinstatement. Because the chapter is silent, treat a lapsed license as ending your authority to seal and ask the Board before sealing anything during a gap.
