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 State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors and Alaska Stat. § 08.48.221 on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
No Alaska rule states a diameter for this seal, so you scale the board’s artwork rather than measure it. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the landscape architect seal by picture and gives no outside diameter, no tolerance and no inner-circle dimension, and the board’s Seal Specifications page offers a downloadable CAD file for Registered Professional Landscape Architect without a size either. Start from that file and scale it proportionally.
Landscape architects are registered here even though the board’s title leaves them out. It is the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, and 12 AAC 36.068 and 36.069 bring landscape architects inside it. AS 08.48.221(a) then applies the same rule as everyone else: on final drawings, specifications, surveys, plats, plates, reports or similar documents, “the registrant shall stamp the documents with the seal and sign the seal.”
Two details decide how the die is cut. 12 AAC 36.180(a) requires that “the license number noted on the seal must be only the numeric characters of the registrant’s license number and exclude alpha characters,” so no LA prefix goes in the number field. And the face carries interior fields for an original signature and a date, which is why an inked stamp works here and a blind embosser does not.
Alaska landscape architect seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Alaska rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | Alaska Stat. § 08.48.221 |
| Required elements | State of Alaska legend; Your name as registered; Your registration number, numeric characters only; Registered Professional Landscape Architect; A signature space inside the seal; A date, inside the seal or within two inches of it | Alaska Stat. § 08.48.221(a) |
| Size and shape | Not addressed. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the seal by picture and states no diameter, tolerance or inner-circle dimension. | 12 Alaska Admin. Code § 36.180 (silent) |
| Device allowed | 12 AAC 36.180 accepts the illustrated design “or a substantially similar electronic or digital representation of that design”, so the electronic seal is expressly authorized. | 12 Alaska Admin. Code § 36.180 |
| Signature and date | AS 08.48.221(a) requires the registrant to “stamp the documents with the seal and sign the seal”, and the board artwork carries the interior caption (Affix Original Signature). 12 AAC 36.185(d) requires the. | Alaska Stat. § 08.48.221(a) |
| What must be sealed | 12 AAC 36.185(a)(3) limits sealing to “final drawings, surveys, reports, and required construction documents” for which the registrant is qualified and claims responsibility, and where several professionals contribute, a registrant seals only the portion under the registrant’s direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control. | 12 Alaska Admin. Code §§ 36.185(a), (b), 36.190, 36.195 |
| Electronic seal | The digital signature must be unique to the registrant using it, capable of verification, under the exclusive control of the registrant using it, and linked to the document so that the signature is invalidated if the document is changed. | 12 Alaska Admin. Code §§ 36.180, 36.185(f)(2) |
| Renewal and lapse | AS 08.48.221(a) provides that a registrant “may not affix or permit a seal and signature to be affixed to an instrument after the expiration of a certificate or for the purpose of aiding or abetting another person to evade or attempt to evade a provision of this chapter.” Renewal runs through AS 08.48.231 and AS 08.01.100. | Alaska Stat. §§ 08.48.221(a), 08.48.231 |
| Firm requirements | A certificate of authorization is required and its number goes on the sheet. | Alaska Stat. § 08.48.241 |
| Regulator | The State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors | Alaska Stat. ch. 08.48, chiefly §§ 08.48.221, 08.48.231 and 08.48.241, and 12 Alaska Admin. Code ch. 36, chiefly §§ 36.068, 36.069, 36.165, 36.180, 36.185 and 36.195, read in full text on the Alaska Legislature site |
Is a seal required in Alaska?
Landscape architects are registered by this board even though its statutory name does not say so, and they seal on the same terms as everyone else it registers. AS 08.48.221(a) provides that when a registrant issues final drawings, specifications, surveys, plats, plates, reports or similar documents, “the registrant shall stamp the documents with the seal and sign the seal”, and makes the act a certification that the work was prepared by or under the registrant’s responsible charge and is within the registrant’s field of practice or is design work of minor importance. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the landscape architect design and 12 AAC 36.185 governs use, dating, validation and the information that must surround the seal.
What must appear on the seal
- State of Alaska legend
- Your name as registered
- Your registration number, numeric characters only
- Registered Professional Landscape Architect
- A signature space inside the seal
- A date, inside the seal or within two inches of it
12 AAC 36.180(a) requires that “the license number noted on the seal must be only the numeric characters of the registrant’s license number and exclude alpha characters”, so no LA prefix goes in the number field. No branch identifier appears, that being an engineering feature. The item most often missed is not on the seal at all: 12 AAC 36.185(g) requires the business name, physical address and telephone number, the project name or identification, the project address or location, and the certificate of authorization number of the entity on all documents that must be signed and sealed.
Size and shape
Not addressed. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the seal by picture and states no diameter, tolerance or inner-circle dimension. The board’s Seal Specifications page offers a downloadable CAD file for Registered Professional Landscape Architect and gives no size. Scale the board artwork proportionally.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
12 AAC 36.180 accepts the illustrated design “or a substantially similar electronic or digital representation of that design”, so the electronic seal is expressly authorized. The rule does not distinguish embossers from rubber stamps, but the Alaska artwork carries interior fields for an original signature and a date that a blind embossed impression cannot take ink in, so the rubber stamp cut to the board file is the safe buy.
Signing and dating
AS 08.48.221(a) requires the registrant to “stamp the documents with the seal and sign the seal”, and the board artwork carries the interior caption (Affix Original Signature). 12 AAC 36.185(d) requires the date each time the registrant signs and seals a document, “by electronically or manually inserting the date within the seal or within two inches of the seal.” Validation under 12 AAC 36.185(f) is by an original handwritten signature over each seal, or by an electronic image of the original handwritten signature plus a digital signature, permanently affixed to each seal directly over the seal.
Landscape architects are registered here even though the board’s name leaves them out
The board is titled the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, and national directories list it that way. Landscape architects are nonetheless registered by it, under 12 AAC 36.068 and 36.069, and 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes a landscape architect seal alongside the architect, land surveyor, structural engineer and professional engineer designs. The board’s own Seal Specifications page confirms it by offering a downloadable CAD file for Registered Professional Landscape Architect.
Once you are inside the chapter, the rest is identical to everyone else’s. 12 AAC 36.185 applies to every registrant without distinction, so the dating rule, the validation rule and the document information block are the same for a landscape architect as for a structural engineer.
The features to design around are the same three: no diameter is stated anywhere, so the board artwork is scaled rather than measured; the number carries numeric characters only, with alpha characters excluded by 12 AAC 36.180(a); and the date is inserted within the seal or within two inches of it every single time the seal is applied, under 12 AAC 36.185(d).
And treat the extract printed on the board’s seal page with care. Below the downloads it reprints a superseded version of subsection (f). The current rule requires an original handwritten signature over each seal, or an electronic image of the handwritten signature together with a digital signature.
Which documents must be sealed
12 AAC 36.185(a)(3) limits sealing to “final drawings, surveys, reports, and required construction documents” for which the registrant is qualified and claims responsibility, and where several professionals contribute, a registrant seals only the portion under the registrant’s direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control. That last point is the normal position for a landscape architect whose sheets sit inside a larger set. No preliminary or draft carve-out is stated. Altering a sealed document is prohibited except under the site adaptation and field alteration procedure in 12 AAC 36.195, which requires written permission from the sealing registrant.
Electronic and digital seals
The digital signature must be unique to the registrant using it, capable of verification, under the exclusive control of the registrant using it, and linked to the document so that the signature is invalidated if the document is changed. No certificate authority, vendor or named standard is specified, and the seal itself may be a substantially similar electronic or digital representation of the board design.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
AS 08.48.221(a) provides that a registrant “may not affix or permit a seal and signature to be affixed to an instrument after the expiration of a certificate or for the purpose of aiding or abetting another person to evade or attempt to evade a provision of this chapter.” Renewal runs through AS 08.48.231 and AS 08.01.100. For entities, 12 AAC 36.165 expires an unrenewed certificate of authorization after five years. Whether an individual registration number survives lapse and reinstatement is not addressed in 12 AAC 36.165 or AS 08.48.231. Nothing requires the device to be surrendered or destroyed.
Firm requirements
A certificate of authorization is required and its number goes on the sheet. AS 08.48.241 lets a corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or limited partnership offer landscape architectural services only on filing an application for a certificate of authorization with the board. There is no firm seal, but 12 AAC 36.185(g)(4) requires the entity’s certificate of authorization number on all documents that must be signed and sealed, and 12 AAC 36.185(h) requires the registrant to identify which entity is responsible where several appear.
What to check before you order
Start from the board’s Registered Professional Landscape Architect CAD file and scale it, because no Alaska rule states a diameter. Order an inked rubber stamp rather than an embosser, since the design has interior fields for an original signature and a date. Give the supplier only the numeric characters of your license number. Leave the date field blank, because you fill it in every time you seal. Keep in mind that the sheet also has to carry the firm name, address, telephone number, project identification and certificate of authorization number required by 12 AAC 36.185(g).
Browse landscape architect stamps and seals.
- The Simple Steps for Your Alaska Landscape Architect Stamp Order
- How to Choose the Right Alaska Landscape Architect Seal
Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for landscape architects in Alaska?
Yes. AS 08.48.221(a) provides that when a registrant issues final drawings, specifications, surveys, plats, plates, reports or similar documents, “the registrant shall stamp the documents with the seal and sign the seal,” and it makes that act a certification that the work was prepared by or under the registrant’s responsible charge and is within the registrant’s field of practice or is design work of minor importance. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the landscape architect design and 12 AAC 36.185 governs use, dating and validation.
What has to appear on an Alaska landscape architect seal?
The State of Alaska legend, your name as registered, your registration number in numeric characters only, the words Registered Professional Landscape Architect, a signature space inside the seal, and a date either inside the seal or within two inches of it. There is no branch identifier, which is an engineering feature. The board’s Seal Specifications page publishes the artwork.
What size is an Alaska landscape architect seal?
Alaska does not state one. 12 AAC 36.180 prescribes the seal by illustration and gives no diameter, no tolerance and no inner-circle figure, and the board’s downloadable CAD file for Registered Professional Landscape Architect carries no size either. The answer is to scale the board artwork proportionally so that the legends stay legible at the size you print.
Can I use a digital or electronic seal in Alaska?
Yes, expressly. 12 AAC 36.180 accepts the illustrated design “or a substantially similar electronic or digital representation of that design.” Validation under 12 AAC 36.185(f) is by an original handwritten signature over each seal, or by an electronic image of the original handwritten signature plus a digital signature, permanently affixed to each seal directly over the seal. The digital signature has to be unique to you, capable of verification, under your exclusive control, and linked to the document so that any change invalidates it. No certificate authority, vendor or named standard is specified.
Where does the date go on an Alaska landscape architect seal?
12 AAC 36.185(d) requires the date each time you sign and seal a document, “by electronically or manually inserting the date within the seal or within two inches of the seal.” That is a per-document act, so the date field stays blank on the die and gets filled in each time.
Why does my Alaska license number lose its letters on the seal?
Because 12 AAC 36.180(a) says so: “the license number noted on the seal must be only the numeric characters of the registrant’s license number and exclude alpha characters.” Give your supplier the digits alone. An LA prefix that looks right on your wall certificate does not belong in the number field on the die.
Which documents does an Alaska landscape architect seal?
12 AAC 36.185(a)(3) limits sealing to “final drawings, surveys, reports, and required construction documents” for which you are qualified and claim responsibility. Where several professionals contribute, you seal only the portion under your direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control, which is the normal position for landscape architecture sheets sitting inside a larger set. No preliminary or draft carve-out is stated. Altering a sealed document is prohibited except under the site adaptation and field alteration procedure in 12 AAC 36.195, which needs written permission from the sealing registrant.
What else has to be on the sheet besides the Alaska seal?
The item most often missed is not on the seal at all. 12 AAC 36.185(g) requires the business name, physical address and telephone number, the project name or identification, the project address or location, and the entity’s certificate of authorization number on all documents that must be signed and sealed. 12 AAC 36.185(h) requires you to identify which entity is responsible where several appear.
Does an Alaska landscape architecture firm need a certificate of authorization?
Yes, and its number goes on the sheet. AS 08.48.241 lets a corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or limited partnership offer landscape architectural services only on filing an application for a certificate of authorization with the board. There is no firm seal, but 12 AAC 36.185(g)(4) requires the certificate of authorization number on all documents that must be signed and sealed. For entities, 12 AAC 36.165 expires an unrenewed certificate after five years.
Can I use my Alaska seal after the registration expires?
No. AS 08.48.221(a) provides that a registrant “may not affix or permit a seal and signature to be affixed to an instrument after the expiration of a certificate or for the purpose of aiding or abetting another person to evade or attempt to evade a provision of this chapter.” Renewal runs through AS 08.48.231 and AS 08.01.100. Whether an individual registration number survives lapse and reinstatement is not covered, and nothing requires the device itself to be surrendered or destroyed.
