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 Arizona State Board of Technical Registration and A.R.S. § 32-125(B) on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
The Arizona legend is four words: Registered Professional Landscape Architect. R4-30-303(A) lists the permitted upper-ring legends and that is the one for this registration, not Registered Landscape Architect and not Landscape Architect. The Board writes Professional into the landscape architect and geologist legends but leaves it out of the architect and land surveyor legends, so there is no pattern to reason from and a stock die from another state will be wrong.
The circle does not grow to accommodate it. R4-30-303(A) requires an ink seal 1-1/2 inches in diameter identical in style, size and appearance to the sample in Appendix A, and Appendix A prints an inner circle of 1-1/8 inches with a tolerance of plus or minus 1/16 inch on each. Appendix A also puts the words “date signed” inside the inner circle alongside your name and registration number. Four words on a 1-1/2 inch ring is a typesetting problem, so proof the ring text before the die is cut.
Then the Board checks your work. Under R4-30-303(B) you file an imprint with an original signature over it, plus an affidavit regarding use of the seal, before using the seal for any purpose, and the Board has ten working days to disapprove a seal that misses “the exact specifications.” A rejected die is replaced at your own cost.
Arizona landscape architect seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Arizona rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | A.R.S. § 32-125(B) |
| Required elements | Registered Professional Landscape Architect, Your name as registered, Your registration number, The words “date signed” and Arizona U.S.A. | A.A.C. R4-30-303(A) |
| Size and shape | 1-1/2 inches outside diameter, tolerance plus or minus 1/16 inch, with an inner circle of 1-1/8 inches, same tolerance. | A.A.C. R4-30-303(A) |
| Device allowed | R4-30-303(A) names an ink seal, so an inked rubber stamp is the compliant device and the safe buy. | A.A.C. R4-30-303(A), R4-30-304(E)(1), R4-30-304(F) |
| Signature and date | R4-30-304(E) requires the seal imprint, “An original signature that does not obscure either the registrant’s printed name or registration number”, and “The date the document was sealed.” Appendix A directs: “Sign your name across lower portion of the seal. | A.A.C. R4-30-304(E), R4-30-304(G) |
| What must be sealed | The nine categories in R4-30-304(A) apply without variation by profession, covering each sheet of drawings, the first or index sheet of each set of specifications and of each addendum or change order, any report or other professional document, and the signature line of any letter or other professional document. | A.A.C. R4-30-304(A), R4-30-304(D) |
| Electronic seal | Arizona names no standard and no product. | A.A.C. R4-30-304(C), R4-30-304(E)(1), R4-30-304(G) |
| Renewal and lapse | A.R.S. § 32-125(C) makes it “unlawful for a registrant whose certificate has expired or has been revoked or suspended to use the seal”, and § 32-125(D) reaches anyone who causes or permits illegal use of it. | A.R.S. § 32-125(C), (D) |
| Firm requirements | A firm must be registered and gets no seal. | A.R.S. § 32-141 |
| Regulator | The Arizona State Board of Technical Registration | A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 1 (§§ 32-125, 32-127, 32-141) |
Is a seal required in Arizona?
Arizona splits the duty between statute and rule. A.R.S. § 32-125(B) provides that plans, specifications, plats or reports prepared by a registrant or a registrant’s bona fide employee “shall be issued under the registrant’s seal if the board requires the registrant to use a seal”. R4-30-303(A) settles it for the design registrations, requiring each registrant to secure and use an ink seal 1-1/2 inches in diameter identical in style, size and appearance to the sample in Appendix A, and R4-30-304(A) requires “a permanently legible imprint of the registrant’s seal and signature” on a nine item list of document types. Registered professional landscape architects seal on the same terms as architects, engineers, geologists and land surveyors.
What must appear on the seal
- Registered Professional Landscape Architect
- Your name as registered
- Your registration number
- The words “date signed”
- Arizona U.S.A.
Nothing is optional, and the legend is longer than most buyers expect. R4-30-303(A) prescribes “Registered Professional Landscape Architect” for this registration, not Registered Landscape Architect and not Landscape Architect. Four words have to fit the upper annular space of a 1-1/2 inch die, which is a typesetting problem worth raising with the supplier before the die is cut. Arizona U.S.A. sits at the bottom, and the inner circle carries the registrant name, the registration number and the words “date signed”. There is no branch line, which R4-30-303(B) confines to engineers, and no date should be built into the rubber, since substantive policy statement 7 states “It is not acceptable to change the date on a seal”.
Size and shape
1-1/2 inches outside diameter, tolerance plus or minus 1/16 inch, with an inner circle of 1-1/8 inches, same tolerance. R4-30-303(A) requires “an ink seal 1 1/2 inches in diameter and identical in style, size, and appearance to the sample shown in Appendix A”, and Appendix A prints both tolerances. The Board may disapprove a seal that misses “the exact specifications” under R4-30-303(B), so the long legend has to be made to fit rather than the circle made to grow.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
R4-30-303(A) names an ink seal, so an inked rubber stamp is the compliant device and the safe buy. An embosser alone is not authorized in the chapter, and a blind impression would be a poor choice for a legend this long. R4-30-304(E)(1) accepts “An original seal imprint or a computer-generated seal that matches the seal on file at the Board’s office”, and R4-30-304(F) rejects any other method of transfer.
Signing and dating
R4-30-304(E) requires the seal imprint, “An original signature that does not obscure either the registrant’s printed name or registration number”, and “The date the document was sealed.” Appendix A directs: “Sign your name across lower portion of the seal. Do not cover your name or registration number with your signature.” The date is the sealing date under substantive policy statement 7. R4-30-304(G) permits an electronic signature under A.R.S. Title 41 and Title 44.
Four words in the ring: Arizona says Registered Professional Landscape Architect
Most states shorten this legend. Arizona does not. R4-30-303(A) lists the permitted upper-ring legends and the one for this registration is “Registered Professional Landscape Architect”, alongside “Registered Architect”, “Registered Professional Engineer”, “Registered Professional Geologist” and “Registered Land Surveyor”. Note that the Board writes Professional into the landscape architect and geologist legends but leaves it out of the architect and land surveyor legends, so there is no pattern to reason from.
The consequence is mechanical. The die is fixed at 1-1/2 inches outer and 1-1/8 inches inner with a 1/16 inch tolerance each, and Appendix A also requires the words “date signed” inside the inner circle. A long legend and a fixed circle mean the lettering has to be laid out properly rather than scaled up.
Then R4-30-303(B) makes the Board the referee. The registrant files an imprint with an original signature over it, plus an affidavit regarding use of the seal, before using the seal for any purpose. The Board has ten working days to disapprove a seal that does not meet the exact specifications, and a rejected registrant buys another at their own cost.
Which documents must be sealed
The nine categories in R4-30-304(A) apply without variation by profession, covering each sheet of drawings, the first or index sheet of each set of specifications and of each addendum or change order, any report or other professional document, and the signature line of any letter or other professional document. R4-30-304(D) requires sealing before the document goes to a client, contractor or reviewing body “unless the document is marked ‘preliminary,’ ‘draft,’ or ‘not for construction’”, with an exception for work product for other members of the design team, and always for documents prepared for dispute resolution, litigation, arbitration or mediation.
Electronic and digital seals
Arizona names no standard and no product. R4-30-304(G) accepts an electronic signature “in accordance with A.R.S. Title 41 and Title 44” and requires “adequate security regarding the use of the seal and signature.” A computer-generated seal is allowed by R4-30-304(E)(1) only where it matches the imprint on file with the Board, and R4-30-304(C) requires unsigned electronic copies to be marked “Electronic copy of final document; sealed original document is with (identify the registrant’s name and registration number)”.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
A.R.S. § 32-125(C) makes it “unlawful for a registrant whose certificate has expired or has been revoked or suspended to use the seal”, and § 32-125(D) reaches anyone who causes or permits illegal use of it. A.R.S. § 32-127 bars practice during inactive or invalid status, cancels the certificate after one full renewal period of invalidity, and requires reapplication as a new candidate after that. Whether the number survives is not addressed in § 32-127 or 4 A.A.C. 30. No surrender or destruction of the device is required.
Firm requirements
A firm must be registered and gets no seal. A.R.S. § 32-141 requires firm registration for “any board-regulated profession or occupation”, with services under the full authority and responsible charge of a principal who is also a registrant, and separate registration for each branch office. No firm seal and no firm number goes on the sheet.
What to check before you order
Order an inked rubber stamp at 1-1/2 inches outer and 1-1/8 inches inner, each within 1/16 inch. The upper ring must read Registered Professional Landscape Architect in full. Arizona U.S.A. goes at the bottom, and your name, registration number and the words date signed go inside the inner circle. Ask your supplier to proof the ring text before the die is made, because four words on a 1-1/2 inch circle is where these dies go wrong. No branch line, no built-in date, no embosser. File the imprint and affidavit with the Board before first use.
Browse landscape architect stamps and seals.
- How to Choose the Right Arizona Landscape Architect Stamp
- Order Your Arizona Landscape Architect Stamp Without the Hassle
Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for landscape architects in Arizona?
Yes. A.R.S. § 32-125(B) provides that plans, specifications, plats or reports prepared by a registrant or a registrant’s bona fide employee “shall be issued under the registrant’s seal if the board requires the registrant to use a seal,” and R4-30-303(A) settles it for the design registrations by requiring each registrant to secure and use an ink seal. R4-30-304(A) then requires “a permanently legible imprint of the registrant’s seal and signature” on a nine item list of document types. Registered professional landscape architects seal on the same terms as architects, engineers, geologists and land surveyors.
What has to appear on an Arizona landscape architect seal?
Registered Professional Landscape Architect in the upper ring, Arizona U.S.A. at the bottom, and inside the inner circle your name as registered, your registration number and the words “date signed.” Nothing is optional. There is no branch line, which R4-30-303(B) confines to engineers, and no date should be built into the rubber: substantive policy statement 7 states “It is not acceptable to change the date on a seal.”
What size is an Arizona landscape architect seal?
1-1/2 inches outside diameter with an inner circle of 1-1/8 inches, each within plus or minus 1/16 inch. R4-30-303(A) requires “an ink seal 1 1/2 inches in diameter and identical in style, size, and appearance to the sample shown in Appendix A,” and Appendix A prints both tolerances. The Board may disapprove a seal that misses the exact specifications, so the legend gets laid out to fit the circle rather than the circle enlarged to fit the legend.
Can I use an embosser in Arizona?
R4-30-303(A) names an ink seal, so an inked rubber stamp is the compliant device and an embosser alone is not authorized in the chapter. A blind impression would be a poor choice for a legend this long in any case. R4-30-304(E)(1) accepts “An original seal imprint or a computer-generated seal that matches the seal on file at the Board’s office,” and R4-30-304(F) rejects any other method of transfer.
How does the signature sit on an Arizona seal?
Across the lower portion, clear of the text. R4-30-304(E) requires the seal imprint, “An original signature that does not obscure either the registrant’s printed name or registration number,” and “The date the document was sealed.” Appendix A puts it plainly: “Sign your name across lower portion of the seal. Do not cover your name or registration number with your signature.” The date is the sealing date under substantive policy statement 7.
Do I have to register my seal with the Arizona Board?
Yes, before you use it for any purpose. R4-30-303(B) requires you to file an imprint of the seal with an original signature written over it, together with an affidavit regarding use of the seal. The Board then has ten working days to disapprove a seal that does not meet the exact specifications, and a replacement is at your own cost. That filed imprint also matters later, because a computer-generated seal is accepted only where it matches the imprint on file.
Which documents does an Arizona landscape architect seal?
The nine categories in R4-30-304(A) apply without variation by profession: each sheet of drawings, the first or index sheet of each set of specifications and of each addendum or change order, any report or other professional document, and the signature line of any letter or other professional document, among others. R4-30-304(D) requires sealing before the document goes to a client, contractor or reviewing body “unless the document is marked ‘preliminary,’ ‘draft,’ or ‘not for construction,’” with an exception for work product for other members of the design team, and always for documents prepared for dispute resolution, litigation, arbitration or mediation.
Can I seal electronically in Arizona?
Yes, on general law rather than a named product. R4-30-304(G) accepts an electronic signature “in accordance with A.R.S. Title 41 and Title 44” and requires “adequate security regarding the use of the seal and signature.” A computer-generated seal is allowed by R4-30-304(E)(1) only where it matches the imprint on file with the Board, and R4-30-304(C) requires unsigned electronic copies to be marked “Electronic copy of final document; sealed original document is with (identify the registrant’s name and registration number).”
What happens to an Arizona seal if the certificate expires?
A.R.S. § 32-125(C) makes it “unlawful for a registrant whose certificate has expired or has been revoked or suspended to use the seal,” and § 32-125(D) reaches anyone who causes or permits illegal use of it. A.R.S. § 32-127 bars practice during inactive or invalid status, cancels the certificate after one full renewal period of invalidity, and requires reapplication as a new candidate after that. Whether the number survives is not covered, and no surrender or destruction of the device is required.
Does an Arizona landscape architecture firm get its own seal?
No. A.R.S. § 32-141 requires firm registration for “any board-regulated profession or occupation,” with services under the full authority and responsible charge of a principal who is also a registrant, and separate registration for each branch office. There is no firm seal, and the seal rules do not put a firm number on the sheet.
