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 engineering practice act and board rules of each jurisdiction listed on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
Engineering boards do not agree on what a PE seal looks like, and the disagreement is wider than most buyers expect. Twenty of the fifty-three jurisdictions below publish no seal size at all. Of those that do, Texas sets a maximum where most states set a minimum, Pennsylvania fixes a single diameter rather than a range, and Louisiana allows exactly two sizes and nothing between them.
Three differences matter more than size. New Jersey prohibits rubber stamp seals outright and recognizes only an impression seal or a digital one. Minnesota does not require a seal at all, for engineers or for any of the seven credentials its board licenses. And in British Columbia and Alberta the regulator supplies or owns the seal, so there is no open market to buy one.
Each row below links to that jurisdiction’s full requirements, with the rule cited.
PE seal requirements by state
53 jurisdictions. Each row is taken from that jurisdiction’s own board rule or practice act, and where we could not reach the governing text the page says so by name rather than filling the gap.
| Jurisdiction | Seal required | Size | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Circular, 1-5/8″ to 2″ | Embosser, rubber or computer |
| Alaska | Yes | 2″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Embosser or stamp |
| Arizona | Yes | 1-1/2″ ±1/16″ | Ink seal; separate seal per branch |
| Arkansas | Yes | 1-1/4″ to 2″ | Embosser or stamp; firm seal too |
| California | Yes | 1-1/2″ minimum | Rubber stamp fine; signature stamp banned |
| Colorado | Yes | 1-5/8″ outer, 15/16″ inner | Crimp, rubber or computer |
| Connecticut | Yes | 1-1/2″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Board-prescribed; two seals if dual |
| Delaware | Yes | 1-5/8″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Embossing, rubber or digital |
| Florida | Yes | 1-7/8″ minimum | Embosser, stamp or digital |
| Georgia | Yes | 1-1/2″ outer, 1″ inner | Embosser, stamp or computer |
| Guam | Yes | 1-1/2″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Seal may be electronic; signature may not |
| Hawaii | Yes | 1-1/2″ outer, 1-1/8″ inner | Separate seal per branch |
| Idaho | Yes | 1-5/8″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Board-delegated |
| Illinois | Yes | 1-5/8″ (Acorn production record; illustration is unscaled) | Embosser, stamp or computer |
| Indiana | Yes | 1-5/8″ to 1-7/8″ | Embossed, electronic or rubber stamp |
| Iowa | Yes | 1-3/4″ (Acorn production record; rule gives samples only) | Embosser or stamp |
| Kansas | Yes | 1-5/8″ outer, 1-1/16″ inner | One design, five professions |
| Kentucky | Yes | 1-3/8″ to 1-5/8″ | Embosser or stamp |
| Louisiana | Yes | 1-5/8″ or 2″ only | Firms may not hold seals |
| Maine | Yes | 1-3/4″ (board guidance) | Embosser or stamp |
| Maryland | Yes | 1-5/8″ (Acorn production record; COMAR publishes none) | Great Seal of Maryland at center |
| Massachusetts | Yes | About 1-1/2″ | Every sheet sealed individually |
| Michigan | Yes | 1-3/4″ (Acorn production record; rule gives figure only) | Full ten-digit number |
| Minnesota | No | 1-1/2″ × 3″ RECTANGLE (Acorn production record; not circular) | Optional; certification is mandatory |
| Mississippi | Yes | 1-5/8″ to 2″ | Embosser or stamp |
| Missouri | Yes | 1-3/4″ | Embosser, stamp or computer |
| Montana | Yes | 2″ (Acorn production record; ARM 24.183.511 unreadable) | Not verified |
| Nebraska | Yes | No size stipulated | Any ink color; no size |
| Nevada | Yes | About 1.7″ | Opaque and permanent image |
| New Hampshire | Yes | 1-9/16″ outer, 15/16″ inner | Impression or rubber stamp only |
| New Jersey | Yes | 1-1/2″ (Acorn production record; embosser is the sealing device) | Rubber stamps prohibited |
| New Mexico | Yes | 1-1/2″ / 1″ / 1/2″ | Rubber seal fine; rubber signature banned |
| New York | Yes | About 1-3/4″ | Plus a separate alteration stamp |
| North Carolina | Yes | 1-3/4″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Embosser, stamp or digital |
| North Dakota | Yes | 1-3/4″ outer, 1-1/4″ inner | Facsimile signatures banned |
| Ohio | Yes | 2″ (Acorn production record; board publishes none) | Name and legend only, no number |
| Oklahoma | Yes | 1-7/8″ or 1-5/8″ | Embosser or stamp |
| Oregon | Yes | 2″ minimum, point to point | No resized or scanned seals |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | 1-3/4″ fixed (1-1/2″ pocket) | Impressed, stamped or digital |
| Puerto Rico | Yes | 2″ (Acorn production record; reglamento not readable) | Does not fit the US format |
| Rhode Island | Yes | 2″ SQUARE (Acorn production record; not circular) | Board-prescribed design |
| South Carolina | Yes | 1-1/2″ minimum | Two seals per sheet with a firm |
| South Dakota | Yes | 1″ to 2″, inner 5/8 of outer | Embosser or stamp |
| Tennessee | Yes | 2″ (Acorn production record; rule gives diagram only) | No signature or date on the die |
| Texas | Conditional | 2″ maximum | Sign above or below, not across |
| Utah | Yes | 1-1/2″ minimum, no maximum | Sign and date across the face |
| Vermont | Yes | About 1-1/2″ | No date required |
| Virginia | Yes | 2″ | Seven credentials, one rule |
| Washington | Yes | Not specified | Signature directly over the seal |
| West Virginia | Yes | 1-5/8″ (Acorn production record; sample is unscaled) | No discipline on the seal |
| Wisconsin | Yes | 1-5/8″ to 2″ | City required on the seal |
| Wyoming | Yes | 1-3/4″ outer, 1-1/4″ inner | Impression filed with the board |
| Canada | Conditional | Varies by province | Regulator supplies it in BC and AB |
The jurisdictions that publish no size
and Washington publish no diameter we could find in statute or board rule. Several delegate the design to the board and then never publish one. Two are different cases: in Montana the rule that would carry a dimension sits behind a verification gate we could not pass, and in Puerto Rico the corresponding regulation is a scanned image with no readable text, so for those two we can say only that we could not read it. In all of them the safe course is to copy the board’s own published artwork rather than infer a dimension from a neighboring state.
Where the signature goes
There is no national convention, and two states are directly opposed. Utah requires the signature and date across the face of the seal and Washington requires the signature directly over it, while Indiana requires it adjacent to the seal but not across, and Texas tells engineers to sign above or below so the signature does not obscure the name and license number. An engineer licensed in several states cannot carry one habit across all of them.
Firm numbers and second seals
Some states require the firm as well as the individual to appear. Arkansas and South Carolina require a separate firm seal carrying the firm name and certificate of authorization number. Texas requires the firm F number on engineering sheets, and a sole proprietor counts as a firm. North Carolina requires the firm name, address and license number on every sheet. Louisiana goes the other way and forbids firms from holding seals at all, and Florida abolished its certificate of authorization, so no firm number belongs on a Florida drawing.
Buying a compliant seal
Acorn Sales has manufactured stamps and seals since 1964. Browse professional engineer stamps and seals.
Frequently asked questions
Do all states require a professional engineer seal?
No. Minnesota does not require one: its statute and rule both say a licensee may obtain a seal, and what is mandatory is a signed and dated certification block. Texas is conditional, since its sealing duty is tied to work to be constructed or used in the state. Every other jurisdiction in the table requires a seal.
What size should a PE stamp be?
It depends entirely on the state, and twenty of the fifty-three jurisdictions publish no size at all. Where a size exists it runs from a 1 inch outer circle in South Dakota to a 2 inch minimum in Oregon. Check your own state’s row before ordering.
Can I use the same seal in more than one state?
No. The required wording names the state, and the size, layout and permitted device differ. Arizona and Hawaii go further and require a separate seal for each engineering branch you are licensed in.
Which states do not allow a rubber stamp?
New Jersey prohibits rubber stamp facsimiles of the seal outright and recognizes only an impression seal or a digital seal. Several other states restrict how a stamp may be used without banning the device.
Are digital PE seals accepted?
In most states, yes, but the standard varies and two states cut against the grain. South Carolina requires the computer-generated seal to be removed from an electronically transmitted file and replaced with a plain sentence. Oregon does not allow a scan of a wet-stamped sheet as a final document. New Hampshire has no electronic seal provision at all.
Does my firm need its own seal?
In Arkansas and South Carolina, yes, a separate firm seal carrying the firm name and certificate of authorization number. Texas and North Carolina require firm details on the sheet without a second seal. Louisiana forbids firms from holding seals, and Florida no longer issues certificates of authorization at all.
Do I need a new seal when I renew?
Only where something on the face changes. Illinois puts the license expiration date beside the seal, and Guam and Nevada allow or require an expiration date on the face, so a die cut that way is disposable. In Hawaii the date sits in the block below the seal rather than on it, which is why a Hawaii die stays clean through renewal. A seal carrying only your name, number and the state legend normally survives renewal.
Where do I sign relative to the seal?
There is no national rule. Utah and Washington require the signature across or directly over the seal; Indiana requires it adjacent but expressly not across; Texas asks for above or below. Follow the state where the work will be used.
Can I buy a PE seal for use in Canada?
Generally not from a stamp supplier. Engineering in Canada is regulated by twelve provincial and territorial regulators, and in British Columbia the regulator issues and retains ownership of the manual seal, while in Alberta stamps come from APEGA or its approved vendors. There is no national Canadian seal.
What happens to my seal if my license lapses?
Most states bar sealing once a license has expired, but the timing differs. Louisiana is the sharpest case: seal use becomes a disciplinary offense 90 days after expiry while the license stays renewable for 120 days, so there is a month in which the license is alive and the seal is not.
