Like all states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia requires professional engineers (PE's) to affix an official stamp or seal to final engineering documents. This article goes into more detail about those requirements and how to satisfy them.
The generic Virginia seal, designed by the state, is similar to those used in other states and the District of Columbia.
Engineers could create their own seals, including electronic ones, but this is time consuming, and engineers have so many other things on their plate. Many companies offer stamps and embossers that Virginia PE’s can customize as described in the next section. Virginia is unusual in placing several restrictions on how electronic seals are designed and used.
Virginia PE Embosser and Stamp Design
The engineer’s seal must meet the following requirements:
- A 2” diameter rubber seal or stamp is mandatory.
- Name and license number must be included.
- Must include “Lic. No.” in front of the number, which does not need to include the leading 0. The license number is the last six digits from the number on the engineer’s certificate.
Virginia has simple design requirements for the seal, but complex usage requirements.
Virginia PE Seal and Embosser Usage Requirements
Virginia is a bit unusual in that it requires a rubber stamp. A Virginia PE embosser may also be used, but the rubber stamp is still required, no matter what. Other usage rules, of which Virginia has many, include the following:
- In common with other states, engineers must affix the seal to any work over which they exercised direct control.
- The seal may not be affixed to any work done by an unlicensed or uncertified individual.
- The seal must be affixed to the final, original cover sheet for all completed plats, drawings, plans, reports, and specifications. The cover page also needs to include the professional’s name and the date.
- All engineers responsible for a project need to stamp the relevant documents.
Virginia is unusual in not allowing electronic seals in many cases. As with other states, Virginia allows electronic seals, dates, and signatures only if three conditions can be met:
- The file must be unique to that engineer.
- The information in the electronic seal must be verifiable.
- The electronic file must remain under the professional’s control.
The rules forbid use of electronic seals on documents that are made to be edited, so electronic seals should only be used on
documents that are locked, somehow, such as PDFs or other specialized electronic files. Sending a Word file that contains a supposedly final specification, that’s been stamped, could lead to trouble for the engineer.Engineers who must transmit documents electronically, if those documents can be edited by the recipient, are required to keep originals that are stamped with the Virginia PE’s embosser. The electronic documents must come with a stamped letter explaining that the originals are retained by the engineer’s firm. This is an unusual rule as well, but one that should discourage clients from making unauthorized changes to engineering documents.
Get the Right Virginia PE Embosser and Stamps
Virginia PE’s need embossers, stamps, and ink. Many options exist. The Commonwealth’s unusual rules about electronic seals mean that it might be hard to find one that’s pre-made. Any engineer who wants to share final documents electronically will need to custom build a seal that looks like the rubber stamp version.
If you are a Virginia PE who needs an embosser or stamp, take a look at the products Acorn Sales offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Virginia PE seal requirements?
A Virginia PE seal must be a 2-inch diameter rubber stamp or seal that includes the engineer’s name, license number, and “Lic. No.” before the number. The license number should use the last six digits of the engineer’s certificate number, and the leading zero is not required.
Do Virginia professional engineers need both a stamp and an embosser?
Yes. In Virginia, a rubber stamp is required for final engineering documents, and an embosser may also be used. However, the embosser does not replace the stamp, so Virginia PEs should have both if they want to stay compliant and maintain a professional document finish.
When should a Virginia PE seal be placed on documents?
The Virginia PE seal should be affixed to final, original cover sheets for completed plats, drawings, plans, reports, and specifications. It should be used only on work that the engineer directly controlled, and all engineers responsible for the project should stamp the relevant documents.
Are electronic PE seals allowed in Virginia?
Yes, but only under specific conditions. The electronic seal must be unique to the engineer, verifiable, and kept under the engineer’s control. Virginia also limits electronic seals to locked or non-editable files, such as PDFs or other protected electronic formats.
Can I send a stamped Virginia PE document as an editable file?
No, sending a stamped editable file, such as a Word document, can create compliance issues. If a document can be edited by the recipient, Virginia requires the engineer to keep the original stamped version and provide a stamped letter stating that the originals are retained by the firm.
What should I look for when buying a Virginia PE embosser or stamp?
Look for a Virginia PE embosser and stamp that matches the state’s required format, especially the 2-inch seal size, name, and license number layout. If you plan to share documents electronically, choose a seal solution that can be customized to match the required appearance for compliant digital use.
