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 Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists and 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.58, 37.59 on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
Pennsylvania states one diameter, not a range. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) provides that “The seal shall be 1 3/4 inch in diameter,” and allows only one departure: “The diameter of a pocket seal may be reduced to 1 1/2 inch if the design is in the same relative proportions” as the board design. A 1 5/8 inch or 2 inch device built to a house standard is out of specification here even though it looks right, because neighboring states use ranges and smaller defaults.
Anything written about Pennsylvania sealing before 2023 is describing a repealed text. Sections 37.56a and 37.60 did not exist before December 17, 2022, and §§ 37.58 and 37.59 were amended the same day at 52 Pa.B. 7709. The current § 37.59(2) lets the first page seal be “impressed, stamped or digital,” and § 37.59(7) lists three lawful signing methods, one of them fully digital. Guidance that still calls Pennsylvania a wet ink only state is citing the old rule.
The design itself is closed. Section 37.58(a) requires a seal “in the identical design authorized by the Board” and reproduces the designs as images in the rule: Design A for Registered Professional Engineer, Design B for Registered Professional Land Surveyor, Design C for Registered Professional Geologist. Four elements go on the face and nothing else. Copy the arrangement from the printed design rather than reconstructing it.
Pennsylvania PE seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Pennsylvania rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.58, 37.59 |
| Required elements | The legend “Registered Professional Engineer”, Your name as registered, Your registration number and A reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) |
| Size and shape | 1 3/4 inch in diameter, with one exception: a pocket seal may be reduced to 1 1/2 inch. 49 Pa. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) |
| Device allowed | Four devices, with a condition attached. 49 Pa. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(d) |
| Signature and date | Pennsylvania permits signing across the seal and protects one part of it. 49 Pa. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(2), (4), (7) |
| What must be sealed | Final or complete documents, in two situations: issued to a client for the client’s records, or submitted to public or governmental agencies for final review. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(1), (2), (3), (6) |
| Electronic seal | 49 Pa. | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.56a, 37.60 |
| Renewal and lapse | Registration is biennial and the period ends on a fixed date: under 49 Pa. | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.18, 37.19, 37.59(5) |
| Firm number on documents | No firm seal, no certificate of authorization and no firm number on the document. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.71 |
| Licensing board | The Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists | 49 Pa. Code Chapter 37, read section by section from the official Pennsylvania Code database at pacodeandbulletin.gov: § 37.56a (definitions), § 37.57 (registration number), § 37.58 (seal), § 37.59 (use of seal), § 37.60 (digital signature |
Rules for other states are on PE stamp requirements by state.
Is a seal required in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania requires a seal Pennsylvania requires the seal at the point a document becomes final. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(a) requires every registrant to obtain, at the registrant’s own expense, “a seal in the identical design authorized by the Board.” 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(2) supplies the trigger: when a registrant issues final or complete documents to a client for the client’s records, or submits final or complete documents to public or governmental agencies for final review, the seal and signature of the registrant who prepared or directed and controlled the preparation, “along with the date of issuance, shall be prominently displayed on the first page of all documents.” The duty sits in the board rule; the statutory hook is the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law at 63 P.S. §§ 151(l) and 154, cited as the authority for §§ 37.58, 37.59 and 37.60.
What must appear on the seal
- The legend “Registered Professional Engineer”
- Your name as registered
- Your registration number
- A reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Nothing is optional. This is the strictest of the four on design. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(a) requires the seal to be “in the identical design authorized by the Board” and then reproduces three designs in the rule itself: Design A for Registered Professional Engineer, Design B for Registered Professional Land Surveyor and Design C for Registered Professional Geologist. The designs are published as images rather than as text, so the arrangement of the four required elements on the face must be copied from Design A as printed in the Pennsylvania Code and not reconstructed. Adding a discipline, a firm name or a decorative element is not authorized by the word identical. The registration number has its own section, § 37.57, which provides only that each registrant is assigned a unique registration number on approval.
Size and shape
1 3/4 inch in diameter, with one exception: a pocket seal may be reduced to 1 1/2 inch. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) states that “The seal shall be 1 3/4 inch in diameter” and that “The diameter of a pocket seal may be reduced to 1 1/2 inch if the design is in the same relative proportions” as the design in subsection (a). This is a single fixed figure and not a range, so a 1 5/8 inch or 2 inch device is out of specification, and the 1 1/2 inch allowance is conditional on the reduced design holding the same proportions.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
Four devices, with a condition attached. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(d) provides that a registrant “may use a metal seal, rubber stamp, computer image which is a facsimile of the seal or digital seal, if the registrant first obtains a seal in accordance with this section.” The conditional clause means the facsimile is derivative of a properly obtained seal rather than a substitute for one. Placement then restricts which device goes where: under § 37.59(2), “The seal on the first page of a final or complete document shall be impressed, stamped or digital,” while “Facsimile or digital seals shall appear on all subsequent pages of plans or plats.” The safe buy is therefore a rubber or self-inking stamp at 1 3/4 inch for the first page, since it satisfies the stamped requirement directly, with a matching facsimile image for the interior sheets and a pocket seal at 1 1/2 inch only if you want one.
Signing and dating
Pennsylvania permits signing across the seal and protects one part of it. 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(4): “When a registrant’s signature is applied, it shall be applied near or across the seal, but not in a location that obliterates the registration number.” The date required is the date of issuance, displayed prominently on the first page with the seal and signature under § 37.59(2), rather than a date printed on the seal face. Since the 2022 rewrite, § 37.59(7) enumerates the only three permitted combinations: physical placement of a seal with a handwritten signature in permanent ink containing the registrant’s name; digital placement of a seal with a handwritten signature in permanent ink containing the name; or digital placement of a seal with a digital signature containing the name. A printed facsimile of a handwritten signature is not among them.
One seal rule, three professions, and a December 2022 rewrite that stale guidance misses
Pennsylvania runs engineers, land surveyors and geologists off a single board and a single set of seal sections. 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.56a, 37.58, 37.59 and 37.60 all speak of the registrant, and § 37.58(a) reproduces three board designs in the same paragraph: Design A for Registered Professional Engineer, Design B for Registered Professional Land Surveyor, Design C for Registered Professional Geologist. The diameter, the element list, the placement rules and the digital standard are identical for all three. Only the legend and the design letter differ.
Which documents must be sealed
Final or complete documents, in two situations: issued to a client for the client’s records, or submitted to public or governmental agencies for final review. On those, the seal, signature and date of issuance go on the first page, and facsimile or digital seals go on all subsequent pages of plans or plats: § 37.59(2). Where several registrants contributed, each seals and signs the first page, or the first page of the identifiable portion or section each prepared or directed and controlled, if the respective responsibilities can be reasonably segregated: § 37.59(3). A registrant may use the seal and signature “only when the work being sealed and signed was prepared by the registrant or under the registrant’s complete direction and control”: § 37.59(1). Out-of-state holders of a Pennsylvania temporary permit do not buy a Pennsylvania seal: § 37.59(6) directs them to use the seal of their home state and to affix their signature and a copy of the temporary permit to the work. Preliminary and draft documents are not addressed by a marking rule; the rule instead keys the duty to documents that are final or complete.
Electronic and digital seals
49 Pa. Code § 37.60, added December 16, 2022 and effective December 17, 2022 at 52 Pa.B. 7709, sets parallel requirements for a digital signature and a digital seal. Each must be unique to the registrant, capable of verification, under the sole control of the registrant, and “linked to a document in such a manner that the digital signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed,” with the same formula repeated for the seal. Both must be attached to or logically associated with the electronic document through an electronic authentication process. Under § 37.60(c), a hard copy printed from the transmitted electronic file bears the facsimile of the digital signature and seal and confirms that the file was not altered after the initial digital signing, and alterations void the signature and seal. Definitions are at § 37.56a, which defines sole control as “A situation in which only the registrant decides when and where the signature and seal are applied” and verification as confirmation that the signature and seal are actually from the registrant whose name and registration number appears on the document. No named vendor technology and no FIPS standard is incorporated.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
Registration is biennial and the period ends on a fixed date: under 49 Pa. Code § 37.19(a), registration for a biennial period “shall expire on September 30 of every odd numbered year.” The seal duty tracks it exactly. 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(5) provides that a registrant “may not affix or permit a seal and signature to be applied to a document after the expiration of the registrant’s licensure status,” or to aid another person in evading the act. Reactivation under § 37.18 requires the current registration fee, a reactivation application verifying the period of non-practice, and completion of all delinquent continuing education up to 24 PDH, and a licensee who practiced while lapsed owes a $5 per month late fee under 63 P.S. § 1401-225 in addition to the renewal fee, with discipline still available to the board. The registration number does not change. Nothing in chapter 37 requires the device to be surrendered or destroyed. A change of mailing address must be reported in writing within ten days: § 37.19(b).
Firm registration
No firm seal, no certificate of authorization and no firm number on the document. Pennsylvania controls the firm at the naming stage instead. 49 Pa. Code § 37.71 requires an application for a certificate of approval of a fictitious name or corporate name, on board forms, “prior to submission of articles of incorporation or fictitious name registrations to the Corporation Bureau of the Department of State,” identifying the parties with an ownership interest and the licensed and unlicensed professional staff. The board approves the name if at least one of the persons filing, one of the incorporators of a proposed corporation, or one of the directors of an existing corporation is properly registered as a professional engineer or professional land surveyor in Pennsylvania, and on approval the board issues the certificate to the Corporation Bureau. That certificate never appears on a sealed drawing.
What to check before you order
Build to 1 3/4 inch diameter, and to 1 1/2 inch only when you specifically want a pocket seal and the reduced artwork keeps the same relative proportions. Copy the face from the board's Design A exactly, since § 37.58(a) says identical design: the legend Registered Professional Engineer, your name, your registration number and a reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with nothing added. Metal seals, rubber stamps, computer facsimile images and digital seals are all permitted, but the first page of a final or complete document needs an impressed, stamped or digital seal, which makes a rubber or self-inking stamp the practical first page device while the facsimile image covers the interior sheets of plans and plats. Keep the registration number clear in the layout, because your signature may be applied across the seal but may not obliterate the number. If you also hold a surveyor or geologist license, the same dimensions and the same rules apply with Design B or Design C, and no provision of chapter 37 requires anyone to verify your licensure.
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Frequently asked questions
What size is a Pennsylvania PE seal?
1 3/4 inch in diameter. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) states a single figure rather than a range, so a 1 5/8 inch or 2 inch seal does not meet it.
Can I use a smaller pocket seal in Pennsylvania?
Yes, at 1 1/2 inch, and only as a pocket seal. Section 37.58(c) allows the reduction “if the design is in the same relative proportions” as the design in subsection (a), so the artwork has to be scaled rather than redrawn.
What has to appear on a Pennsylvania PE seal?
Four things, under 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b): the legend “Registered Professional Engineer,” your name as registered, your registration number and a reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Nothing is optional. Section 37.58(a) requires the identical design authorized by the Board, so a discipline line, a firm name or a decorative element is not authorized. Registration numbers are assigned under § 37.57, which provides only that each registrant gets a unique number on approval.
Which sealing devices may I use in Pennsylvania?
Four, with a condition. 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(d) permits “a metal seal, rubber stamp, computer image which is a facsimile of the seal or digital seal, if the registrant first obtains a seal in accordance with this section.” The facsimile is derivative of a properly obtained seal, not a substitute for one. Placement then decides which device goes where: under § 37.59(2) the seal on the first page of a final or complete document “shall be impressed, stamped or digital,” while “Facsimile or digital seals shall appear on all subsequent pages of plans or plats.” A rubber or self-inking stamp at 1 3/4 inch covers the first page, and a matching facsimile image covers the interior sheets.
Where do the signature and date go on a Pennsylvania document?
Near or across the seal, clear of the number. 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(4): “When a registrant’s signature is applied, it shall be applied near or across the seal, but not in a location that obliterates the registration number.” The date is the date of issuance, displayed prominently on the first page along with the seal and signature under § 37.59(2), rather than a date printed on the seal face. Leave the number clear in the layout.
Can I use a printed facsimile of my signature in Pennsylvania?
No. Since the 2022 rewrite, § 37.59(7) enumerates the only three permitted combinations: physical placement of a seal with a handwritten signature in permanent ink containing the registrant’s name; digital placement of a seal with a handwritten signature in permanent ink containing the name; or digital placement of a seal with a digital signature containing the name. A printed facsimile of a handwritten signature is not among them.
Which Pennsylvania documents need a seal?
Final or complete documents in two situations: issued to a client for the client’s records, or submitted to public or governmental agencies for final review. On those, the seal, signature and date of issuance go on the first page, and facsimile or digital seals go on all subsequent pages of plans or plats, under § 37.59(2). Section 37.59(1) limits use to work “prepared by the registrant or under the registrant’s complete direction and control.” Where several registrants contributed, § 37.59(3) has each seal and sign the first page, or the first page of the identifiable portion or section each prepared, if the respective responsibilities can be reasonably segregated. Preliminary and draft documents are not addressed by a marking rule; the duty keys to whether the document is final or complete.
What does Pennsylvania require for a digital seal?
Four criteria, applied to the signature and the seal alike. 49 Pa. Code § 37.60, added December 16, 2022 and effective December 17, 2022 at 52 Pa.B. 7709, requires each to be unique to the registrant, capable of verification, under the sole control of the registrant, and “linked to a document in such a manner that the digital signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed.” Both must be attached to or logically associated with the electronic document through an electronic authentication process. Under § 37.60(c) a hard copy printed from the transmitted file bears the facsimile of the digital signature and seal and confirms the file was not altered after the initial digital signing, and alterations void the signature and seal. Definitions are at § 37.56a, which defines sole control as “A situation in which only the registrant decides when and where the signature and seal are applied.” No vendor technology and no FIPS standard is named.
I hold a Pennsylvania temporary permit. Do I buy a Pennsylvania seal?
No. 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(6) directs an out of state holder of a Pennsylvania temporary permit to use the seal of their home state and to affix their signature and a copy of the temporary permit to the work.
When does Pennsylvania registration expire, and can I seal after it lapses?
Registration is biennial and expires on a fixed date: under § 37.19(a) it “shall expire on September 30 of every odd numbered year.” Section 37.59(5) then provides that a registrant “may not affix or permit a seal and signature to be applied to a document after the expiration of the registrant’s licensure status,” or aid another person in evading the act. Reactivation under § 37.18 requires the current registration fee, a reactivation application verifying the period of non-practice, and all delinquent continuing education up to 24 PDH; practicing while lapsed also costs a $5 per month late fee under 63 P.S. § 1401-225 on top of the renewal fee, with discipline still available to the board. The registration number does not change, nothing in chapter 37 requires the device to be surrendered or destroyed, and a change of mailing address must be reported in writing within ten days under § 37.19(b).
Does a firm number go on a sealed Pennsylvania drawing?
No. Pennsylvania has no firm seal, no certificate of authorization and no firm number on the sheet. It controls the firm at the naming stage instead: 49 Pa. Code § 37.71 requires an application for a certificate of approval of a fictitious name or corporate name, on board forms, “prior to submission of articles of incorporation or fictitious name registrations to the Corporation Bureau of the Department of State,” identifying the parties with an ownership interest and the licensed and unlicensed professional staff. The board approves the name if at least one of the persons filing, one of the incorporators of a proposed corporation, or one of the directors of an existing corporation is properly registered in Pennsylvania, and issues the certificate to the Corporation Bureau. That certificate never appears on a sealed drawing.
Do surveyors and geologists follow the same Pennsylvania rule?
Yes. One board and one set of sections cover all three professions. Sections 37.56a, 37.58, 37.59 and 37.60 speak of the registrant throughout, and § 37.58(a) reproduces Design A for Registered Professional Engineer, Design B for Registered Professional Land Surveyor and Design C for Registered Professional Geologist in the same paragraph. The diameter, the element list, the placement rules and the digital standard are identical. Only the legend and the design letter differ.
