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 Kansas State Board of Technical Professions and Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 74-7023(d), 74-7034 on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
The wording is where Kansas surveyors get caught. The lower ring reads PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR, two words, with no LAND in the middle. Kansas does not license a professional land surveyor or a registered land surveyor. K.S.A. 74-7003 lists the technical professions as architecture, landscape architecture, professional engineering, professional geology and professional surveying, and the board’s Seal FAQ fixes the seal legend to match. A stock die ordered from a national catalog almost always carries the extra word.
The geometry is fixed too. K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) gives two concentric circles, the outer 1 5/8 inches in diameter and the inner 1 1/16 inches, with LICENSED at the top of the inner circle, KANSAS at the bottom of it, your certificate number centered inside it, your name in the upper ring and the profession in the lower ring. No tolerance and no alternative size appear anywhere in the regulation. The rule lets you abbreviate a given name or reduce it to initials, but your surname has to be spelled out.
You have 30 days from the date your license issues to obtain the seal, under K.A.R. 66-6-1(a), and K.S.A. 74-7023(d) bars tampering with it or revising it without express written board approval afterward. Order once and order right.
Kansas land surveyor seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Kansas rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 74-7023(d), 74-7034 |
| Required elements | Two concentric circles, Your name as it appears on your license, The words PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR in the lower ring, The word LICENSED, The word KANSAS and Your license certificate number | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(a) |
| Size and shape | Outer circle 1 5/8 inches in diameter, inner circle 1 1/16 inches in diameter. | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(a) |
| Device allowed | K.A.R. 66-6-1(a): “The seal may be a rubber stamp, an embossed seal, or a digital seal.” A rubber stamp is the safe buy. | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(a) |
| Signature and date | K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(1) requires “the licensee’s handwritten or authenticated digital signature and the date across the seal.” Across the seal, not beside it. | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(b)(1) |
| What must be sealed | K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) names surveyors’ core product expressly: “each document, including drawings, technical reports, original land descriptions for the purpose of conveying an interest in real property, records, and papers.” An original land description written to convey an interest in real property is a sealed document in Kansas, which catches surveyors who treat a description as correspondence. | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(c), (d), (e) |
| Electronic seal | K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(3) requires a digital signature that is unique to the licensee, verifiable, under the licensee’s sole control and linked to the document so that any alteration invalidates it. | Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1(b)(3), (4) |
| Renewal and lapse | K.S.A. 74-7023(d) makes stamping with an expired or revoked license unlawful. | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-7023(d) |
| Firm requirements | A certificate of authorization is required, but no firm number goes on the plat. | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-7036 |
| Regulator | The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions | Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 74-7003, 74-7023, 74-7034 and 74-7036, from the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, with Kan. Admin. Regs. 66-6-1 (as amended 4 Dec. 2020), 66-6-4 and 66-6-10, and the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions Seal FAQ. One design serves all five Kansas technical professions |
Is a seal required in Kansas?
The duty is statutory and the deadline is regulatory. K.S.A. 74-7023(d) provides that each licensee “shall obtain a seal of a distinctive design authorized by the board, bearing the licensee’s name and number and a uniform inscription formulated by the board,” and that “Documents signed by the licensee in the licensee’s professional capacity shall be stamped with the seal during the duration of the license.” K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) requires the seal “within 30 days of a license being issued.” K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) requires each document to be sealed, signed and dated by the professional surveyor who prepared it or is in responsible charge, subject to the land surveying exemption in K.S.A. 74-7034.
What must appear on the seal
- Two concentric circles
- Your name as it appears on your license
- The words PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR in the lower ring
- The word LICENSED
- The word KANSAS
- Your license certificate number
Every position is fixed by K.A.R. 66-6-1(a): “LICENSED” at the top of the inner circle, “KANSAS” at the bottom of it, the certificate number centered inside it, your name in the upper ring and the profession in the lower ring. The rule permits an abbreviated given name or initials but not an abbreviated surname. The board’s Seal FAQ fixes this credential’s legend as PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR. Kansas does not use PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR, P.L.S. or REGISTERED LAND SURVEYOR, and every one of those is a common out-of-state legend that will not match the authorized Kansas design.
Size and shape
Outer circle 1 5/8 inches in diameter, inner circle 1 1/16 inches in diameter. K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) gives both figures and applies them to all five Kansas technical professions alike, and the board’s Seal FAQ repeats them. No tolerance and no alternative size appear anywhere in the regulation.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
K.A.R. 66-6-1(a): “The seal may be a rubber stamp, an embossed seal, or a digital seal.” A rubber stamp is the safe buy. Kansas surveying output is dominated by plats and land descriptions that get recorded and copied, and K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(2) contemplates reproduction, which an unpigmented embossed impression does not survive.
Signing and dating
K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(1) requires “the licensee’s handwritten or authenticated digital signature and the date across the seal.” Across the seal, not beside it. The seal, signature and date together certify that the document was created by you or under your responsible charge. An authenticated digital signature meeting K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(3) substitutes for handwriting.
Kansas licenses a PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR, and the legend is exactly those two words
The wording on the lower ring is the single most common Kansas surveying seal error. Kansas does not license a professional land surveyor or a registered land surveyor. K.S.A. 74-7003 lists the technical professions as architecture, landscape architecture, professional engineering, professional geology and professional surveying, and the board’s Seal FAQ fixes the seal legend as PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR. Drop the word LAND. A stock die ordered from a national catalog almost always carries it.
The second Kansas-specific point is what counts as a sealable document. K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) expressly names “original land descriptions for the purpose of conveying an interest in real property.” A metes and bounds description typed into a letter or an email for a title company is a document that has to be sealed, signed and dated, and K.A.R. 66-6-1(d)(1) puts the seal on its first or last page. Surveyors who seal plats religiously and treat descriptions as correspondence are exposed.
Third, K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) gives you 30 days from issuance to obtain the seal, and K.S.A. 74-7023(d) bars tampering with or revising it without express written board approval. Order once, order right.
Which documents must be sealed
K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) names surveyors’ core product expressly: “each document, including drawings, technical reports, original land descriptions for the purpose of conveying an interest in real property, records, and papers.” An original land description written to convey an interest in real property is a sealed document in Kansas, which catches surveyors who treat a description as correspondence. K.A.R. 66-6-1(d)(1) puts the seal on the first or last page of a technical report, survey plat or original land description, and on every sheet of a drawing set unless a digital authentication process links all sheets. K.A.R. 66-6-1(e) exempts documents marked “PRELIMINARY, NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION, RECORDING PURPOSES, OR IMPLEMENTATION” or words of comparable meaning, and agency-adopted standard details. The practice exemption for land surveying is K.S.A. 74-7034.
Electronic and digital seals
K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(3) requires a digital signature that is unique to the licensee, verifiable, under the licensee’s sole control and linked to the document so that any alteration invalidates it. No certificate authority is named. K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(4) requires every transmitted or stored electronic document to carry the signature, date of signing and seal, and provides that “If the electronic document is altered, the signature, date, and seal shall be void.”
Renewal, lapse and retirement
K.S.A. 74-7023(d) makes stamping with an expired or revoked license unlawful. Licenses renew biennially under K.A.R. 66-6-10(a), which also provides inactive status and emeritus status for licensees at least 60 years old; neither permits practice in Kansas. The certificate number does not change on renewal and the seal carries no date, so the device stays good for the life of the career.
Firm requirements
A certificate of authorization is required, but no firm number goes on the plat. K.S.A. 74-7036(a) requires a business entity organized to practice a technical profession to hold a certificate of authorization, designate licensed principals in responsible charge and have a licensed professional regularly supervising each separate office. Nothing in K.A.R. 66-6-1 or 66-6-4 requires the certificate number or the firm name on a sealed survey document, and the firm has no seal.
What to check before you order
Order two concentric circles, outer 1 5/8 inches, inner 1 1/16 inches. Inner circle: LICENSED across the top, KANSAS across the bottom, your license certificate number centered. Ring: your name at the top, PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR at the bottom, those two words and no others. If the supplier’s template offers PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR, reject it. Your surname must be spelled out; your given name may be abbreviated or reduced to initials. Choose rubber stamp, embosser or digital seal, and keep the center open enough to sign and date across the impression. Kansas places no proof-of-licensure duty on the supplier.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for land surveyors in Kansas?
Yes, and the duty is statutory. K.S.A. 74-7023(d) provides that each licensee “shall obtain a seal of a distinctive design authorized by the board, bearing the licensee’s name and number and a uniform inscription formulated by the board,” and that “Documents signed by the licensee in the licensee’s professional capacity shall be stamped with the seal during the duration of the license.” K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) adds the deadline of 30 days from issuance, and K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) requires each document to be sealed, signed and dated by the professional surveyor who prepared it or is in responsible charge. The land surveying practice exemption is at K.S.A. 74-7034.
What has to appear on a Kansas land surveyor seal?
Six items in fixed positions under K.A.R. 66-6-1(a): two concentric circles, your name as it appears on your license, the words PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR in the lower ring, the word LICENSED, the word KANSAS, and your license certificate number. LICENSED sits at the top of the inner circle, KANSAS at the bottom of it, the number centered inside it, your name in the upper ring. Nothing else belongs on the face. No firm name, no expiration date, and not PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR, P.L.S. or REGISTERED LAND SURVEYOR, all of which are out-of-state legends that will not match the authorized Kansas design.
What size is a Kansas land surveyor seal?
Outer circle 1 5/8 inches in diameter, inner circle 1 1/16 inches in diameter. K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) gives both figures and applies them to all five Kansas technical professions alike, and the board’s Seal FAQ repeats them. There is no tolerance and no alternative size in the regulation, so the only variable you choose is the device format.
Can I use a rubber stamp, an embosser or a digital seal in Kansas?
All three. K.A.R. 66-6-1(a) says “The seal may be a rubber stamp, an embossed seal, or a digital seal.” A rubber stamp is the safe buy for surveying work. Kansas surveying output is dominated by plats and land descriptions that get recorded and copied, K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(2) contemplates reproduction, and an unpigmented embossed impression does not survive a copier.
Does the signature go across the seal in Kansas?
Yes. K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(1) requires “the licensee’s handwritten or authenticated digital signature and the date across the seal.” Across it, not beside it, so keep the center of the die open enough to write through. The seal, the signature and the date together certify that the document was created by you or under your responsible charge. An authenticated digital signature meeting K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(3) stands in for the handwriting.
Does a Kansas land description have to be sealed?
If it is written to convey an interest in real property, yes. K.A.R. 66-6-1(c)(1) names the surveying product expressly: “each document, including drawings, technical reports, original land descriptions for the purpose of conveying an interest in real property, records, and papers.” A metes and bounds description typed into a letter or an email for a title company is a document that has to be sealed, signed and dated. K.A.R. 66-6-1(d)(1) puts the seal on the first or last page of a technical report, survey plat or original land description, and on every sheet of a drawing set unless a digital authentication process links all sheets.
What about preliminary work in Kansas?
K.A.R. 66-6-1(e) exempts documents marked “PRELIMINARY, NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION, RECORDING PURPOSES, OR IMPLEMENTATION” or words of comparable meaning, along with agency-adopted standard details. The words recording purposes are the ones that matter to a surveyor, because a draft plat that reaches a register of deeds is the failure this exemption is written around.
Can I seal survey documents electronically in Kansas?
Yes, on a functional standard rather than a named product. K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(3) requires a digital signature that is unique to the licensee, verifiable, under the licensee’s sole control and linked to the document so that any alteration invalidates it. No certificate authority is named. K.A.R. 66-6-1(b)(4) requires every transmitted or stored electronic document to carry the signature, the date of signing and the seal, and provides that “If the electronic document is altered, the signature, date, and seal shall be void.”
Does my Kansas seal go stale when I renew?
No. The certificate number does not change on renewal and the seal carries no date, so one device lasts the career. Licenses renew biennially under K.A.R. 66-6-10(a), which also provides inactive status and emeritus status for licensees at least 60 years old, neither of which permits practice in Kansas. K.S.A. 74-7023(d) makes stamping with an expired or revoked license unlawful.
Does a Kansas surveying firm get its own seal?
No, and no firm number goes on the plat. K.S.A. 74-7036(a) requires a business entity organized to practice a technical profession to hold a certificate of authorization, designate licensed principals in responsible charge and have a licensed professional regularly supervising each separate office. Nothing in K.A.R. 66-6-1 or 66-6-4 requires the certificate number or the firm name on a sealed survey document, and the firm has no seal.
