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 Indiana Board of Registration for Architects and Landscape Architects and 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a), (g), (i) on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
Your signature goes directly adjacent to the seal, and never across it. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(h) provides that whenever the seal is affixed “it shall include the person’s original signature directly adjacent thereto (not across the seal) or the signature may be at another location on the sheet provided it is inscribed, ‘This document is certified by _____’.” Washington architects sign across the seal and North Carolina architects sign across the face of each imprint. Indiana expressly forbids it, and then offers an alternative most states do not.
The device is not less than 1 5/8 inches and not more than 1 7/8 inches in outside diameter, using the design printed at 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a), with either a milled edge as shown or two concentric circles corresponding with the respective edgings of the milling. The face carries your name and registration number as they appear on your certificate of registration.
One abbreviation is allowed and no others. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(c) requires the name and number to correspond to the certificate, then adds: “However, ‘AR’ may be excluded in the certificate number.” Dropping AR is lawful. Dropping digits, adding a state abbreviation or restyling the number is not.
Indiana architect seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Indiana rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a), (g), (i) |
| Required elements | Your name as on the certificate of registration, Your registration number, with AR optionally excluded, The design shown in the rule and A milled edge, or two concentric circles | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a), (b), (c) |
| Size and shape | Not less than 1 5/8 inches and not more than 1 7/8 inches in outside diameter. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a) states that “The architect seal shall be not less than one and five-eighths (1 5/8) inches or more than one and seven-eighths (1 7/8) inches in outside diameter, using the following design.” That band is stated independently in this rule for architects. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a) |
| Device allowed | Four ways, and the rule lists them. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) provides that “The seal may be embossed, electronically applied, rubber stamped, or otherwise permanently affixed to the document.” The safe buy is a rubber stamp. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) |
| Signature and date | Signature adjacent, never across, and the rule offers a written alternative. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(h) provides that whenever the seal is affixed “it shall include the person’s original signature directly adjacent thereto (not across the seal) or the signature may be at another location on the sheet provided it is inscribed, ‘This document is certified by _____’.” So Indiana forbids the signature across the seal, which is the opposite of Washington architects and North Carolina architects. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(h) |
| What must be sealed | Where specifications, plans and drawings are required to be submitted for review by the appropriate governmental body, 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(i) requires the seal and signature on the title or cover page of the specifications and on each sheet of the drawings. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(i), (j), (k), (l) |
| Electronic seal | Permitted as a form of application, with no separate standard. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) lists “electronically applied” among the four ways the seal may be affixed, and the article contains no digital signature criteria, no certificate authority requirement and no stripping rule. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) |
| Renewal and lapse | 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) limits use of the seal to the time “the registration is current and in good standing.” Renewal of registration sits at 804 IAC 1.1-2-6 and issuance of the certificate at 804 IAC 1.1-2-5. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-5, 804 IAC 1.1-2-6, 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) |
| Firm requirements | Firm practice is regulated, but the firm does not get a seal. 804 IAC 1.1-2-8 governs firm, partnership or corporate practice. 804 IAC 1.1-4-6(a) adds the office rule: each office maintained for the preparation of drawings, specifications, reports or other professional work that IC 25-4 requires to be performed by a registrant shall have a registrant regularly employed in that office having direct knowledge and supervisory control of the work. 804 IAC 1.1-4-6(b) forbids signing or sealing work for which the registrant lacks direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control, with a carve out for a consultant’s portion the registrant has reviewed, coordinated and intends to be responsible for. | 804 IAC 1.1-2-8, 804 IAC 1.1-4-6 |
| Regulator | The Indiana Board of Registration for Architects and Landscape Architects | 804 IAC 1.1, Registration |
Is a seal required in Indiana?
Indiana puts architects and landscape architects in one title and one rule, and that rule is not the engineers’ rule. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a) fixes the architect seal and 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) states when it may be applied: “The seal shall be affixed to documents and instruments only during the time the registration is current and in good standing, and then only on such documents and instruments which have been created by the registrant, regularly employed subordinates, or subordinates under the direct supervision of the registrant.” Subsection (i) supplies the filing trigger: where specifications, plans and drawings are required to be submitted for review by the appropriate governmental body, the architect in responsible charge applies the seal and signature on the title or cover page of the specifications and each sheet of the drawings.
What must appear on the seal
- Your name as on the certificate of registration
- Your registration number, with AR optionally excluded
- The design shown in the rule
- A milled edge, or two concentric circles
Two things are optional and both are narrow. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) lets the seal have either “a milled edge, as shown, or two (2) concentric circles with outer and inner circles corresponding with the respective edgings of the milling,” so the border treatment is a choice of two. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(c) requires the name and registration number on the seal to correspond to the name and registration number on the certificate of registration, and then adds the one abbreviation Indiana allows: “However, ‘AR’ may be excluded in the certificate number.” Nothing else about the face is discretionary, and no firm name or expiration date belongs on it.
Size and shape
Not less than 1 5/8 inches and not more than 1 7/8 inches in outside diameter. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a) states that “The architect seal shall be not less than one and five-eighths (1 5/8) inches or more than one and seven-eighths (1 7/8) inches in outside diameter, using the following design.” That band is stated independently in this rule for architects. It is worth knowing that Indiana repeats the same band separately for landscape architects at 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(d), for professional surveyors at 865 IAC 1-7-1(a) and for licensed professional geologists at 305 IAC 1-4-1(a), each in that profession’s own title, so the agreement across Indiana is a set of four separate rules rather than one shared one.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
Four ways, and the rule lists them. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) provides that “The seal may be embossed, electronically applied, rubber stamped, or otherwise permanently affixed to the document.” The safe buy is a rubber stamp. Indiana permit sets go to local governmental bodies that work from reproductions, and 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) makes the registrant responsible for seeing that the seal is legible on the document however it is affixed, which an unfilled emboss on a copy is not.
Signing and dating
Signature adjacent, never across, and the rule offers a written alternative. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(h) provides that whenever the seal is affixed “it shall include the person’s original signature directly adjacent thereto (not across the seal) or the signature may be at another location on the sheet provided it is inscribed, ‘This document is certified by _____’.” So Indiana forbids the signature across the seal, which is the opposite of Washington architects and North Carolina architects. The rule states no date requirement for architects, which is a real difference from the Indiana surveyor rule at 865 IAC 1-7-2(b), where the date the seal is affixed goes directly adjacent to the seal alongside the signature.
Four Indiana titles, four boards, and a signature that must never cross the seal
Indiana splits the design professions across four separate administrative titles: 804 IAC for architects and landscape architects, 865 IAC for professional surveyors, 864 IAC for professional engineers and 305 IAC for licensed professional geologists. Each one states its own seal rule. The dimension happens to agree, 1 5/8 to 1 7/8 inches outside diameter, but it agrees because four rules say it separately, and the rest does not agree at all. The engineer rule and the surveyor rule require a date beside the seal; 804 IAC 1.1-2-7 does not. The geologist rule allows only embossing or a rubber stamp; 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) also allows electronic application.
Which documents must be sealed
Where specifications, plans and drawings are required to be submitted for review by the appropriate governmental body, 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(i) requires the seal and signature on the title or cover page of the specifications and on each sheet of the drawings. Partial responsibility is handled at 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(j): a person not in responsible charge of the entire work who assumes responsibility for portions shown on a drawing sheet may apply the seal and signature and denote the part of the work by inserting “COVERING_____________DESIGN.” Subsection (k) makes the seal and signature signify acceptance of full responsibility except where another has assumed limited responsibility. Subsection (l) allows predesigned, preengineered or prefabricated equipment, products, components or systems that meet trade standards and code requirements, unbiased testing, or manufacturer certification, with proof of appropriate design by qualified professionals where they affect electrical, mechanical or structural integrity.
Electronic and digital seals
Permitted as a form of application, with no separate standard. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) lists “electronically applied” among the four ways the seal may be affixed, and the article contains no digital signature criteria, no certificate authority requirement and no stripping rule. That is a contrast with Indiana professional surveyors, whose own title carries a dedicated electronic transaction rule at 865 IAC 1-7-4 with definitions, criteria and a Not a Certified Document legend. Architects get the permission without the machinery.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) limits use of the seal to the time “the registration is current and in good standing.” Renewal of registration sits at 804 IAC 1.1-2-6 and issuance of the certificate at 804 IAC 1.1-2-5. Because 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(c) keys the face to the name and registration number on the certificate and no expiration date is an element, renewal does not make the device stale and the number does not change. Nothing in the article requires the seal to be destroyed or surrendered.
Firm requirements
Firm practice is regulated, but the firm does not get a seal. 804 IAC 1.1-2-8 governs firm, partnership or corporate practice. 804 IAC 1.1-4-6(a) adds the office rule: each office maintained for the preparation of drawings, specifications, reports or other professional work that IC 25-4 requires to be performed by a registrant shall have a registrant regularly employed in that office having direct knowledge and supervisory control of the work. 804 IAC 1.1-4-6(b) forbids signing or sealing work for which the registrant lacks direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control, with a carve out for a consultant’s portion the registrant has reviewed, coordinated and intends to be responsible for. No firm number goes on the seal.
What to check before you order
Order a rubber stamp between 1 5/8 and 1 7/8 inches outside diameter, reproducing the design printed at 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a), with either a milled edge or two concentric circles matching the milling edges. The face carries your name and registration number exactly as they appear on your certificate of registration, and you may drop the AR prefix from the number if you wish. Leave clear space next to the seal rather than in it, because your original signature goes directly adjacent to the seal and never across it. Embossed, electronically applied and rubber stamped are all lawful, but the registrant is responsible for the seal being legible on the document, which argues for ink on a permit set.
Browse architect stamps and seals.
Frequently asked questions
Is an architect seal required in Indiana?
Yes, and its use is time limited. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) provides that “The seal shall be affixed to documents and instruments only during the time the registration is current and in good standing, and then only on such documents and instruments which have been created by the registrant, regularly employed subordinates, or subordinates under the direct supervision of the registrant.” Subsection (i) supplies the filing trigger: where specifications, plans and drawings are required to be submitted for review by the appropriate governmental body, the architect in responsible charge applies the seal and signature on the title or cover page of the specifications and each sheet of the drawings.
What has to appear on an Indiana architect seal?
Your name as it appears on the certificate of registration, your registration number with AR optionally excluded, the design shown in the rule, and either a milled edge or two concentric circles. Nothing else about the face is discretionary, and no firm name or expiration date belongs on it.
What size is an Indiana architect seal?
Not less than 1 5/8 inches and not more than 1 7/8 inches in outside diameter, under 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(a). Indiana repeats the same band separately for landscape architects at 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(d), for professional surveyors at 865 IAC 1-7-1(a) and for licensed professional geologists at 305 IAC 1-4-1(a), each in that profession’s own title, so the agreement across Indiana is four separate rules rather than one shared one.
Can I use an embosser in Indiana?
Yes, and three other ways. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) provides that “The seal may be embossed, electronically applied, rubber stamped, or otherwise permanently affixed to the document.” The rubber stamp is still the practical buy, because Indiana permit sets go to local governmental bodies that work from reproductions and 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(g) makes the registrant responsible for seeing that the seal is legible on the document however it is affixed, which an unfilled emboss on a copy is not.
Does Indiana require a date with the seal?
Not for architects. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7 states no date requirement, which is a real difference from the Indiana surveyor rule at 865 IAC 1-7-2(b), where the date the seal is affixed goes directly adjacent to the seal alongside the signature.
Which documents have to be sealed in Indiana?
Where specifications, plans and drawings are required to be submitted for review by the appropriate governmental body, 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(i) requires the seal and signature on the title or cover page of the specifications and on each sheet of the drawings.
Can I seal only part of a drawing in Indiana?
Yes, with a notation. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(j) provides that a person not in responsible charge of the entire work who assumes responsibility for portions shown on a drawing sheet may apply the seal and signature and denote the part of the work by inserting “COVERING_____________DESIGN.” Subsection (k) makes the seal and signature signify acceptance of full responsibility except where another has assumed limited responsibility.
How does Indiana treat prefabricated systems?
Subsection (l) allows predesigned, preengineered or prefabricated equipment, products, components or systems that meet trade standards and code requirements, unbiased testing, or manufacturer certification, with proof of appropriate design by qualified professionals where they affect electrical, mechanical or structural integrity.
Can I apply an Indiana seal electronically?
Yes, as a form of application, with no separate standard. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(b) lists “electronically applied” among the four ways the seal may be affixed, and the article contains no digital signature criteria, no certificate authority requirement and no stripping rule. Indiana professional surveyors do have a dedicated electronic transaction rule in their own title at 865 IAC 1-7-4, with definitions, criteria and a Not a Certified Document legend. Architects get the permission without the machinery.
Does my Indiana seal go stale at renewal?
No. 804 IAC 1.1-2-7(c) keys the face to the name and registration number on the certificate, no expiration date is an element, and the number does not change, so renewal does not make the device stale. Renewal sits at 804 IAC 1.1-2-6 and issuance of the certificate at 804 IAC 1.1-2-5. What does matter is timing: subsection (g) limits use of the seal to the time the registration is current and in good standing. Nothing in the article requires the seal to be destroyed or surrendered.
Does an Indiana architecture firm get a seal?
No. 804 IAC 1.1-2-8 governs firm, partnership or corporate practice, and no firm number goes on the seal. 804 IAC 1.1-4-6(a) adds the office rule: each office maintained for the preparation of drawings, specifications, reports or other professional work that IC 25-4 requires a registrant to perform shall have a registrant regularly employed in that office having direct knowledge and supervisory control of the work. Subsection (b) forbids signing or sealing work for which the registrant lacks direct professional knowledge and direct supervisory control, with a carve out for a consultant’s portion the registrant has reviewed, coordinated and intends to be responsible for.
