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 Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010, 196-23-020(1) on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
There is no diameter to order to. WAC 196-23-010 replaces a dimension with a standard: the impression or image must conform to the board design and “be of a size that assures full legibility” of four items. Chapter 196-23 WAC states no figure anywhere, and neither does RCW 18.43. The test is legibility after the document has been reproduced, which means a small tidy die that goes gray on a recorded copy fails the rule even though no number was ever stated.
The four items are State of Washington, Registered professional land surveyor, your certificate number, and your name. The name element is specific: the rule asks for the “Licensee’s name as shown on wall certificate,” not as shown in a license lookup and not as you sign. If your certificate carries a middle initial, the seal carries it too. The surveyor legend is the only thing separating this device from the engineer seal cut under the same rule.
One Washington habit runs against the grain of most states: preliminary work gets stamped. WAC 196-23-020(2) requires a preliminary document released by the licensee to be clearly marked preliminary and stamped, and then says the signature and the date are not required on it.
Washington land surveyor seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Washington rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010, 196-23-020(1) |
| Required elements | State of Washington, Registered professional land surveyor, Your certificate number and Your name as shown on your wall certificate | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010 |
| Size and shape | No dimension is specified. | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010 |
| Device allowed | The rule speaks of an impression or an image, which covers an embosser, an inked stamp and a computer generated seal alike. | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010 |
| Signature and date | Seal, signature and date on final documents, under WAC 196-23-020(1). | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-020(1), (2), (3), (4) |
| What must be sealed | Final documents, defined in WAC 196-23-020(1) as documents prepared and distributed for filing with public officials, use for construction, final agency approvals or use by clients. | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-020(1), (2), (5) |
| Electronic seal | Chapter 196-23 WAC contemplates an image of the seal as well as an impression, and RCW 18.43 carries the board’s authority. | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010, 196-23-020, 196-23-070 |
| Renewal and lapse | The seal follows the certificate. | RCW 18.43.080, 18.43.130 |
| Firm requirements | Not applicable in the certificate of authorization sense. | Wash. Admin. Code 196-23-010 |
| Regulator | The Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors | RCW 18.43.070, 18.43.080 and 18.43.130, read from the Washington State Legislature |
Is a seal required in Washington?
One chapter covers both professions on this board. WAC 196-23-010 requires all individuals licensed under chapter 18.43 RCW to use a seal or stamp conforming to the design authorized by the board, and makes each licensee responsible for maintaining control over its use. WAC 196-23-020(1) supplies the trigger: final documents, meaning documents prepared and distributed for filing with public officials, use for construction, final agency approvals or use by clients, must carry the seal or stamp, the signature and the date of the responsible licensee. The statutory backing is RCW 18.43.070 and 18.43.080.
What must appear on the seal
- State of Washington
- Registered professional land surveyor
- Your certificate number
- Your name as shown on your wall certificate
The four items in WAC 196-23-010 are the whole face, and the surveyor legend is the only thing that separates this seal from the engineer seal cut under the same rule. The name element is specific: the rule asks for the “Licensee’s name as shown on wall certificate,” so a preferred name, a nickname or a maiden name that does not match the certificate is out of specification. No firm name belongs on the device, no expiration date, and no branch or specialty line.
Size and shape
No dimension is specified. WAC 196-23-010 requires instead that the impression or image of the seal or stamp conform to the illustrated design and “be of a size that assures full legibility” of the four required items. Chapter 196-23 WAC states no diameter anywhere, and neither does RCW 18.43. The test is legibility of the four items after the document has been reproduced, not a number.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
The rule speaks of an impression or an image, which covers an embosser, an inked stamp and a computer generated seal alike. An inked stamp is the safe buy. Washington surveying output is recorded and copied, and WAC 196-23-010 makes full legibility of the four items the governing standard, which an unfilled embossed impression cannot meet on a reproduction.
Signing and dating
Seal, signature and date on final documents, under WAC 196-23-020(1). The preliminary rule is the one worth knowing: WAC 196-23-020(2) requires a preliminary document released by the licensee to be clearly marked preliminary and stamped, but a signature and date are not required on it. WAC 196-23-020(3) requires every page of a plan set to carry the seal or stamp and the signature with the date, and addresses multiple licensees, duplicated background information and design revisions. Subsection (4) applies the same to land surveying specifications, with a licensee sealing only the portions the licensee prepared.
Preliminary work gets stamped but not signed or dated
Most states tell you to keep the seal off a preliminary document and to letter it preliminary instead. Washington does the opposite. WAC 196-23-020(2) requires a preliminary document released by the licensee to be clearly marked preliminary and stamped, and then says the signature and the date are not required. A Washington surveyor who withholds the stamp from a preliminary release is out of compliance, and one who signs and dates it has gone past what the rule asks.
Which documents must be sealed
Final documents, defined in WAC 196-23-020(1) as documents prepared and distributed for filing with public officials, use for construction, final agency approvals or use by clients. Preliminary documents are not exempt, they are handled differently: WAC 196-23-020(2) requires them to be clearly marked preliminary and stamped, without signature or date. WAC 196-23-020(5) adds a review duty: a licensee reviewing another professional’s work must thoroughly examine the documents, prepare a report of findings with supporting calculations and sketches, and then seal, sign and date that report.
Electronic and digital seals
Chapter 196-23 WAC contemplates an image of the seal as well as an impression, and RCW 18.43 carries the board’s authority. The chapter as read, sections 196-23-010, 196-23-020 and 196-23-070, names no certificate authority, no hash standard and no tamper evident container. Where a Washington county recorder or agency accepts an electronically signed document, the acceptance standard is that office’s, not the board’s.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
The seal follows the certificate. RCW 18.43.080 and 18.43.130 govern the certificate and its renewal and suspension. Because WAC 196-23-010 requires the certificate number rather than an expiration date, renewal does not make an existing device stale, the number does not change, and no reorder is needed. Sealing stops when the certificate does.
Firm requirements
Not applicable in the certificate of authorization sense. Washington does not put a firm number on the surveyor seal, and the four required elements in WAC 196-23-010 are all individual. Firm identity lives in the title block by convention rather than by this rule.
What to check before you order
Order the board design in WAC 196-23-010 with four items on the face: State of Washington, Registered professional land surveyor, your certificate number, and your name exactly as it appears on your wall certificate. Washington gives no diameter and instead requires a size that assures full legibility of those four items, so size for the reproduction, not for the original. An inked stamp is the practical choice because Washington survey documents are recorded and copied. Remember that a preliminary release still gets stamped, marked preliminary, and left unsigned and undated, so a stamp you can apply without signing is part of normal practice here.
Browse land surveyor stamps and seals.
Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for land surveyors in Washington?
Yes. WAC 196-23-010 requires all individuals licensed under chapter 18.43 RCW to use a seal or stamp conforming to the design authorized by the board, and makes each licensee responsible for maintaining control over its use. WAC 196-23-020(1) supplies the trigger: final documents, meaning documents prepared and distributed for filing with public officials, use for construction, final agency approvals or use by clients, must carry the seal or stamp, the signature and the date of the responsible licensee. The statutory backing is RCW 18.43.070 and 18.43.080.
What has to appear on a Washington land surveyor seal?
Four items under WAC 196-23-010: State of Washington, Registered professional land surveyor, your certificate number, and your name as shown on your wall certificate. Those four are the whole face. No firm name belongs on the device, no expiration date, and no branch or specialty line. A preferred name, a nickname or a maiden name that does not match the certificate is out of specification.
What size should a Washington land surveyor seal be?
Whatever size keeps all four items fully legible. WAC 196-23-010 states no diameter and instead imposes a performance test, so the right way to size the die is against the reproduction rather than the original. Survey documents in Washington get recorded and copied, so build in margin.
Rubber stamp or embosser in Washington?
The rule speaks of an impression or an image, which covers an embosser, an inked stamp and a computer generated seal alike. An inked stamp is the safe buy. Full legibility of the four items is the governing standard, and an unfilled embossed impression cannot meet it on a reproduction.
Does a preliminary document get stamped in Washington?
Yes, and this is where Washington differs from most states. WAC 196-23-020(2) requires a preliminary document released by the licensee to be clearly marked preliminary and stamped, and then says a signature and date are not required. A surveyor who withholds the stamp from a preliminary release is out of compliance, and one who signs and dates it has gone past what the rule asks.
Which Washington documents need the seal, signature and date?
Final documents, defined in WAC 196-23-020(1) as documents prepared and distributed for filing with public officials, use for construction, final agency approvals or use by clients. WAC 196-23-020(3) requires every page of a plan set to carry the seal or stamp and the signature with the date, and addresses multiple licensees, duplicated background information and design revisions. Subsection (4) applies the same treatment to land surveying specifications, with a licensee sealing only the portions the licensee prepared.
Do I have to seal a review of another surveyor’s work?
Yes. WAC 196-23-020(5) requires a licensee reviewing another professional’s work to thoroughly examine the documents, prepare a report of findings with supporting calculations and sketches, and then seal, sign and date that report. The review report is a sealed document in its own right.
Can I seal survey documents electronically in Washington?
Chapter 196-23 WAC contemplates an image of the seal as well as an impression, and RCW 18.43 carries the board’s authority. Sections 196-23-010, 196-23-020 and 196-23-070 name no certificate authority, no hash standard and no tamper evident container. Where a Washington county recorder or agency accepts an electronically signed document, the acceptance standard belongs to that office rather than to the board, so confirm the format with the recorder before you rely on it.
Does my Washington seal go stale on renewal?
No. WAC 196-23-010 requires the certificate number rather than an expiration date, the number does not change, and no reorder is needed. RCW 18.43.080 and 18.43.130 govern the certificate and its renewal and suspension. Sealing stops when the certificate does.
Does a Washington surveying firm get a seal?
No, and no firm number goes on the face. The four required elements in WAC 196-23-010 are all individual: the state name, the surveyor legend, your certificate number and your name. Firm identity lives in the title block by convention rather than by this rule.
