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 Alabama State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
Every map, plat and chart sheet gets sealed, signed and dated. Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(a) splits the two professions on this board in one sentence: “Each design sheet for engineering practice and each map, plat or chart sheets for land surveying practice, shall be signed, sealed, and dated by the licensee who prepared the documents or under whose responsible charge the documents were prepared.” There is no title-sheet shortcut for a multi-sheet plat set. The bound-volume concession in subsection (3)(b) is written for reports and specifications, not for survey drawings.
The device is a circular one between 1 5/8 and 2 inches in diameter under rule 330-X-11-.02(2), and the Board furnishes each new licensee a copy of the design. You choose the diameter inside that band; you do not choose the layout. Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) fixes the contents as your name, your licensure number and the legend “licensed professional land surveyor.”
Do not borrow a diameter from another Alabama board. Architects are fixed at exactly two inches under rule 100-X-5-.03, registered interior designers at exactly two inches under rule 485-X-4-.01(3), and landscape architects at a two inch outside diameter under rule 500-X-2-.07(3)(a). A 1 5/8 inch surveyor stamp is correct for this board and correct for no other Alabama board.
Alabama land surveyor seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Alabama rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) |
| Required elements | Your name, Your licensure number and The legend licensed professional land surveyor | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) |
| Size and shape | Circular, from 1 5/8 to 2 inches in diameter. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-11-.02(2) |
| Device allowed | Rule 330-X-11-.02(4) permits substitutes on identity terms only: “Rubber stamps and computer generated seals identical in size, design and content with the approved seals may be used by the licensee.” The. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-11-.02(4), 330-X-11-.03(10) |
| Signature and date | Seal, signature and date of signature together. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-11-.03(1), (2), (8) |
| What must be sealed | Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(a) is where the surveyor parts company with the engineer: “Each design sheet for engineering practice and each map, plat or chart sheets for land surveying practice, shall be signed, sealed, and dated by the licensee who prepared the documents or under whose responsible charge the documents were prepared.” For a surveyor that means every map, plat and chart sheet, not just a title sheet. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-11-.03(3), (5), (6), (7) |
| Electronic seal | Alabama defines the signature rather than the seal. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-2-.01(10), 330-X-11-.02(5), 330-X-11-.03(8) |
| Renewal and lapse | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-8(d) makes an unrenewed license an expired license and the holder ineligible to practice. | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-8(d), (f) |
| Firm requirements | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-9(a)(1) requires a firm that practices or offers to practice land surveying to hold a certificate of authorization. | Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-9(a)(1), (7) |
| Regulator | The Alabama State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors | Ala. Admin. Code ch. 330-X-11 (Seals, rules 330-X-11-.01 through 330-X-11-.04) and ch. 330-X-2 (Definitions, rule 330-X-2-.01), read in full from the Alabama Legislative Services Agency administrative code site |
Is a seal required in Alabama?
One rule chapter covers both of this board’s professions. Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) provides that upon licensure each licensee “shall obtain a seal of the design authorized by the board, bearing the licensee’s name, licensure number, and the legend, ‘licensed professional engineer’ or ‘licensed professional land surveyor,’ as applicable.” Rule 330-X-11-.03(6) fixes when it is used: the seal, signature and date of signing go on all final specifications, land surveys, reports, plats, drawings, plans, design information and calculations whenever presented to a client or any public or governmental agency.
What must appear on the seal
- Your name
- Your licensure number
- The legend licensed professional land surveyor
The legend is the one place the two professions diverge, and it is not optional wording. A surveyor takes “licensed professional land surveyor”; an engineer takes “licensed professional engineer.” The rest comes from the Board: rule 330-X-11-.02(1) and (2) provide that the licensee secures an official seal and that a “copy of the design” is furnished to each new licensee, so the artwork is the Board’s, not a catalog’s. Rule 330-X-11-.02(3) grandfathers devices obtained before the rule that conformed to prior Board rules. Rule 330-X-11-.03(8) forbids improvisation on computer generated devices: “Any variation from this procedure must be submitted to and approved by the Board.”
Size and shape
Circular, from 1 5/8 to 2 inches in diameter. Rule 330-X-11-.02(2) gives the range and then says a copy of the design is furnished to each new licensee, so the diameter is a band while the artwork inside it is fixed. Do not borrow the Alabama architect figure: rule 100-X-5-.03 puts architects at exactly two inches, and a surveyor device cut at 1 5/8 inches is legal here and wrong there.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
Rule 330-X-11-.02(4) permits substitutes on identity terms only: “Rubber stamps and computer generated seals identical in size, design and content with the approved seals may be used by the licensee.” The safe buy is a rubber stamp cut from the Board furnished design, because rule 330-X-11-.03(10) requires the seal and signature to be placed on originals, tracings or reproducible documents so that they reproduce when copies are made.
Signing and dating
Seal, signature and date of signature together. Rule 330-X-11-.03(1) treats all three as the certification. Where the seal is computer generated or a facsimile, rule 330-X-11-.03(8) allows it “only when the signature of the professional engineer or professional land surveyor and the date the document was signed are on or adjacent to the computer generated or facsimile seal.” On or adjacent, so signing across the impression is allowed but not required. Where two licensees sign one sheet, rule 330-X-11-.03(2) requires a note under each seal stating the subject matter each is responsible for.
Every map, plat and chart sheet, and a Board furnished design inside a size band
Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(a) splits the two professions in one sentence. Engineers seal each design sheet; land surveyors seal “each map, plat or chart sheets.” There is no title-sheet shortcut for a multi-sheet plat. The bound-volume concession in subsection (3)(b) is written for reports and specifications, not for survey drawings, so a surveyor who seals only sheet one of a plat set is out of compliance.
Which documents must be sealed
Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(a) is where the surveyor parts company with the engineer: “Each design sheet for engineering practice and each map, plat or chart sheets for land surveying practice, shall be signed, sealed, and dated by the licensee who prepared the documents or under whose responsible charge the documents were prepared.” For a surveyor that means every map, plat and chart sheet, not just a title sheet. Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(b) allows a bound volume of reports or specifications to be sealed on the title or index sheet alone, provided that sheet identifies all the others. Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(c) says letters containing surveying recommendations should be signed and sealed on the signature page, hard copy or electronic. Preliminary work is excused only if labeled under rule 330-X-11-.03(6), and rule 330-X-11-.03(7) pulls scoping sketches back in. Revisions must be described and dated under rule 330-X-11-.03(5), and “The original seal and signature shall not be removed.”
Electronic and digital seals
Alabama defines the signature rather than the seal. Rule 330-X-2-.01(10) provides that a signature is handwritten or digital and that a digital signature must be unique to the person using it, capable of verification and under that person’s sole control, with a Board approved process presumed to satisfy those criteria. Rule 330-X-11-.02(5) requires documents signed with a digital signature to contain authentication procedures. For documents that do not require certification, rule 330-X-11-.03(8) requires the generated seal to be removed before electronic transmission and replaced with a statement that the document was originally issued and sealed by the named licensee, P.L.S. number, on the date of sealing, and that “This document should not be considered a certified document.” No third party cryptographic standard is named. Note a drafting slip: rule 330-X-11-.02(5) cites 330-X-.02(10) where the digital signature definition actually sits at 330-X-2-.01(10).
Renewal, lapse and retirement
Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-8(d) makes an unrenewed license an expired license and the holder ineligible to practice. A petition within two years of expiration can restore the license on proof of all renewal requirements including missed continuing education; a license expired longer than two years is not eligible for reinstatement and the individual must apply afresh. Section 34-11-8(f) allows the title Professional Land Surveyor, Retired on Board approval, and rule 330-X-2-.01(11) bars any licensee in inactive status from practicing. Rule 330-X-2-.01(16) treats a surrender as having the same force and effect as a revocation. Not addressed: whether the licensure number changes on reapplication after the two year window, and whether the device must be destroyed or surrendered. Checked chapter 330-X-11 in full and chapter 330-X-2.
Firm requirements
Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-9(a)(1) requires a firm that practices or offers to practice land surveying to hold a certificate of authorization. Carve-outs: an entity performing services for itself or a parent or subsidiary, a licensee practicing in his or her own given name, and the industrial exemption at § 34-11-9(a)(7). The firm has no seal of its own, and neither the statute nor chapter 330-X-11 requires the certificate of authorization number on a sealed document. What § 34-11-9(a)(7) does require on industrial exemption documents is the date, the seal or facsimile, the signature and the licensure number.
What to check before you order
Order a circular device between 1 5/8 and 2 inches in diameter, cut to the design the Board furnishes you on licensure, carrying your name, your licensure number and the legend licensed professional land surveyor. A rubber stamp is the practical choice; the rule allows a computer generated seal only if it is identical in size, design and content to the approved seal. Seal, sign and date every map, plat and chart sheet, not just the title sheet. Place the seal and signature so they reproduce when the document is copied. If you also hold an engineering license, you need the engineer legend as well, and if you want anything unusual on a computer generated device you have to clear it with the Board first.
Browse land surveyor stamps and seals.
Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for land surveyors in Alabama?
Yes, from licensure. Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-7(c) provides that upon licensure each licensee “shall obtain a seal of the design authorized by the board, bearing the licensee’s name, licensure number, and the legend, ‘licensed professional engineer’ or ‘licensed professional land surveyor,’ as applicable.” Rule 330-X-11-.03(6) fixes when it is used: the seal, signature and date of signing go on all final specifications, land surveys, reports, plats, drawings, plans, design information and calculations whenever presented to a client or any public or governmental agency.
What has to appear on an Alabama land surveyor seal?
Three items under § 34-11-7(c): your name, your licensure number and the legend licensed professional land surveyor. The legend is the one place the two professions on this board diverge, and it is not optional wording. The rest of the artwork comes from the Board, since rule 330-X-11-.02(1) and (2) provide that the licensee secures an official seal and that a “copy of the design” is furnished to each new licensee.
What size is an Alabama land surveyor seal?
Circular, from 1 5/8 to 2 inches in diameter, under rule 330-X-11-.02(2). The diameter is a band while the artwork inside it is fixed by the design the Board furnishes you. Devices obtained before the rule that conformed to prior Board rules are grandfathered by rule 330-X-11-.02(3).
Can I use a rubber stamp or a computer generated seal in Alabama?
Yes, on identity terms. Rule 330-X-11-.02(4) permits substitutes only where they are “identical in size, design and content with the approved seals.” A rubber stamp cut from the Board furnished design is the safe buy, because rule 330-X-11-.03(10) requires the seal and signature to be placed on originals, tracings or reproducible documents so that they reproduce when copies are made. Rule 330-X-11-.03(8) also forbids improvisation on computer generated devices: “Any variation from this procedure must be submitted to and approved by the Board.”
Where do the signature and date go in Alabama?
Rule 330-X-11-.03(1) treats the seal, the signature and the date of signature as one certification. Where the seal is computer generated or a facsimile, rule 330-X-11-.03(8) allows it “only when the signature of the professional engineer or professional land surveyor and the date the document was signed are on or adjacent to the computer generated or facsimile seal.” On or adjacent, so signing across the impression is allowed but not required. Where two licensees sign one sheet, rule 330-X-11-.03(2) requires a note under each seal stating what each is responsible for.
Which Alabama survey documents get the seal?
Each map, plat and chart sheet individually under rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(a). Rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(b) allows a bound volume of reports or specifications to be sealed on the title or index sheet alone, provided that sheet identifies all the others, and rule 330-X-11-.03(3)(c) says letters containing surveying recommendations should be signed and sealed on the signature page, hard copy or electronic. Preliminary work is excused only if labeled under rule 330-X-11-.03(6), and rule 330-X-11-.03(7) pulls scoping sketches back in.
How do I handle a revision to a sealed Alabama document?
Describe it and date it. Rule 330-X-11-.03(5) requires revisions to be described and dated, and provides that “The original seal and signature shall not be removed.” The revision sits alongside the original certification rather than replacing it.
How does electronic sealing work in Alabama?
Alabama defines the signature rather than the seal. Rule 330-X-2-.01(10) provides that a signature is handwritten or digital and that a digital signature must be unique to the person using it, capable of verification and under that person’s sole control, with a Board approved process presumed to satisfy those criteria. Rule 330-X-11-.02(5) requires documents signed with a digital signature to contain authentication procedures. No third party cryptographic standard is named. For documents that do not require certification, rule 330-X-11-.03(8) requires the generated seal to be removed before electronic transmission and replaced with a statement naming the licensee, the P.L.S. number and the date of sealing, ending “This document should not be considered a certified document.”
What happens to my Alabama seal if the license expires?
Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-8(d) makes an unrenewed license an expired license and the holder ineligible to practice. A petition within two years of expiration can restore the license on proof of all renewal requirements including missed continuing education; a license expired longer than two years is not eligible for reinstatement and you apply afresh. Section 34-11-8(f) allows the title Professional Land Surveyor, Retired on Board approval, rule 330-X-2-.01(11) bars an inactive licensee from practicing, and rule 330-X-2-.01(16) treats a surrender as having the same force and effect as a revocation. Whether the licensure number changes on reapplication after the two year window, and whether the device must be destroyed or surrendered, are not addressed in chapter 330-X-11 or chapter 330-X-2.
Does an Alabama surveying firm need a seal?
No. Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-11-9(a)(1) requires a firm that practices or offers to practice land surveying to hold a certificate of authorization, with carve-outs for an entity performing services for itself or a parent or subsidiary, a licensee practicing in his or her own given name, and the industrial exemption at § 34-11-9(a)(7). The firm has no seal of its own, and neither the statute nor chapter 330-X-11 requires the certificate of authorization number on a sealed document. Industrial exemption documents under § 34-11-9(a)(7) carry the date, the seal or facsimile, the signature and the licensure number.
