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 West Virginia Board of Architects and W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
An unsealed West Virginia submission does not just fail review, it voids the permit. W. Va. Code § 30-12-7(b) is addressed to the other side of the counter. Municipal building inspectors may not accept technical submissions involving the practice of architecture unless they bear the required seal or the seal of a registered engineer, or unless the applicant certifies an applicable exception. Then comes the sentence that matters: “A building permit issued with respect to technical submissions which do not conform with the requirements of this section is invalid.” Not voidable at the inspector’s discretion. Invalid.
The rule prescribes the seal by picture rather than by words. Section 2-1-9.6 requires each registered architect to procure a seal under § 30-12-7 and provides Figure A showing the design, noting that it is not to scale. The rule text sets out no list of words and no arrangement, so neither a diameter nor a legend can be quoted from it. Ask the Board for the current Figure A artwork before ordering a die, and do not measure it off the printed page. What we can tell you is what Acorn cuts: a 1-5/8 inch nominal die with a serrated border, stars at the sides and a dotted inner ring, carrying STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA and REGISTERED ARCHITECT. That is our own production artwork, not the Board’s published rule.
The device list is the widest anywhere: “Rubber stamp, embossed, transparent self-adhesive, electronic or digital seals may be used.” Transparent self-adhesive seals almost never appear in a state rule and they are expressly good here.
West Virginia architect seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | West Virginia rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Yes | W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 |
| Required elements | A serrated outer border; The words “STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA” around the upper arc; The words “REGISTERED ARCHITECT” around the lower arc; A star at each side, on the horizontal centerline; Your place name, on two lines in the center; Your registration number, below the place name, in the form “No. 1234”; A dotted inner ring enclosing the center block | Acorn Sales production artwork, West Virginia architect seal (W. Va. Code St. R. § 2-1-9.6 prescribes the design by Figure rather than by words) |
| Size and shape | This is what Acorn actually makes for West Virginia, taken from our own production artwork rather than from a published rule. | Acorn Sales production artwork, West Virginia architect seal |
| Device allowed | An inked rubber stamp or an embosser, and we make both. | W. Va. Code St. R. § 2-1-9.6 |
| Signature and date | Both are required with the seal. | W. Va. Code St. R. § 2-1-9.6 |
| What must be sealed | All technical submissions prepared by the architect or under the architect’s direct supervision. | W. Va. Code St. R. § 2-1-9.6 |
| Electronic seal | Section 2-1-9.6 sets a four-part functional standard for a native-format electronic document: the digital signature must be unique to the person using it, capable of verification, under that person’s sole control, and linked so that the signature is invalidated if the document data changes. | W. Va. Code St. R. § 2-1-9.6 |
| Renewal and lapse | Not addressed. Rule 2-1-9.6 does not say what becomes of the seal on expiration, suspension, revocation or retirement, and does not say whether a registration number is reissued. The sources here are W. Va. Code St. R. | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 2 ser. 1 (silent) |
| Firm requirements | Not applicable. | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 2 ser. 1 (no firm provision) |
| Regulator | The West Virginia Board of Architects | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 2, ser. 1, Registration of Architects, effective June 1, 2026, § 2-1-9.6 (Design and Use of Architect’s Seal) read in full from the final file published by the West Virginia Secretary of State, together with the section list §§ 2-1-1 through 2-1-10 |
Is a seal required in West Virginia?
The statute requires the seal and the board rule supplies the design. W. Va. Code § 30-12-7(a): “Every registered architect shall have a seal of a design authorized by the board by rule. All technical submissions prepared by such architect, or under his or her direct supervision, shall be stamped with the impression of his or her seal.” Subsection (b) adds an enforcement mechanism most states do not have, addressed to municipal building inspectors, and voids a permit issued on non-conforming submissions.
What must appear on the seal
- A serrated outer border
- The words “STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA” around the upper arc
- The words “REGISTERED ARCHITECT” around the lower arc
- A star at each side, on the horizontal centerline
- Your place name, on two lines in the center
- Your registration number, below the place name, in the form “No. 1234”
- A dotted inner ring enclosing the center block
The rule prescribes the seal by picture rather than by words. Section 2-1-9.6 requires each registered architect to procure a seal pursuant to W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 and provides Figure A showing the design, noting it is not to scale. The rule text itself sets out no list of words and no arrangement, so the legend and layout come from the Figure rather than from a sentence you can quote. Work from the Board’s own Figure A, not from a vendor template. Not addressed in the rule text: the specific wording to appear on the face.
Size and shape
This is what Acorn actually makes for West Virginia, taken from our own production artwork rather than from a published rule. The Board’s legislative rule is issued only as a scanned image with no readable text, so no published diameter or wording could be quoted. What follows is the die we cut and the die West Virginia licensees have been getting accepted. The die is built to a 1-5/8 inch nominal circle, with the serrated printed border sitting just inside it at about 1-9/16 inches. That is the size we supply.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
An inked rubber stamp or an embosser, and we make both. West Virginia names five acceptable forms in one sentence: “Rubber stamp, embossed, transparent self-adhesive, electronic or digital seals may be used.” That is an unusually broad device list, and it includes the transparent self-adhesive seal, which almost no other state mentions. An embosser is expressly permitted for the required seal. The safe buy is a rubber or self-inking stamp, because the seal has to survive plan review and because a signature and date accompany it.
Signing and dating
Both are required with the seal. Section 2-1-9.6: “A signature and date are required with the seal application. The signature (manual, electronic, or digital as defined below) of the registrant and the date of the signature shall be affixed to all technical submissions.” Placement relative to the impression is not prescribed. A manual, an electronic and a digital signature are all acceptable, with the digital criteria set out in the same section.
An unsealed submission does not just fail review, it voids the permit
W. Va. Code § 30-12-7(b) is addressed to the other side of the counter. Municipal building inspectors may not accept technical submissions involving the practice of architecture unless they bear the required seal or the seal of a registered engineer, or unless the applicant certifies an applicable exception. Then comes the sentence that matters: “A building permit issued with respect to technical submissions which do not conform with the requirements of this section is invalid.” Not voidable at the inspector’s discretion. Invalid. That converts a sealing slip into a construction-stopping defect long after the permit has issued.
Which documents must be sealed
All technical submissions prepared by the architect or under the architect’s direct supervision. Section 2-1-9.6 sets placement by document class: on a set of drawings, the seal goes on the index sheet, and “when no index sheet is included then the seal shall be affixed on each sheet individually”; on a set of specifications, the seal goes on the index sheet; on all other technical submissions, on the cover or index sheet. That index-sheet concession is generous by comparison with North Dakota or Wyoming, which stamp every final drawing sheet, and it is conditional: no index sheet means every sheet.
Electronic and digital seals
Section 2-1-9.6 sets a four-part functional standard for a native-format electronic document: the digital signature must be unique to the person using it, capable of verification, under that person’s sole control, and linked so that the signature is invalidated if the document data changes. For PDF and similar formats, a scanned electronic signature is acceptable if it is an accurate depiction of the actual signature. No certificate authority and no vendor product is named. Electronic and digital seals are separately named among the five acceptable seal forms.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
Not addressed. Rule 2-1-9.6 does not say what becomes of the seal on expiration, suspension, revocation or retirement, and does not say whether a registration number is reissued. The sources here are W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 2 ser. 1 section by section, sections 1 through 10, and W. Va. Code §§ 30-12-5, 30-12-6 and 30-12-7. Section 30-12-8 gives the Board its disciplinary powers.
Firm requirements
Not applicable. W. Va. Code art. 30-12 creates no certificate of authorization for architecture and rule 2-1 contains no provision on firms, corporations or certificates of authorization. The sources here are the rule section by section. That is a real divergence within the state, because West Virginia landscape architects do have a certificate of authorization at W. Va. Code § 30-22-19, and West Virginia professional surveyors at § 30-13A-20.
What to check before you order
Ask the West Virginia Board of Architects for the current Figure A seal design before ordering: the rule prescribes the design by picture, sets out no wording in its text, and notes that Figure A is not to scale, so there is no published diameter or legend to work from. Once you have the artwork, any of five forms is permitted, a rubber stamp, an embossed seal, a transparent self-adhesive seal, an electronic seal or a digital seal, and a rubber or self-inking stamp is the practical choice. A signature and a date are required with every seal application, and the signature may be manual, electronic or digital. On drawings, seal the index sheet, or every sheet individually if there is no index sheet; on specifications, the index sheet; on other technical submissions, the cover or index sheet.
Browse architect stamps and seals.
Frequently asked questions
Is an architect seal required in West Virginia?
Yes. W. Va. Code § 30-12-7(a): “Every registered architect shall have a seal of a design authorized by the board by rule. All technical submissions prepared by such architect, or under his or her direct supervision, shall be stamped with the impression of his or her seal.” Subsection (b) adds the building inspector provision and voids a permit issued on non-conforming submissions.
What has to appear on a West Virginia architect seal?
The design shown as Figure A in the board rule. Section 2-1-9.6 sets out no list of words and no arrangement in its text, so the legend and layout come from the Figure rather than from a sentence you can quote. Work from the Board’s own Figure A, not from a vendor template. Acorn’s own production artwork carries a serrated border, STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA on the upper arc, REGISTERED ARCHITECT on the lower arc, a star at each side, the place name on two lines with the registration number beneath it, and a dotted inner ring. That is what we cut, not a published specification.
What size is a West Virginia architect seal?
No size is stated. Section 2-1-9.6 gives no diameter, no shape and no lettering height, and expressly notes that Figure A is not to scale, so the picture cannot be measured off either. W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 gives no dimension, and the rule in full and §§ 30-12-7 and 30-12-11a read the same way. Ask the Board for the current Figure A artwork. Acorn’s own production artwork for this seal is built to a 1-5/8 inch nominal circle, with the serrated printed border just inside it at about 1-9/16 inches. That is our production record rather than a published rule, so the board remains the authority if it later publishes a figure.
Can I use an embosser in West Virginia?
Yes, expressly. Five forms are named in one sentence: “Rubber stamp, embossed, transparent self-adhesive, electronic or digital seals may be used.” An embosser is permitted for the required seal. A rubber or self-inking stamp is still the practical choice, because the seal has to survive plan review and because a signature and date accompany it.
Does West Virginia require a signature and a date?
Yes, both. Section 2-1-9.6: “A signature and date are required with the seal application. The signature (manual, electronic, or digital as defined below) of the registrant and the date of the signature shall be affixed to all technical submissions.” Placement relative to the impression is not prescribed.
Where does the seal go on a West Virginia set?
By document class under section 2-1-9.6. On a set of drawings, the seal goes on the index sheet, and “when no index sheet is included then the seal shall be affixed on each sheet individually”; on a set of specifications, the index sheet; on all other technical submissions, the cover or index sheet. That index-sheet concession is generous compared with North Dakota or Wyoming, which stamp every final drawing sheet, and it is conditional: no index sheet means every sheet.
What does West Virginia require of an electronic signature?
A four-part functional standard for a native-format electronic document: the digital signature must be unique to the person using it, capable of verification, under that person’s sole control, and linked so that the signature is invalidated if the document data changes. For PDF and similar formats, a scanned electronic signature is acceptable if it is an accurate depiction of the actual signature. No certificate authority and no vendor product is named. Electronic and digital seals are separately named among the five acceptable seal forms.
What happens to my West Virginia seal if my registration lapses?
Rule 2-1-9.6 does not say what becomes of the seal on expiration, suspension, revocation or retirement, and does not say whether a registration number is reissued. W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 2 ser. 1, sections 1 through 10, and W. Va. Code §§ 30-12-5, 30-12-6 and 30-12-7 read the same way. Section 30-12-8 gives the Board its disciplinary powers.
Does a West Virginia architecture firm need a certificate of authorization?
No. W. Va. Code art. 30-12 creates none for architecture, and rule 2-1 contains no provision on firms, corporations or certificates of authorization anywhere in its sections. That is a real divergence within the state, because West Virginia landscape architects do have a certificate of authorization at W. Va. Code § 30-22-19, and West Virginia professional surveyors at § 30-13A-20.
