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 Professional Surveyors and W. Va. Code § 30-13A-6 on 21 September 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
The West Virginia surveyor statute never mentions a seal. W. Va. Code ch. 30, art. 13A was read section by section, §§ 30-13A-1 through 30-13A-25, and contains no seal section: the article covers unlawful acts, the Board, rule-making authority, education and examination, license requirements, scope of practice, exemptions, interns, reciprocity, renewal, inactive, delinquent and retired status, display of license, certificates of authorization, surveyor-in-charge, complaints and penalties. Everything about the seal is delegated to the Board’s legislative rule, W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23 ser. 1, made under the rule-making authority at § 30-13A-6.
That rule is the problem. Every copy published by the Board at wvbps.wv.gov and by the Secretary of State on the Code of State Rules site, across the 2024, 2021, 2020 and earlier filings, is a scanned image with no text layer. So the operative seal specification for a West Virginia surveyor is not readable from the state’s own published sources, and no diameter, legend, device type, signature rule or document list is reported here.
The practical step is short. One thing we can supply that the state cannot: Acorn cuts this seal to 1-5/8 inches with a rope border, and West Virginia surveyors have had that size accepted by the Board. That is our production record rather than rule text. Still ask the Board of Professional Surveyors for the seal section of Title 23 Series 1 in legible form before a die is cut, and do not let anyone fill the gap with the West Virginia architect design from CSR § 2-1-9.6 or the landscape architect legend from W. Va. Code § 30-22-18. Different boards, different rules, and neither one reaches surveying.
West Virginia land surveyor seal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | West Virginia rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seal required | Conditional | W. Va. Code § 30-13A-6 |
| Required elements | A rope outer border; Your name around the upper arc; The words “PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR” around the lower arc; The word “LICENSED” in the center block; The words “STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA” in the center block; Your license number, in the form “No. 12345”; A star at each side, on the horizontal centerline; A serrated inner ring enclosing the center block | Acorn Sales production artwork, West Virginia land surveyor seal (W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23, ser. 1 has no readable text layer) |
| 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 and production record, West Virginia land surveyor seal |
| Device allowed | An inked rubber stamp or an embosser, and we make both. | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23, ser. 1 (text layer not available) |
| Signature and date | Not verified. W. Va. Code art. 30-13A contains no signature or date provision tied to a seal. Any requirement sits in Title 23 Series 1 or in Title 23 Series 5, Standards for the Practice of Surveying in West Virginia. | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23, ser. 1 and ser. 5 (text layer not available) |
| What must be sealed | Not verified. The document classes that must be sealed are set by Title 23 Series 1 and Title 23 Series 5, neither of which we could read. What the statute does supply is the surrounding structure: W. Va. Code §. | W. Va. Code §§ 30-13A-10, 30-13A-11, 30-13A-19, 30-13A-21 |
| Electronic seal | Not verified. No electronic or digital seal standard appears in W. Va. Code art. 30-13A. Whether one exists is a question for Title 23 Series 1, which we could not read. By way of contrast within the state, the. | W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23, ser. 1 (text layer not available) |
| Renewal and lapse | The statute covers status thoroughly even though it never mentions a seal. | W. Va. Code §§ 30-13A-14, 30-13A-15, 30-13A-16, 30-13A-17 |
| Firm requirements | A certificate of authorization is required and it is unconditional. | W. Va. Code §§ 30-13A-19, 30-13A-20, 30-13A-21 |
| Regulator | The West Virginia Board of Professional Surveyors | W. Va. Code ch. 30, art. 13A (Land Surveyors), §§ 30-13A-1 through 30-13A-25, read section by section on the West Virginia Legislature’s code site, with §§ 30-13A-1, 30-13A-6, 30-13A-19, 30-13A-20 and 30-13A-21 taken in full |
Is a seal required in West Virginia?
The seal duty is not in the statute. W. Va. Code ch. 30, art. 13A, Land Surveyors, was read section by section, §§ 30-13A-1 through 30-13A-25, and contains no seal section: the articles cover unlawful acts, the Board, rule-making authority, education and examination, license requirements, scope of practice, exemptions, interns, reciprocity, renewal, inactive, delinquent, retired, display of license, certificates of authorization, surveyor-in-charge, complaints and penalties. The seal is prescribed instead by the Board’s legislative rule, W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23 ser. 1, Examination and Licensing of Professional Surveyors in West Virginia, effective April 30, 2024, made under the rule-making authority at § 30-13A-6.
What must appear on the seal
- A rope outer border
- Your name around the upper arc
- The words “PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR” around the lower arc
- The word “LICENSED” in the center block
- The words “STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA” in the center block
- Your license number, in the form “No. 12345”
- A star at each side, on the horizontal centerline
- A serrated inner ring enclosing the center block
The list above is Acorn’s own production artwork, not a published specification. It is what we cut and ship for this credential, and it is offered as a starting point rather than as the rule. As for what the state itself publishes: Not verified. We attempted the Board’s own posted copy of Title 23 Series 1 and Series 5 at wvbps.wv.gov, and the Secretary of State’s final-file PDF and Word versions of Title 23 Series 1 for the 2024, 2021, 2020 and earlier filings. Every published copy is a scanned image without a text layer, so the seal section could not be read and nothing about its wording, arrangement or prohibitions is reported here. Do not substitute the West Virginia architect design from CSR § 2-1-9.6 or the West Virginia landscape architect legend from W. Va. Code § 30-22-18; those belong to other boards. Ask the Board of Professional Surveyors for the seal section of Title 23 Series 1 directly.
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. 1-5/8 inches is the size we supply and the size West Virginia surveyors have had accepted by the Board, and the artwork is drawn to a rope border of about 1-5/8 inches.
Embosser, rubber stamp or digital
An inked rubber stamp or an embosser, and we make both. Not verified. No device type is named in W. Va. Code art. 30-13A. Whether West Virginia permits a rubber stamp, an embosser, a transparent self-adhesive seal or an electronic seal for a professional surveyor is prescribed, if at all, in Title 23 Series 1, which we could not read. Note that the West Virginia architect rule at CSR § 2-1-9.6 permits all five of those forms, but that rule governs architects and cannot be applied to a surveyor.
Signing and dating
Not verified. W. Va. Code art. 30-13A contains no signature or date provision tied to a seal. Any requirement sits in Title 23 Series 1 or in Title 23 Series 5, Standards for the Practice of Surveying in West Virginia, effective May 1, 2008, and both are published only as image-only PDFs. We did not obtain readable copies.
The surveyor statute never mentions a seal, and the rule that does is a scanned image
West Virginia splits its design professions across separate boards and the drafting styles diverge sharply. The architect statute puts the seal in the code at W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 and voids a building permit issued on non-conforming submissions. The landscape architect statute prescribes the seal and its exact legend in the code at § 30-22-18. The surveyor statute, art. 30-13A, was read section by section and contains no seal section at all. Everything about the surveyor’s seal is delegated to the Board’s legislative rule.
Which documents must be sealed
Not verified. The document classes that must be sealed are set by Title 23 Series 1 and Title 23 Series 5, neither of which we could read. What the statute does supply is the surrounding structure: W. Va. Code § 30-13A-10 fixes the scope of practice, § 30-13A-11 the exemptions from licensing, § 30-13A-19 the display of license, endorsement and certificate of authorization, and § 30-13A-21 the surveyor-in-charge requirements.
Electronic and digital seals
Not verified. No electronic or digital seal standard appears in W. Va. Code art. 30-13A. Whether one exists is a question for Title 23 Series 1, which we could not read. By way of contrast within the state, the architect rule at CSR § 2-1-9.6 sets a four-part digital signature standard and accepts a scanned signature on PDF-type formats, but that standard governs architects only.
Renewal, lapse and retirement
The statute covers status thoroughly even though it never mentions a seal. W. Va. Code § 30-13A-15 governs inactive license requirements, § 30-13A-16 delinquent and expired licenses, § 30-13A-17 retired license requirements and § 30-13A-14 renewal of licenses, endorsements and certificates of authorization. Not verified: whether the Board’s rule requires the seal to be surrendered or destroyed, and whether a license number is reissued.
Firm requirements
A certificate of authorization is required and it is unconditional. W. Va. Code § 30-13A-20(a): “Each firm practicing surveying in West Virginia shall have a certificate of authorization.” Subsection (b) requires the Board to issue one to a firm that practices surveying in the state, provides proof it has employed a surveyor-in-charge, has paid all applicable fees and completes other requirements the Board specifies. Section 30-13A-21 sets the surveyor-in-charge requirements and § 30-13A-19 requires display of the certificate. The statute nowhere mentions a firm seal, and whether a firm number goes on a sealed document is a matter for Title 23 Series 1, which we could not read.
What to check before you order
Order at 1-5/8 inches. That is the size we make West Virginia surveyor seals at and the size that has been accepted by the Board, though you should know it is our production experience rather than a figure we can quote you from a rule: the statute has no seal section, and the Board’s Title 23 Series 1 is published only as scanned images we could not read. Give us your name and license number as the Board has them. If you want the prescribed wording and dimension in writing before you order, ask the Board for a legible copy of the seal section of Title 23 Series 1, and we will build to whatever it says.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a seal required for surveyors in West Virginia?
The duty is not in the statute. W. Va. Code art. 30-13A contains no seal section at all. The seal is prescribed instead by the Board’s legislative rule, W. Va. Code St. R. tit. 23 ser. 1, Examination and Licensing of Professional Surveyors in West Virginia, effective April 30, 2024, made under the rule-making authority at § 30-13A-6. Ask the Board for that rule.
What has to appear on a West Virginia surveyor seal?
Not verified. The elements sit in Title 23 Series 1, and the Board’s own posted copy of Series 1 and Series 5, along with the Secretary of State’s final-file PDF and Word versions of Title 23 Series 1 for the 2024, 2021, 2020 and earlier filings, are scanned images without a text layer. Nothing about the wording, the arrangement or the prohibitions is reported here. Acorn’s own production artwork carries a rope border, the licensee name on the upper arc, PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR on the lower arc, LICENSED and STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA in the center block with the license number, a star at each side, and a serrated inner ring. That is what we cut, not a published specification.
What size is a West Virginia surveyor seal?
Not verified. No diameter is given anywhere in W. Va. Code art. 30-13A, which was read section by section. The dimension, if one exists, sits in Title 23 Series 1, which is published only as an image-only PDF at both wvbps.wv.gov and the Code of State Rules site. Acorn’s own production artwork for this seal is built to a 1-5/8 inch rope border, and that size has been accepted by the Board on seals we have supplied. That is our production record rather than a published rule, so the board remains the authority if it later publishes a figure.
Rubber stamp, embosser or electronic in West Virginia?
Not verified. No device type is named in art. 30-13A. Whether West Virginia permits a rubber stamp, an embosser, a transparent self-adhesive seal or an electronic seal for a professional surveyor is prescribed, if at all, in Title 23 Series 1. The West Virginia architect rule at CSR § 2-1-9.6 permits all five of those forms, but that rule governs architects and cannot be applied to a surveyor.
Does West Virginia require a signature and date with the seal?
Not verified. Art. 30-13A contains no signature or date provision tied to a seal. Any requirement sits in Title 23 Series 1 or in Title 23 Series 5, Standards for the Practice of Surveying in West Virginia, effective May 1, 2008, and both are published only as image-only PDFs.
Which West Virginia documents have to be sealed?
Not verified. The document classes are set by Title 23 Series 1 and Title 23 Series 5. What the statute does supply is the surrounding structure: § 30-13A-10 fixes the scope of practice, § 30-13A-11 the exemptions from licensing, § 30-13A-19 the display of license, endorsement and certificate of authorization, and § 30-13A-21 the surveyor-in-charge requirements.
Is there a West Virginia electronic sealing standard for surveyors?
Not verified. No electronic or digital seal standard appears in art. 30-13A, and whether one exists is a question for Title 23 Series 1. By way of contrast within the state, the architect rule at CSR § 2-1-9.6 sets a four-part digital signature standard and accepts a scanned signature on PDF-type formats, but that standard governs architects only.
What happens to my West Virginia seal if the license lapses?
The statute covers status thoroughly even though it never mentions a seal. Section 30-13A-15 governs inactive license requirements, § 30-13A-16 delinquent and expired licenses, § 30-13A-17 retired license requirements and § 30-13A-14 renewal of licenses, endorsements and certificates of authorization. Whether the Board’s rule requires the seal to be surrendered or destroyed, and whether a license number is reissued, is not verified.
Does a West Virginia surveying firm need a certificate of authorization?
Yes, and unconditionally. W. Va. Code § 30-13A-20(a): “Each firm practicing surveying in West Virginia shall have a certificate of authorization.” Subsection (b) requires the Board to issue one to a firm that practices surveying in the state, provides proof it has employed a surveyor-in-charge, has paid all applicable fees and completes other requirements the Board specifies. Section 30-13A-21 sets the surveyor-in-charge requirements and § 30-13A-19 requires display of the certificate. The statute nowhere mentions a firm seal, and whether a firm number goes on a sealed document is a matter for Title 23 Series 1.
Why do the other West Virginia design boards publish more detail?
Because the drafting styles diverge. The architect statute puts the seal in the code at W. Va. Code § 30-12-7 and voids a building permit issued on non-conforming submissions. The landscape architect statute prescribes the seal and its exact legend in the code at § 30-22-18. The surveyor statute delegates the whole subject to the Board’s rule, which is why the answer here is to contact the Board rather than to read the code.
