# Title 28 — Engineers and Land Surveyors, Board of Registration for Professional

## Article 28-02.1 — Engineer and Land Surveyor Registration

## Chapter 28-02.1-08 — Certificates and Seals

### § 28-02.1-08-01. Certificates.

1. Certificates of registration and certificates of commercial practice issued by the board should
be displayed by the registrant in a prominent place in the registrant's office or principal place
of business.
2. In case a certificate is lost or destroyed, a duplicate certificate will be issued upon request.
The charge for a duplicate certificate shall be determined by the board.
3. Registrants may opt-in to receiving an electronic version of their certificate.
History: Effective January 1, 1988; amended effective April 1, 1999; October 1, 2010; January 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 43-19.1-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-19.1-20, 43-19.1-27
### § 28-02.1-08-02. Seals.

1. The board has adopted standard seals or stamps similar to those illustrated in this section for
use by registered professional engineers and professional land surveyors as prescribed by
law. The seal authorized by the state board of registration for professional engineers and land
surveyors for registrants is of the crimp type or rubber stamp, or electronic. Seals prepared
after July 1, 2005, shall be of a design so the seal consists of two concentric circles with the
diameter of the outer circle being one and three-fourth inches [44.45 millimeters] and the
diameter of the inner circle being one and one-fourth inches [31.75 millimeters]. The upper
portion between the two circles shall bear whichever of the following phrases is applicable to
the registrant: "Registered Professional Engineer", "Registered Professional Land Surveyor",
or "Registered Professional Engineer & Land Surveyor". Professional land surveyors who
purchased a seal with the phrase "Registered Land Surveyor" prior to January 1, 2011, are not
required to purchase a new seal. At the bottom of the annular space between the two circles
shall appear the inscription "North Dakota"; the inner circle shall contain the name of the
registrant, registration number, and the word "Date". The registration number assigned should
be centered in the inner area of the seal in the space occupied by the word "NUMBER" and
the size of the numbers should not be larger than the word "NAME". The words and
parentheses "(NUMBER)" and "(NAME)" should not appear on the seal.
2. Seals may be of rubber stamp, metal impression type, computer-generated, or electronically
generated. Computer-generated and electronically generated seals are herein referred to as
an "electronic seal".
3. A registrant shall also apply the registrant's signature across the face of the seals for a
nonelectronic signature. "Nonelectronic signature" means a handwritten identification
containing the name of the person who applied it. An electronic signature is a signature that is
computer-generated or electronically generated and must be unique to and under the sole
control of the person using it, must be capable of verification, and must be linked to a
document in such a way that the electronic signature is invalidated if any data on the
document is changed. An electronic signature is not required to be across the face of the seal.
A rubber stamp or facsimile signature is not allowed. The signature and seal must also be
dated.

4. The illustrated standard stamps and seals are as follows:
History: Effective January 1, 1988; amended effective August 1, 1994; April 1, 1999; October 1, 2004;
October 1, 2010; October 1, 2014; October 1, 2021.
General Authority: NDCC 43-19.1-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-19.1-21
### § 28-02.1-08-03. Use of seals.

1. The original copies of all drawings, plan sheets, specifications, studies, reports, plats, maps,
and other engineering and surveying work product other than earthwork cross sections, each
of which hereafter is referred to as a "document" in this section, must receive a seal, date, and
signature.
a. Studies, reports, and project specifications need the seal and signature only on a single
introductory sheet.
b. Every sheet or drawing in an original set of engineering plans must receive a seal and
signature.
c. If computer-generated or electronically generated seals or signatures are used on
documents combined into a single file, they can be electronically applied by electronic
process allowing the seal or signature to be computer-generated on all required
documents by one computer action.

2. Registrants may accept assignments and assume responsibility for coordination of an entire
project and sign and seal the engineering and land surveying documents for the entire project,
provided that each technical segment is signed and sealed only by the qualified engineers or
land surveyors who prepared the segment.
3. Registrants shall not affix their signatures or seals to any engineering or land surveying plan
or document dealing with subject matter for which the registrant lacks competence by virtue of
education or experience, nor to any such plan or document not prepared under the registrant's
direct supervisory control.
4. A registrant shall not contract with a nonlicensed individual to provide these professional
services.
5. A registrant may affix the seal and signature to drawings and documents depicting the work of
two or more professionals, either from the same or different disciplines, provided it is
designated by a note under the seal the specific subject matter for which each is responsible.
6. Any changes made to the final plans, specifications, drawings, reports, or other documents
after final revision and sealing by the registrant are prohibited by any person other than the
registrant, or another registered individual who assumes responsible charge for the directly
related documents, except as provided herein. A duly registered individual making changes to
final sealed documents must assume responsible charge and reseal the directly related final
documents unless the changes are construction phase revisions, including record drawings,
which do not affect the functional design, and such revisions adequately reflect that changes
have been made and the original plans are available for review.
7. Mere review of work prepared by another person, even if that person is the registrant's
employee, does not constitute responsible charge.
8. A registrant may not affix the registrant's seal or signature to documents having titles or
identities excluding the registrant's name unless:
a. Such documents were developed by the registrant or under the registrant's responsible
charge and the registrant has exercised full authority to determine their development.
b. A registrant who is required to use the standard drawings of a sponsoring agency need
not affix the registrant's seal and signature to said standard drawings.
c. The registrant is providing the registrant's opinion as to the compliance of the document
with specific identified rules or statutes and it is clearly identified that the registrant only
reviewed the document and had no technical control over the contents of the document.
9. Electronic reproductions of drawings, plan sheets, specifications, studies, reports, plats, maps,
and other engineering and surveying work product that are distributed to reviewing agencies,
owners, clients, contractors, suppliers, and others must either contain the electronic seal and
electronic signature as required by this chapter, or contain a reproduction of the seal and
signature.
10. Paper or hard copy reproductions of drawings, plan sheets, specifications, studies, reports,
plats, maps, and other engineering and surveying work product that are distributed to
reviewing agencies, owners, clients, contractors, suppliers, and others shall contain a
reproduction of the seal and signature. A new seal and original signature will not be required
with such paper distribution.
11. Working drawings and unfinished documents must comply with North Dakota Century Code
section 43-19.1-21.

History: Effective October 1, 2004; amended effective October 1, 2010; October 1, 2014; October 1,
2021; January 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 43-19.1-08
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-19.1-21
