South Carolina Geologist seal requirements: proper sizing, signing and sealing of documents

South Carolina Geologist seal

Board

South Carolina State Board of Registration for Geologists (S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation)

Seal requirements

S.C. Code Ann. § 40-77-290; S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11

Legend

“Registered Professional Geologist”

Diameter

No diameter is prescribed. Section 40-77-290 requires a seal of the design authorized by the board and states no dimension, and Regulation 131-11(A), the board's operative seal rule, lists only the name, registration number and legend without any size or shape.

Expiration date

Regulation 131-11(A) lists the seal's contents exhaustively as the registrant's name, registration number and the legend, and § 40-77-290 as the name, serial number and title. Neither mentions an expiration or renewal date.(S.C. Code Ann. § 40-77-290; S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(A))

Signature date

The date is written alongside the imprint and signature, not carried on the seal itself: Regulation 131-11(C) requires the imprint to appear "along with his signature and date".(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(C))

City on seal

Neither § 40-77-290 nor Regulation 131-11(A) calls for a city, address or place of business on the seal.(S.C. Code Ann. § 40-77-290; S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(A))

• Each registered professional geologist shall obtain a seal, which may be an embosser or a rubber stamp bearing the registrant's name, registration number, and the legend "Registered Professional Geologist."(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(A))
• Upon registration, each registered professional geologist shall obtain a seal of the design authorized by the board, bearing his name, assigned serial number, and the title "registered professional geologist". All drawings, reports, or other geologic papers or documents involving geologic work prepared or approved by the registrant or a subordinate under the geologist's direction, for the use of or for delivery to a person or for public record within this State, must be signed by the registered professional geologist and impressed with his seal.(S.C. Code Ann. § 40-77-290)
• When sealing of documents is required by statute, other authority or contract, an imprint of the registrant's valid seal shall appear, along with his signature and date, on the cover page of geologic reports or other geologic documents bound in book form as well as on each sheet of unbound geologic drawings, cross sections, or maps prepared by or under the responsible charge or direct supervision of the registrant whenever these documents are relevant to public welfare or the safeguard of life, health, property and the environment.(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(C))
• The seal and signature of a registrant on a document constitutes a certification that the document was prepared by the registrant or under his direct supervision, and that the registrant has reviewed the document in sufficient depth to fully coordinate and assume responsibility for materials prepared by another registrant.(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(B))
• Additions, deletions, or other revisions to sealed documents shall not be made unless such changes are sealed, dated, and signed by the registrant who made the revisions or under whose direction and control said revisions were made.(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(D))
• An electronic seal and signature are permitted to be used in lieu of an original seal and signature when nine criteria are met, including that it is a unique identification of the professional, is verifiable, is under the professional's direct and sole control, is linked to the document so that subsequent changes are readily determined and visually displayed, is invalidated by changes made after affixing, is available in a view-only format if electronically transmitted, and is acceptable to the receiving entity.(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(E)(1)-(9))
• The graphic image shall be readily available and produced in a manner consistent with Reg. 131-11.A and shall contain the same words and have substantially the same graphic appearance and size as required when the image of the electronically transmitted document is viewed at the same time as the document in its original form.(S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 131-11(E)(7))

South Carolina geologist seal questions