Alabama Interior Designer seal requirements: proper sizing, signing and sealing of documents

Alabama Interior Designer seal

Board

Alabama Board for Registered Interior Designers

Seal requirements

Ala. Code § 34-15C-8; Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01

Legend

“Registered Interior Designer”

Diameter

Two inches in diameter. Rule 485-X-4-.01(3) states the seal "shall be circular, two inches in diameter" — the only dimension in either the statute or the rule.

Expiration date

Neither the statute nor the rule puts a date on the seal. § 34-15C-8(a) lists name, board-authorized design, legend, state and registration number; Rule 485-X-4-.01(3) puts only the name and registration number inside the inner circle. Separately, documents may be stamped only while the certificate of registration is valid.(Ala. Code § 34-15C-8(a), (b); Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(3))

Signature date

No signature or date of signing is required. Rule 485-X-4-.01(5) requires only that the seal be affixed to final drawings, plans, specifications and reports, and (6) treats affixing the seal itself as the registrant's certification; neither the rule nor § 34-15C-8 mentions a signature or a date.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(5), (6); Ala. Code § 34-15C-8)

City on seal

No place of business appears on the seal. The rule's design guideline admits only the two legend phrases in the outer circle and the name and registration number in the inner circle, and expressly bars the business entity's name.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(3))

• A registered interior designer shall obtain a seal bearing the name of the registered interior designer, a design authorized by the board, the legend Registered Interior Designer, the words State of Alabama, and the registration number of the registered interior designer.(Ala. Code § 34-15C-8(a))
• Plans, specifications, and other documents prepared and issued by a registered interior designer shall be stamped with the seal of the registered interior designer only if the certificate of registration is valid.(Ala. Code § 34-15C-8(b))
• Seals shall conform to the following design guidelines: the seal shall be circular, two inches in diameter, and shall contain an outer circle which reads "STATE OF ALABAMA" at the top and "REGISTERED INTERIOR DESIGNER" at the bottom. The registered interior designer's name and registration number must be placed inside the inner circle.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(3))
• Seals are for individual use only and are not to utilize the name of the business entity.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(3))
• Upon approval of valid registration, an interior designer may create his or her own seal for use in issuing plans, specifications, and other documents for the purpose of obtaining construction permits. Seals may be a rubber stamp, an impression seal, or a computer-generated seal, as allowed by jurisdiction.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(2))
• The registrant's seal must be affixed on all final drawings, plans, specifications, and reports whenever presented to a client or any public or governmental agency for the purpose of obtaining a permit for construction. Work products presented which are not final should be identified as "unfinished", "draft", or "not for construction".(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(5))
• By affixing the seal, the registered interior designer signifies that the document was prepared either by the registrant personally or under his or her direct supervision.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(6))
• To ensure consistency and continuity the Board shall, with a fee, offer an electronic seal in AutoCAD format; requests must be made in writing and submitted with the fee. Seals shall conform to the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction under which documents are submitted.(Ala. Admin. Code r. 485-X-4-.01(5))

Alabama interior designer seal questions