California Landscape Architect seal requirements: proper sizing, signing and sealing of documents

California Landscape Architect seal

Board

California Architects Board – Landscape Architects Technical Committee

Seal requirements

Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659; 16 CCR § 2606

Legend

“licensed landscape architect, State of California”

Diameter

Between one and two inches in diameter. 16 CCR § 2606 prescribes a range rather than a fixed size, and also requires the stamp to follow the design illustrated in the regulation.

Expiration date

The stamp itself must provide the renewal date of the license — § 2606's design carries a ruled "Renewal Date" line, filled in by the licensee rather than printed.(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659; 16 CCR § 2606)

Signature date

The licensee must sign and date every plan, specification and instrument of service, and the stamp must provide a means of showing the signature and the date of signing and stamping.(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659; 16 CCR § 2606)

City on seal

§ 5659 lists what the stamp must bear and § 2606 fixes the design; neither mentions a city, address or place of business.(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659; 16 CCR § 2606)

• "Each person licensed under this chapter shall sign, date, and seal or stamp using a seal or stamp described in this section, all plans, specifications, and other instruments of service therefor, prepared for others as evidence of the person's responsibility for those documents. Failure to comply with this section constitutes a ground for disciplinary action."(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659)
• "Each person licensed under this chapter shall use a seal or stamp of the design authorized by the board, bearing the person's name, license number, the legend 'licensed landscape architect,' the legend 'State of California' and a means of providing a signature, the renewal date of the license, and date of signing and sealing or stamping."(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5659)
• "The stamp authorized by Sections 5659 and 5673 of the Code may be purchased by the landscape architect from any convenient source, but shall be of the design illustrated here and shall be between one (1) and two (2) inches in diameter." The illustrated design carries "LICENSED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT" and "STATE OF CALIFORNIA" around the ring, the name and license number, and three ruled lines labelled Signature, Renewal Date and Date.(16 CCR § 2606)
• For a group practice, "the signature, date of execution and license number of such licensed person shall appear on all instruments of service." Instruments of service are defined as finalized working drawings, contract proposals, site analyses, environmental review documents, inspection reports, cost estimates, planning studies and specifications.(16 CCR § 2602(d), (f))
• Affixing the signature or stamp to, or permitting the use of the name on, plans, drawings, specifications or other instruments of service not prepared by the licensee or under the licensee's immediate and responsible direction is a ground for disciplinary action.(Bus. & Prof. Code § 5673)

California landscape architect seal questions