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

Michigan Landscape Architect seal

Board

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing

Seal requirements

MCL 339.2210; Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041

Legend

“licensed landscape architect, state of Michigan”

Diameter

No diameter is prescribed. MCL 339.2210(1) states no dimension, and R 339.19041(2) supplies only a picture of the seal design with no measurement, caption or scale.

Expiration date

R 339.19041(1) enumerates the seal's contents as the licensee's name, the landscape architect license number and the two legends; MCL 339.2210(1) matches that list. Neither mentions an expiration or renewal date.(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(1); MCL 339.2210(1))

Signature date

Neither provision requires a signature or a date. MCL 339.2210(1) and R 339.19041(5) speak only of documents being "stamped with" the licensee's seal when filed with a public authority, and no other section of Article 22 (MCL 339.2201 to 339.2211) imposes a signing or dating duty on landscape architects.(MCL 339.2210; Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041; MCL 339.2201 to 339.2211)

City on seal

Neither MCL 339.2210(1) nor R 339.19041 requires a city, address or place of business on the seal.(MCL 339.2210(1); Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041)

• "Each landscape architect shall have a seal, approved by the department and the board, which shall contain the name of the landscape architect, the number of his or her license and the legend 'landscape architect, state of Michigan' and other words or figures as the department considers necessary. Plans, specifications, and reports prepared by the landscape architect or under his or her supervision shall be stamped with his or her seal when filed with a public authority."(MCL 339.2210(1))
• "Pursuant to section 2210(1) of the code, MCL 339.2210, each licensee shall have a seal that states the name of the licensee, his or her landscape architect license number, and bear the words 'licensed landscape architect' and 'state of Michigan.'"(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(1))
• "The design of the seal to be used by each licensee is as follows:" — the figure reproduced in the rule is a circular seal with a rope border, reading STATE OF MICHIGAN across the top of the outer ring and LICENSED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT across the bottom, with a star at each side, and carrying the licensee's name, the words LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT and "License No." plus the number in the centre.(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(2))
• "The licensee shall obtain the seal when he or she is licensed and shall submit an imprint of the seal to the department within 30 days of licensure. If a new seal is obtained at a later time, the licensee shall submit an imprint of the new seal to the department within 30 days."(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(3))
• "The seal must be used only on work that has been prepared by or under the personal supervision of the licensee."(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(4))
• "Pursuant to section 2210(2) of the code, MCL 339.2210, any plan, specification, or report prepared by the licensee, or under his or her supervision, and filed with a public authority must be stamped with the licensee's seal."(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041(5))
• "A landscape architect who indorses a document with his or her seal while his or her license is not in full force and effect, or who indorses a document which the landscape architect did not actually prepare or supervise the preparation, is subject to the penalties prescribed in article 6."(MCL 339.2210(2))
• No electronic or digital seal provision exists. Part 5 of the Landscape Architects – General Rules consists of the single rule R 339.19041, which contains no reference to electronic or digital seals or signatures, and Article 22 of the Occupational Code, MCL 339.2201 to 339.2211, contains none either.(Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.19041; MCL 339.2201 to 339.2211)

Michigan landscape architect seal questions