Maryland PE seal requirements: size, wording, and the rule that sets them

Maryland Engineer seal

Board

State Board for Professional Engineers

Seal rule

COMAR 09.23.01.03 (Licensee's Seal)

Legend

“Professional Engineer”

Diameter

COMAR states no diameter. The Board's seal guidance sets the overall diameter at not smaller than the commercially designated 1-5/8 inches and not larger than the commercially designated 2 inches.

Expiration date

Not on the seal artwork. The mandatory titleblock certification carries "Expiration Date:____", and the titleblock, certification, seal and signature must appear close to each other.(COMAR 09.23.03.10.D and .E; seal contents at COMAR 09.23.01.03.B)

Signature date

Before issuing a plan, specification or report, the engineer endorses the original signature and the date of signature, plus the seal. A public authority may not accept it otherwise.(Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §14-4A-02(a); §14-103(a); COMAR 09.23.03.09.E(1))

City on seal

The seal is the Great Seal of Maryland device at center, surrounded by "State of Maryland", "Professional Engineer", the name and the license number.(COMAR 09.23.01.03.B; Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §14-4A-01(b))

• The seal consists of the pictorial device of the Great Seal of Maryland as a center, surrounded by the words "State of Maryland" and "Professional Engineer" and the licensee's name and license number.(COMAR 09.23.01.03.B)
• A licensee who engages in the practice of engineering in Maryland shall obtain an impression seal or a rubber stamp facsimile. The Board's seal guidance also accepts a digital seal.(COMAR 09.23.01.03.A; Board seal guidance)
• The statute requires the legend "professional engineer" plus the name and license number, in a design determined by the Board.(Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 14-4A-01(b))
• Before issuing a plan, specification or report to a client or a public authority, endorse it with your original signature, the date of signature, and the seal or a facsimile of the seal. A public authority may not accept the document otherwise.(Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 14-4A-02)
• "Original signature" means a handwritten signature in permanent ink or a digital signature that is unique to the licensee, under the licensee's exclusive control, non-repudiable and independently verifiable, and linked to the document so that later modification breaks it.(COMAR 09.23.03.09.E(2))
• The titleblock carries the certification "Professional Certification. I hereby certify that these documents were prepared or approved by me, and that I am a duly licensed professional engineer under the laws of the State of Maryland, License No.____, Expiration Date:____", and must contain at least the printed name of the engineering entity.(COMAR 09.23.03.10.B and .D)
• The titleblock, certification, seal and signature must appear close to each other.(COMAR 09.23.03.10.E)

Maryland engineer seal questions