Illinois Land Surveyor seal requirements: size, wording, and the rule that sets them

It carries the surveyor's place of business, which almost no other state puts inside the seal. The impression must contain the name of the land surveyor, his or her place of business, the license number and the words "Professional Land Surveyor, State of Illinois" — and the engineer's seal under § 1380.295 carries no place of business at all. What may not appear is the firm: any seal on a plat of survey bearing the name of a professional design firm rather than the individual licensed surveyor responsible for the survey is deemed an invalid seal, even though the firm's business name and design firm registration number are separately required on the submission. (68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1270.58(a), (c); § 1380.295(a))

A conformance statement, and its wording changes with the product. On a boundary survey plat: "This professional service conforms to the current Illinois minimum standards for a boundary survey.", placed near the seal and signature. On a topographic survey or map the same position takes "This professional service conforms to the current Illinois minimum standards for a topographic survey or topographic map." The boundary rule also forbids the opposite kind of note: exculpatory statements that attempt to restrict the uses of boundary surveys shall not be affixed to any plat. (68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1270.56(b)(9)(O), (b)(9)(P); § 1270.56(f)(5)(C))

The print. Where topographic information is delivered by electronic media in a format agreed with the client, the rule requires that "[i]n every case, the surveyor shall also provide a signed and sealed hard copy drawing or representation of the survey. This drawing shall be the official survey and shall be deemed to be correct and superior to the electronic data." Sealing the file does not discharge the obligation, and where the two disagree the sealed hard copy governs. (68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1270.56(f)(5)(O))

Yes — on a drawing that is forbidden to call itself a survey, and it needs two statements rather than one. The mortgage inspection drawing carries the professional land surveyor seal, signature, date of signing and license expiration date, and must be titled "MORTGAGE INSPECTION" over "THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A BOUNDARY SURVEY", both lines in the same letter size and twice the size of all other lettering. Use of the word "survey" in the title, or any implication in a certification that the drawing represents a survey, is prohibited. Preceding the legal description, in the same size letters as it, goes the disclaimer beginning "This mortgage inspection and drawing is not a boundary survey or plat of survey"; a second statement, "This professional service conforms to the current Illinois minimum standards of practice for a mortgage inspection and is not a boundary survey.", goes immediately above the surveyor's signature. (68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1270.56(e)(7)(B), (e)(7)(H), (e)(7)(I), (e)(7)(M) and the closing paragraph of (e)(7))

Only the surveyor who sealed the original, under a rule added on January 5, 2023. A certificate of correction lets the surveyor of record correct errors or omissions on a recorded map, plat, exhibit or document, and only the surveyor who signed and sealed the original may file one; it must be signed and sealed by that surveyor and recorded in the same county or counties as the original. It cannot be used to move, modify, vacate, dedicate, alter or create easements, roadways or setback lines, add or detract lots or land, relocate platted boundary or lot lines, or otherwise affect third party rights created by the original document. (68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1270.59(a), (c), (d), (e))