Engineers are held to a high standard in the United States. In order to protect the safety of the public, engineers must complete rigorous education and experience requirements before they can practice engineering. In Idaho, there are specific requirements for professional engineers who want to stamp documents with their seal. This article will outline the steps required to become a professional engineer in Idaho.
Requirements for the Idaho Professional Engineer Stamp
According to the Idaho State Board of Professional Land Surveyors and Engineers, all engineers practicing in Idaho are required to obtain and use an Idaho professional engineer stamp or embossing seal per the Idaho code. The Idaho engineer stamp has to be 1-9/16" in diameter and can be either a crimp-style seal, a rubber stamp, or an electronically generated image. It must contain the license number of the professional engineer.
When the seal is applied, the signature and the date of the licensee must also be included, and this seal and signature must be placed on all original documents filed in the state of Idaho in a manner such that the seal, the date, and the signature of the Idaho professional engineer are all reproduced whenever the original document is copied. There is no required ink color, and while most engineers favor a self-inking stamp, a rubber stamp or electronically generated image with transparent background is perfectly acceptable to the Idaho board. At Engineer Seal Stamps.com we offer great prices, prompt service, and fast shipping. And our stamps are guaranteed to meet the state of Idaho code for professional engineering stamps.
Using the Idaho Engineer Seal
The Idaho professional engineer stamp or embossing seal must be affixed to all plans, drawings, plats, reports, specifications, surveys, calculations and design information, whether you are presenting them to a public or governmental agency or to a client or business entity. If the document is not signed, sealed and dated, then it must be clearly marked as “not for construction,” “draft,” or other words that signify in such a manner that it is not the final document.
The exception to this would be a preliminary engineering report that is actually intended to describe the final specifications of the work that will be done and how it will be undertaken. In this instance, you would sign, seal and date the document.
It is an offense under the law to affix your Idaho professional engineer stamp or embossing seal and your signature to any such document after your license has expired has been suspended, or has been revoked for any reason.
When you apply your seal to any document, you are essentially stating that the work described was done either by you, or under your direct supervision. Each drawing or plan must be signed, dated, and affixed with your professional seal in a timely manner, even electronically produced documents. If a copy is made for informational uses (i.e. bidding or working copies), you should use your seal and add a notification that the original document is on file.
Use the phrases “original signed by” and “date original signed” either across the seal or adjacent to it, and state the storage location of the original document. On specifications, reports, and similar documents, the seal and signature along with the date need to appear on only the title page.
Misuse or Theft of The Idaho Professional Engineer Stamp
It is an offense under Idaho law to use your stamp or seal on a document presented that is related to work that you have not done, or have not directly supervised. Keep in mind, though, that you can also be held responsible for the misuse of your professional engineer seal, even if you’re not aware of that misuse.
For that reason, it’s important that you keep your professional engineer seal in a secure location. If someone were to use it to seal original documents without your knowledge, and something went wrong with a project bearing your license number, you could be held responsible and even subjected to discipline by the licensing board office.
Lost or Stolen Professional Seals
If you should lose your professional engineering seal, or you believe that it has been stolen, it is your responsibility to notify the Idaho state board within the same business day. You won’t be held responsible for anything that occurs as a result of the misuse of your Idaho professional engineer embosser stamp or seal following the date that your report it lost or stolen to the office of the Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Types of Professional Engineer Seals Available for Purchase
For your Idaho professional engineer stamp, the Idaho code is fairly lax about what type of rubber stamps you can order, as long as it contains the person named as the certificate holder.
The Self-Inking Stamp
The Self-inking stamp is a type of rubber stamp that contains a built-in ink pad. The ink pad is automatically re-inked each time the stamp is used, which eliminates the need for a separate ink pad. Self-inking stamps are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, and they can be customized with text, logos, or other images. Self-inking engineer stamps are typically made from high-quality materials, such as durable plastics, which ensures that they will last for many years. In addition, self-inking stamps can be refilled with new ink pads, making them a very cost-effective option.
Wooden Handle Rubber Stamp
The Wooden Handle Rubber Stamp is a great way to quickly and easily add a professional touch to your documents. This stamp can be used with a separate ink pad, and different ink pads can be swapped out for different colors. For example, you could use a blue ink pad for document approvals and a red ink pad for rejections. You can also use industrial inks for stamping on mylar plans. The Rubber Stamp is a very cost-efficient solution to sealing and stamping engineering plans.
About ESS
ESS is a leading online retailer of professional land surveyor seals, stamps, and much more. We manufacture professional seals and stamps for all US States and are known for great service along with fast service with orders. We have convenient ordering online and have quick service where most orders ship within a business day.