61G15-23.001. Signature, Date and Seal Shall Be Affixed

(1) A professional engineer shall sign, date and seal:

(a) All final plans, prints, specifications, reports, or other documents prepared or issued by the licensee and being filed for public record;

(b) All final documents provided to the owner or the owner’s representative.

(2) Additional Final and Non-Final Documents.

(a) A professional engineer may sign, date and seal documents required by any public entity or any provision of contract which requires the signing, dating and sealing of additional original documents.

(b) A professional engineer shall not sign, date and seal any documents which are not final documents unless the professional engineer states any limitations on the use of those documents on the face of those documents by using terms such as “Preliminary,” “For Review Only,” “Not for Construction,” or any other suitable statement which denotes that the documents are for limited use, are not final and are not intended for permit, construction, or bidding purposes.

(3) A professional engineer may only sign, date and seal engineering plans, prints, specifications, reports or other documents if that professional engineer was in responsible charge, as that term is defined in subsection 61G15-18.011(1), F.A.C., of the preparation and production of the engineering document and the professional engineer has the expertise in the engineering discipline used in producing the engineering document(s) in question. Professional engineers working for local, State or Federal Government agencies shall legibly indicate their name and license number, and shall indicate the name and address of the agency on all documents that are required to be signed, dated and sealed.

(4) Additional Requirements for Plans or Prints, Engineering Specifications and Calculations, and Engineering Reports or Other Documents. When an engineer signs, dates and seals any of the following types of documents plans or prints under the provisions of Section 471.025, F.S., and subsection (1) of this rule, the following additional information must be included:

(a) Plans and Prints. Every sheet within the plans and prints must be signed, dated and sealed by the professional engineer in responsible charge.

1. A title block shall be used on each sheet of plans or prints and shall contain the printed name, address, and license number of the engineer who has signed, dated and sealed the plans or prints.

2. If the engineer signing, dating and sealing engineering plans or prints is practicing through a duly authorized qualified engineering business organization; the title block shall contain the printed name and address of the qualified engineering business organization.

(b) Engineering Specifications and Calculations. An index sheet shall be used and shall be signed, dated and sealed by each professional engineer who is in responsible charge of any portion of the engineering specifications or calculations.

1. The index sheet must be signed, dated and sealed by those professional engineers in responsible charge of the production and preparation of each section of the engineering specifications or calculations, with sufficient information on the index sheet so that the user will be aware of each portion of the specifications or calculations for which each professional engineer is responsible.

2. The index sheet shall include at a minimum:

a. The printed name, address and license number of each engineer in responsible charge of the production of any portion of the calculations or specifications.

b. If the engineer signing, dating and sealing calculations or specifications is practicing through a duly qualified engineering business organization; the printed name and address of the qualified engineering business organization.

c. Identification of the project, by address or by lot number, block number, section or subdivision and city or county.

d. Identification of any computer program used for engineering the specifications or calculations.

(c) Engineering Reports or Other Documents.

1. A signature page or cover letter shall be used and shall be signed, dated and sealed by each professional engineer who is in responsible charge of any portion of the report with sufficient information provided so that the user will be aware of each portion for which each professional engineer is responsible.

2. If the engineer signing, dating and sealing an engineering report or other document is practicing through a duly qualified engineering business organization, the printed name and address of the qualified engineering business organization.

(d) The date that the signature and seal is affixed as provided herein shall be entered on said plans, prints, specification, reports or other documents immediately adjacent to the signature of the professional engineer.

(5) Additional Requirements for Multi‐Dimensional Models. The Florida Board of Professional Engineers recognizes that the practice of engineering is evolving into increasingly frequent contractual requirements for licensees to submit final work product as an electronic multidimensional model. Accordingly, when a licensee’s contract requires the submission of an electronic multidimensional model as final work product; which by contract, law, or rule must be signed, dated, and sealed, the licensee shall utilize the process specified in paragraph (4)(b), above, regarding engineering specifications or calculations.

(6) As detailed in paragraph 61G15-30.003(1)(b), F.A.C., signed and sealed documents are presumed to comply with all applicable codes and standards in effect at the time of sealing. Unless the documents are amendments to documents previously signed and sealed by the engineer, and that fact is clearly noted at the time of submission, the licensee must affirmatively indicate on the documents any other edition of a code or standard, other than those currently in effect, with which the licensee intends the documents to comply.

Rulemaking Authority 471.008, 471.025 FS. Law Implemented 471.025, 471.033(1)(a), (e), (j) FS. History–New 1-8-80, Amended 6-23-80, Formerly 21H-23.01, 21H-23.001, Amended 4-1-97, 2-5-04, 8-8-05, 11-16-09, 2-2-12, 11-3-15, 10-26-16, 12-29-19, 6-29-21, 11-15-21.