New Mexico requires a land surveyor seal of three concentric circles measuring 1-1/2, 1 and 1/2 inch, carrying the words professional surveyor, your name, New Mexico and your board-issued license number. An original signature goes beside the impression, dated the day you sign. A lapse in your license forfeits the grandfathering of older approved seals. This page covers wording, size, devices, signing, documents and lapse.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC and the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Outer ring | The words professional surveyor, plus your name. | 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC |
| Inner ring | New Mexico. | 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC |
| Center circle | The license number the board issued you. | 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC |
| Size and shape | Circular, from three concentric circles: 1-1/2 inches outside, 1 inch in the middle, 1/2 inch inside. The figures are exact. | 16.39.5.11(C)(1), (C)(2) NMAC |
| Devices | The rule lists three and accepts every one of them. | 16.39.5.11(B) NMAC |
| Signature | An original signature, placed next to the seal. | 16.39.5.11(A), (B), (G) NMAC |
| Date | The day the signature went on, written with it. | 16.39.5.11(A), (B), (G) NMAC |
| Electronic signature | Acceptable on professional documents as an alternative to a permanently legible signature. | 16.39.5.11(A), (G) NMAC |
| Documents | Plats, reports and comparable work, when you were the licensee in responsible charge of preparing them. | 16.39.5.11(E), (F) NMAC |
| Older approved seals | Usable only by a surveyor whose license has never lapsed. | 16.39.5.11(D) NMAC |
To compare New Mexico with every other jurisdiction, see our table of land surveyor seal requirements by state. The seal follows the license; the education routes and exams that lead to a New Mexico license are compared in how to become a licensed land surveyor.
What wording goes on a New Mexico land surveyor seal?
Four items spread across three rings. Under 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC, the outer ring carries the words professional surveyor along with your name, the inner ring carries New Mexico, and the center circle holds the license number the board issued to you.
Proof the name exactly as you want it to read, and use the number the board issued, not a firm or project number. For more on the stamp itself, see our article on the New Mexico professional land surveyor stamp.
What size and shape must the seal be?
Circular, made of three concentric circles with set diameters. The outermost circle is 1-1/2 inches across, the middle circle 1 inch and the innermost 1/2 inch, under 16.39.5.11(C)(1), (C)(2) NMAC. These are given as exact sizes, not as a range.
When you proof artwork, check all three diameters, not just the outside edge. The middle and inner circles decide how much room New Mexico and your license number get.
Which devices can apply the seal?
Three, all named in 16.39.5.11(B) NMAC and all permitted. The sources behind this page confirm that count and that none of the three is excluded, but they do not reproduce the list, so this page does not name the devices.
Since the rule accepts all three, choosing among them is a practical decision rather than a compliance one. Our article on prerequisites for New Mexico land surveyor stamps covers points to settle before ordering.
How do you sign and date a sealed New Mexico document?
With an original signature placed next to the seal, together with the date you signed. The arrangement comes from 16.39.5.11(A), (B), (G) NMAC, so the signature sits beside the impression and carries the day it went on.
Adjacent means beside. Leave clear space next to the seal in your title block so the signature and date have room and neither crowds the impression.
Is an electronic signature acceptable in New Mexico?
Yes, as an option. Under 16.39.5.11(A), (G) NMAC, professional documents may carry an electronic signature instead of a permanently legible one, and the rule treats that choice as part of the same framework rather than as a separate set of requirements.
Think of it as a choice of signing method, not a different sealing system. Because the rule frames it as an option, an original, permanently legible signature remains fully acceptable.
Which documents need the New Mexico seal?
Plats, reports and similar work prepared under your responsible charge. Under 16.39.5.11(E), (F) NMAC the seal attaches to that work, so the question for any document is whether you were the licensee in responsible charge of it.
Settle the responsible-charge question before the seal goes on, not after. Our summary of New Mexico land surveyor regulations places this in the wider rule set.
What happens to an older seal if your license lapses?
You lose the right to keep using it. Under 16.39.5.11(D) NMAC, a surveyor may hold on to an older approved seal only while the license has been kept up without a break, so a lapse costs the grandfathered seal along with the license.
If you still stamp with an older approved seal, continuous licensure is the condition that keeps it usable. After any lapse, plan on a seal built to the current three-circle design.
What should you send when ordering a New Mexico seal?
Your name exactly as it should read in the outer ring, and the license number the board issued you. The legend, the state name and the three circle sizes are set by 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC, so those parts are fixed rather than chosen.
Also tell us which of the permitted devices you want, and whether this order replaces an older approved seal. Everything else on the face follows from the rule.
How do you check the impression before first use?
Measure the three circles and read each ring. Confirm diameters of 1-1/2, 1 and 1/2 inch, then check that the outer ring shows professional surveyor and your name, the inner ring shows New Mexico, and the center shows your license number.
Finish with a test impression that has a signature and date beside it. That confirms the space next to the seal works on your actual title block.
Which board oversees New Mexico land surveyor seals?
The Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors. It is the regulator for the seal rule cited throughout this page, from 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC on the face to 16.39.5.11(D) NMAC on older seals.
The same rule covers signing, devices, electronic signatures and documents, so one set of provisions answers every question on this page. That keeps compliance checks simple: one section, read in full.
Frequently asked questions
Does the legend read professional land surveyor?
The words listed for the outer ring are professional surveyor. Order the legend in that form so the seal matches the wording in 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC.
Can I sign across the seal instead of beside it?
The rule describes the signature as adjacent, meaning it sits beside the seal. That is the placement the rule gives, so it is the arrangement to use.
Can I order a larger seal so the lettering is easier to read?
The diameters in 16.39.5.11(C)(1), (C)(2) NMAC are exact, so a larger outer circle would not match them. Legibility has to come from the lettering inside the 1-1/2 inch outline.
Do I have to switch to an electronic signature?
No. Under 16.39.5.11(A), (G) NMAC an electronic signature is optional, not mandatory, and the permanently legible signature remains available.
Does the date go on the seal face?
The elements listed for the face are the legend, your name, New Mexico and the license number, and a date is not among them. The date travels with your signature beside the seal and records when you signed.
Can my firm's number stand in for my license number?
No. The center circle holds the license number the board issued to you under 16.39.5.11(C)(1) NMAC, and a firm or project number is not one of the listed elements.
Once your name and license number are confirmed, order from our New Mexico stamps and seals collection.
