A New Mexico registered landscape architect must sign across the seal on every plan, specification and report issued. The seal carries three items: the legend registered landscape architect state of New Mexico, your registration number, and your name in its registered form. The rule sets no size, shape or device type, and it is silent on dating. This page covers wording, signing, covered documents, gaps and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Your name, in the form under which you are registered | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC |
| Number | Your registration number | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC |
| Legend | The wording registered landscape architect state of New Mexico | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC |
| Signature | Placed across the seal | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC |
| Date | The seal rule says nothing about dating | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC (silent as to the date) |
| Documents to seal | Each plan, specification and report a registrant issues | 16.44.1.11(B), 16.44.1.13, 16.44.1.7(Z) NMAC |
| Size and shape | No size is given for a registrant's seal, and no shape is stated | 16.44.1.11 NMAC (no size given for the registrant's seal) |
| Device type | None specified for a registrant's seal | 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC |
| Electronic seal | Nothing on electronic seals: no standard, no signature test, no authentication step | 16.44.1 NMAC (no electronic seal provision) |
| Lapse or renewal | Not dealt with in the seal rule | 16.44.1.7(T) NMAC |
Licensed in more than one place? Check each jurisdiction in landscape architect seal requirements by state.
What must the New Mexico landscape architect seal show?
Three items, and the rule lists nothing more: the wording registered landscape architect state of New Mexico, your registration number, and your name in the registered form. All three come from 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC.
Two words deserve attention. The legend uses registered, not licensed, and the name is the one on your registration. Enter both exactly as they appear in the rule and on your registration. Our post on New Mexico landscape architect stamp requirements sets these elements beside the rest of the rule.
Where does the signature go?
Across the seal. Under 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC, every plan, specification and report a registrant issues carries the registrant's signature over the seal, not beside or below it.
That one placement rule drives most practical choices about the device. The seal needs to stay readable once your signature crosses it, so lettering size and spacing deserve attention before you order.
Does the rule require a date?
No. The seal rule is silent on dating, as shown by the citation 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC (silent as to the date). It does not call for a date line on the seal or a written date beside it.
A date is not part of the seal content. If a client or reviewing agency wants one on a sheet, that request comes from them rather than from the seal rule, and it does not change what the seal itself must show.
Which documents need the seal and signature?
Every plan, specification and report that you issue as a registrant carries the seal with your signature across it. The citation for this scope is 16.44.1.11(B), 16.44.1.13, 16.44.1.7(Z) NMAC.
The trigger is issuance: once a plan, specification or report leaves your office as issued work, the duty applies to it. For the regulatory background behind that duty, see our summary of New Mexico landscape architect regulations.
What size and shape should the seal be?
The rule does not say. No size is given for the registrant's seal under 16.44.1.11 NMAC (no size given for the registrant's seal), and no shape is stated either, so neither a diameter nor an outline is fixed.
Choose a size that keeps every word of the legend readable after a signature crosses the face. Our post on seal dimensions for New Mexico landscape architects covers the sizing choice in more detail.
Which device types are allowed?
No particular device is required for a registrant's seal. 16.44.1.11(B) NMAC describes what the seal shows and how it is signed, and stops short of naming a stamp, an embosser or any other tool.
With no device named, the signing rule is the practical guide. Whatever you choose has to hold a signature written across it and still show your name, number and legend clearly on the issued document.
Is an electronic seal allowed in New Mexico?
The chapter does not address it. Chapter 16.44 NMAC contains no standard for electronic or digital seals, nothing a digital signature must meet, and no way to authenticate one. The citation is 16.44.1 NMAC (no electronic seal provision).
The part's only electronic term appears inside a definition, not in any sealing provision. That leaves this chapter without any test an electronic seal could be measured against.
What happens to the seal when a registration lapses?
The seal rule does not deal with lapse or renewal. The reference given for this point is 16.44.1.7(T) NMAC, and nothing in the seal rule describes what becomes of the device.
That silence does not authorize continued use. Keep your registration current so the number on your seal matches an active registration whenever you issue documents. For the wider practice picture, see our post on what the New Mexico landscape architect stamp does for your practice.
What should you supply when ordering?
Your registration number, your name exactly as registered, and the device you want. The fixed wording, registered landscape architect state of New Mexico, is set by rule and goes on the seal word for word.
Because no size or shape is prescribed, tell us your preference and we will build around the three required items. Allow room for a signature across the face when you pick a size.
How should you test the impression?
Stamp a test sheet and read the three items: the complete legend, your registration number, and your registered name. Then sign across the impression the way you will on issued work.
If the signature hides part of the legend or the number, move to a larger size or a cleaner layout before first use. Our post on why a professional seal matters for New Mexico landscape architects has more on how the seal is read by clients.
Frequently asked questions
Should the legend say licensed or registered?
Registered. The wording set in the rule is registered landscape architect state of New Mexico, and the name on the seal is the one you are registered under.
Can the seal include my firm name or an expiration date?
Neither is among the three items the rule lists. The seal shows the legend, your registration number and your registered name.
Is a round seal required?
No shape is stated for the registrant's seal, and no size is given. Pick the outline that keeps the three items readable under a signature.
Do draft or review sets need the seal?
The rule ties the seal and signature to plans, specifications and reports that a registrant issues. Whether a given set counts as issued is the question to ask about each one.
Can I sign next to the seal if the signature does not fit across it?
No. The rule places the signature across the seal. If it does not fit, choose a larger seal or adjust your signature size rather than moving it beside the impression.
Browse our New Mexico stamps and seals collection to choose a device, then send your name as registered and your registration number.
