A Colorado land surveyor seal must carry COLORADO LICENSED and PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR as curved lettering, plus your name and your license number, with the number at the center of the inner circle. The outer circle is nominally 1-5/8 inches (41 mm) and the inner circle nominally 15/16 inch (24 mm). Your signature and its date must appear through the seal. Covered below: face, size, devices, signing and renewal.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1) and the State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Your name is one of the four elements on the face. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1) |
| License number | Set in the middle of the inner circle. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1) |
| Legend | COLORADO LICENSED, lettered on an arc. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1) |
| Designation | PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR, lettered on an arc. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1) |
| Circle sizes | Outer about 1-5/8 inches (41 mm), inner about 15/16 inch (24 mm), both stated as nominal. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rules 1.6(A)(1), 1.5(A)(1) and 1.7(A)(1) |
| Devices | Crimp, rubber stamp and computer generated types are each named, and holding more than one is allowed. | C.R.S. § 12-120-316 |
| Signature and date | A manual or electronic signature and the signing date, both visible through the seal. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(3) |
| Documents | Documents, plats and reports produced in land surveying practice. | C.R.S. § 12-120-316(2) |
| Electronic signature | Public key infrastructure or signature dynamics, unique to you, verifiable, under your sole control, and voided by any change to the document data. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.2(B) |
| License expiry | Every license from this board expires October 31 of odd-numbered years. Sealing after a lapse is not addressed. | 4 CCR 730-1, Rules 1.3(A)(3) and 1.4 |
Licensed in more than one place? Check each jurisdiction in land surveyor seal requirements by state. Not yet licensed? The land surveyor licensing path by state lays out the steps Colorado requires first.
What must a Colorado land surveyor seal show?
Four elements under 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.6(A)(1): two lines of curved lettering reading COLORADO LICENSED and PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR, plus your name and your license number, which sits at the center of the inner circle.
Besides the two arc lines, the only placement the rule fixes is the number, in the middle of the inner circle. The rule as cited does not specify where on the face your name sits, so your proof shows the full arrangement for approval. For a closer look at the arrangement, see our explanation of the Colorado land surveyor seal format.
What size are the two circles?
The outer circle is nominally 1-5/8 inches (41 mm) and the inner circle nominally 15/16 inch (24 mm). Rule 1.6(A)(1) states both figures, and Rules 1.5(A)(1) and 1.7(A)(1) are cited for the same dimensions.
Because the inner circle has a size of its own, a face built with only one ring does not follow the stated geometry. Our guide to choosing a Colorado land surveyor seal size has more on fitting text to these circles.
Which sealing devices are authorized?
Three, each named in C.R.S. § 12-120-316: a crimp seal, a rubber stamp, and a computer generated seal. The statute strings them together with and or or, which means you can own any one of them or several at once.
Whichever types you choose, build each one to the same face and the same nominal circle sizes, so every impression you make matches the others.
How must you sign and date through the seal?
Place your signature and the date of signature so that both appear through the seal. Rule 1.6(A)(3) accepts a manual or electronic signature, and in either case the signature and its date are affixed to the document through the seal impression.
The wording is through the seal, so a signature set off to one side of the impression does not match it. Leave enough open space inside the design to sign without hiding the number. Our notes on seal placement for Colorado surveyors show layouts that work.
Can a Colorado surveyor sign electronically?
Yes. Rule 1.6(A)(3) allows a manual or electronic signature, and 4 CCR 730-1, Rule 1.2(B) sets the standard an electronic signature has to meet before you use it.
A practical pairing for electronic signing is the computer generated seal type, which C.R.S. § 12-120-316 names alongside the crimp and rubber stamp types. The next section lists what the electronic signature itself must do.
What does Rule 1.2(B) require of an electronic signature?
It may be created with public key infrastructure or signature dynamics technology. It must be unique to you, verifiable, under your sole control, and tied to the document so that any change in the document data invalidates it.
Unlike rules that leave technology open, Rule 1.2(B) names these two methods. Confirm that whatever signing tool you adopt uses one of them and meets all four conditions before your first electronic filing.
Which documents need the seal?
Documents and plats that come out of your land surveying practice, and reports as well. C.R.S. § 12-120-316(2) sets that list, so the duty reaches beyond drawn work to written surveying output.
Treat survey reports the same way you treat plats: seal, signature and date through the seal. Our collection of Colorado land surveyor seal examples shows the seal on different document types.
When do Colorado surveyor licenses expire?
On October 31 of odd-numbered years. Under 4 CCR 730-1, Rules 1.3(A)(3) and 1.4, every license this board issues shares that date, which puts all licensees on one statewide two-year cycle.
Mark the date well ahead. None of the four face elements is an expiration date, so the device itself does not change with renewal; your renewal date is the thing to track.
What should you send with an order?
Your name as you want it lettered, your license number, and which device types you want: crimp, rubber stamp, computer generated, or a combination. The legend and designation wording come from the rule.
Build every device to the same nominal circle sizes so your impressions match across formats. If you want help planning the face, our article on designing a Colorado land surveyor seal covers the choices.
How do you check a new seal?
Stamp a test sheet and confirm both circles are present, the number sits centered in the inner circle, and COLORADO LICENSED and PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR each run on an arc. Then check your name letter by letter.
Finish with a signing test: sign and date through the impression and make sure the number stays readable. If the signature buries the number, adjust the layout before the device goes into use.
Frequently asked questions
Does nominally mean my seal can be slightly off 1-5/8 inches?
The rule describes both circle sizes as nominal but does not state a tolerance. Order to the stated figures.
Can I use a crimp seal if my signature has to appear through it?
The crimp type is authorized by name. Rule 1.6(A)(3) still requires your signature and date to appear through the seal, whichever device you use.
Can I cover both paper plats and electronic files?
Yes. C.R.S. § 12-120-316 names the crimp, rubber stamp and computer generated types separately and lets you hold more than one, so a physical device for paper and a computer generated seal for files is a lawful combination.
What happens if I seal a document after October 31 without renewing?
The cited rules set the expiry date but do not address sealing after a lapse. Renew before the deadline so the question never arises.
Is the date the day I sign or the day the survey was done?
The date of signature. Rule 1.6(A)(3) ties the date to the signature affixed to the document.
When your details are ready, order your devices from our Colorado stamps and seals collection.
