A South Carolina land surveyor seal is a circle at least 1.5 inches across that carries your name, your license number and one of four prescribed surveyor designations. Its design is modeled on the seal prescribed for the Board. A wet rubber stamp, a raised embosser or a computer-generated seal all qualify, provided each one matches the approved impression seal. This page covers wording, size, devices, signing, documents and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207.A(1) and the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name and license number | Both appear on the face of the seal. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207.A(1) |
| Designation | One of four: Professional Land Surveyor, Professional Photogrammetric Surveyor, Professional GIS Surveyor, or Professional Land Surveyor TIER B. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207.A(1) |
| Overall design | Round, and similar to the seal prescribed for the Board. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207.A(1) |
| Size | A diameter of 1.5 inches or more; only a minimum is given. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Devices | Wet rubber stamp, raised embossed seal or computer-generated seal. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Matching condition | Every device has to equal the approved impression seal in size, design and content. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Signature | Placed into the seal without burying the impression. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Documents to seal | Surveying documents presented for filing or handed to a client. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Electronic transmittal | The regulation takes an unusual position that is easy to reverse by mistake; its steps are not restated here. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
| Lapse or renewal | The seal rule is silent on both. | S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 |
To compare South Carolina with every other jurisdiction, see our table of land surveyor seal requirements by state. Before any of this applies you need the South Carolina license itself; how to become a licensed land surveyor covers the routes, the FS and PS exams and any state exam.
What goes on a South Carolina land surveyor seal?
Three items plus a design standard. The face shows your name, your license number and one prescribed surveyor designation, and the seal as a whole is a circle similar to the one prescribed for the Board, under S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207.A(1).
The designation line is the one element you select, and the next section covers it. Your name and number should match your license record exactly, since they identify you to anyone reading the sheet. Our overview of South Carolina land surveyor rules and guidelines places the seal within the wider rulebook.
Which designation belongs on your seal?
One of the four the regulation prescribes for surveyors. Your seal carries a single designation drawn from that list, spelled exactly the way the regulation spells it, including the capitalized TIER in the TIER B form.
- Professional Land Surveyor
- Professional Photogrammetric Surveyor
- Professional GIS Surveyor
- Professional Land Surveyor TIER B
The designation is cut into the die, so confirm which one applies to your license before you approve a proof. Changing it later means a new die. Our guide on what to look for in a South Carolina land surveyor stamp covers proof checks in more depth.
How large must the seal be?
At least 1.5 inches in diameter, and circular. S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 sets a floor and no ceiling, so any round seal at or above 1.5 inches meets the size rule, provided it also follows the Board-style design.
Because only a minimum is stated, anything larger is your call. Weigh the space in your title block against the room your signature needs inside the seal before you choose a bigger die.
Which devices can a South Carolina surveyor use?
Three kinds: a wet-seal rubber stamp, a raised embossed seal or a computer-generated seal. The regulation permits each of them on one condition: the device must match the approved impression seal exactly in size, design and content.
The embosser allowance stands out. A raised seal counts as the required device in South Carolina, which does not hold in every state. For more on the seal itself, see our piece on using the South Carolina land surveyor seal.
If you own more than one device, each has to reproduce the same approved impression. A stamp and an embosser cut to different sizes, or carrying different wording, would break the matching condition.
How do you sign a South Carolina seal?
You sign into the seal, but the signature must not bury the impression. S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 wants your signature to sit within the seal while the seal itself stays visible beneath the pen stroke.
That favors a controlled signature over a heavy scrawl across the whole face. Try it on scrap paper with the actual stamp before you sign a plat that is going out the door.
Which documents need the seal?
Surveying documents that are presented for filing or presented to a client. Either destination is enough to bring the document under S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207, so treat both routes the same way.
Whether a sheet is headed for filing or going straight to a client, it goes out sealed. Build the seal step into your delivery routine so no document leaves the office without it.
How does South Carolina treat electronic transmittal?
Differently from what many surveyors expect. S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 takes an unusual position on documents sent electronically, and it is easy to apply backwards. This page does not restate its steps, so read that provision itself before emailing a sealed file.
What the regulation does settle is that a computer-generated seal is one of the three permitted devices, held to the same matching condition as a stamp or embosser. The transmittal question is separate from the device question, so answer both before you send a file.
What happens to the seal when a license lapses?
The seal rule does not say. S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 49-207 is silent on renewal and lapse, so it gives no instruction on using, storing or giving up the seal once a license stops being current.
Because the seal rule leaves the point open, nothing on this page should be read as permission to keep sealing after a lapse.
What should you have ready when you order?
Your name, your license number and the designation that applies to your license, along with the diameter you want at 1.5 inches or more. The Board-style circular design completes the face.
If you plan to use more than one device, order them from the same artwork so the matching condition is met from the start. Our article on the South Carolina land surveyor stamp and your career puts the purchase in context.
How do you check the first impression?
Stamp a scrap sheet and measure the circle. It should be 1.5 inches across or larger, and your name, license number and designation should read exactly as ordered, with the designation matching one of the four prescribed forms.
Then sign into a test impression the way you will on a real document and confirm the seal is still readable under the signature. If you also use an embosser or a computer-generated seal, lay the impressions side by side to confirm they match in size, design and content.
Frequently asked questions
Can my seal be larger than 1.5 inches?
Yes. The regulation sets 1.5 inches as a minimum diameter and states no maximum, so a larger round seal still meets the size rule.
Can I seal with only an embosser and no ink stamp?
Yes. A raised embossed seal is one of the three permitted devices on its own, as long as it matches the approved impression seal in size, design and content.
Can my computer-generated seal use a simpler layout than my stamp?
No. A computer-generated seal is held to the same condition as the other devices, so it must be identical to the approved impression seal in size, design and content.
Does a self-inking stamp count as a rubber stamp?
A self-inking stamp is a rubber stamp that inks itself and leaves a wet impression, so it fits the rubber stamp (wet seal) class. Like any device, it has to match the approved impression seal in size, design and content.
Can my signature run over the lettering on the seal?
It can sit inside the seal, but it must not bury the impression. A signature that leaves the seal unreadable has gone past what the regulation allows.
Once your designation is confirmed, order a round seal of 1.5 inches or more from our South Carolina stamps and seals collection.
