Idaho law sets no wording list, size or shape for a land surveyor seal; the board decides the design under Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e). The statute allows a rubber stamp, a crimp or an electronically generated image. Once a license has expired or been retired, suspended or revoked, affixing the seal is unlawful until it is renewed, reinstated or reissued. This page covers each rule and your order.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) and the Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Face content | No statute or rule lists it. The design the board has adopted is what governs. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) |
| Holder of both licenses | Uses the board-adopted seal that shows licensure as a Professional Engineer and as a Land Surveyor. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) |
| Diameter or ratio | None given in the statute or the board's rules, and no dimensioned artwork is published. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) (design delegated to the board) |
| Outline | No shape is stated. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) (design delegated to the board) |
| Devices named in statute | Rubber stamp, crimp, or an image generated electronically. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a) |
| CAD-generated seal | Confirmed as acceptable in the board's Ethics and Professional Practice Manual, alongside a rubber stamp or crimp. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a) |
| Electronic technology | None is specified, and the board runs no approval process for it. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a), (c) |
| Signature and date | Latitude on where they go; firm limits on how they are reproduced. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a), (c) |
| Documents to seal | Final plats, land surveys, plans, drawings, specifications, reports, calculations and design information given to a client or to any public or governmental agency. | Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(b), (c) |
| Sealing after the license ends | Unlawful after expiration, retirement, suspension or revocation, unless the license is renewed, reinstated or reissued. Allowing someone else to affix it is barred too. | Idaho Code §§ 54-1215(3), 54-1216 |
For the same rule in the other 53 jurisdictions, read land surveyor seal requirements by state. Not yet licensed? The land surveyor licensing path by state lays out the steps Idaho requires first.
Who decides what an Idaho land surveyor seal looks like?
The board does. Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e) hands the design to the Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors, and neither the statute nor the rules list the words or elements that go on the face.
That makes the board's adopted design the only reference for content. Order from that design, not from a template built for another state. For more on the rules, read our Idaho surveyor stamp and seal guidelines.
The practical effect is that an Idaho seal cannot be specified from the statute alone. The statute tells you what the seal does and when it is used; the board's design tells you what it shows.
Which documents must be sealed?
Final work presented to a client or to any public or governmental agency: plats, land surveys, plans, drawings, specifications, reports, calculations and design information. Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(b) and (c) set the list for that final work.
The duty turns on two things together: the document is final, and it goes to a client or an agency. Before you release a survey or plat on those terms, it takes your seal. For the compliance side, see our article on Idaho land surveyor seal compliance.
Where do the signature and date go?
Idaho gives you latitude on where the signature and date sit relative to the seal, and it is firm about how they are reproduced. Both points come from Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a) and (c).
In practice, placement is the easy part. Reproduction is where to be careful: read subsection (c) before you rely on any reproduced signature or date, and check how both appear on every copy you issue.
Is there a required size or shape?
No. Idaho Code § 54-1215 gives no diameter, no ratio and no shape, because the statute leaves the design to the board. The board does not publish dimensioned artwork either, so no official measurement exists to copy.
For your order, choose a size that holds the board-adopted content at a comfortable, legible scale. See our pages on design guidance for Idaho land surveyor seals and Idaho surveyor stamp and seal specifications for related reading.
Keep the same size across your physical seal and any electronic image, so the two read as one design even though Idaho does not fix the figure.
Which devices can apply the seal?
Three, named in the statute itself: a rubber stamp, a crimp, or an electronically generated image. Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a) lists them, so an inked stamp, an embosser and a digital image are all lawful formats for a land surveyor.
You can pair two of them: a physical device for paper originals and an image for electronic files. Either way, the content comes from the same board-adopted design.
Can you seal documents electronically in Idaho?
Yes. Electronic sealing is permitted, and Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(a) and (c) do not name any particular technology for it. The electronically generated image is one of the three devices the statute recognizes.
Because no technology is named, the part you control is the image itself. Build it from the board-adopted design, keep the file where only you can apply it, and check that it prints cleanly at the size you use on paper.
When does sealing become unlawful?
When the license is no longer active because it expired, was retired, or was suspended or revoked. Idaho Code §§ 54-1215(3) and 54-1216 make it unlawful to affix your seal and signature to any document in those cases, until the license is renewed, reinstated or reissued.
Keep renewal ahead of the expiration date so sealing never stops in the middle of a project. If a license lapses, stop using the seal and any electronic image until the license is current again.
What should you give us for an order?
The board-adopted design you are working from, whether you hold one license or both, and the device you want. Size is your choice, since Idaho prescribes none, so tell us the diameter or dimensions you prefer.
- A copy of the board-adopted design, with your details as they should appear
- Land surveyor only, or both engineering and surveying licenses
- Device: rubber stamp, crimp, or an electronic image
- Preferred size
For help picking a device, see our guide to choosing a land surveyor stamp in Idaho.
How do you test an impression before use?
Compare a test impression against the board-adopted design line by line, then check that it reads clearly. Since Idaho sets no size, the test is fidelity to the adopted design and legibility, not a measurement.
- Every element of the board-adopted design is present
- Your details are spelled correctly
- A dual licensee's seal shows both professions
- The impression reads cleanly, with no broken or filled letters
- An electronic image prints at the size you intend
If you also hold an Idaho geologist license, the Idaho geologist seal rules set out what that seal must carry.
Frequently asked questions
Do Idaho's administrative rules add a seal size?
No. IDAPA 24.32.01 contains no diameter, ratio or shape for the seal, which matches the silence in Idaho Code § 54-1215.
Does a seal generated in CAD software satisfy Idaho law?
Yes. According to the board's Ethics and Professional Practice Manual, a seal produced by a CAD system satisfies the requirement, as a rubber stamp or crimp does.
Does the board approve electronic sealing software?
No approval process exists. The statute names no technology, and the board does not run a review of the tools you use.
Can someone else apply my seal after my license lapses?
No. The prohibition covers permitting your seal and signature to be affixed, not only affixing them yourself, so staff cannot keep using your seal on your behalf.
Do I need a separate seal for each license if I hold both?
A dual licensee uses the board-adopted seal that shows licensure as both a Professional Engineer and a Land Surveyor, under Idaho Code § 54-1215(3)(e).
Once you have the board-adopted design in hand, order your seal from our Idaho land surveyor stamps and seals collection.
