A Pennsylvania geologist seal names you as registered, gives your registration number, refers to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and carries the legend Registered Professional Geologist. The standard seal is 1 3/4 inches across, and a pocket seal may drop to 1 1/2 inches. Your signature may cross the seal. This page covers contents, size, devices, signing, sealed documents, digital seals, expiration and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) and the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Legend | Registered Professional Geologist. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) |
| Name and number | Your name in its registered form, plus your registration number. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) |
| State reference | The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is named on the face. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) |
| Standard diameter | 1 3/4 inches. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) |
| Pocket seal | A reduced size of 1 1/2 inches is allowed. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) |
| Devices | Four are permitted, each on conditions. | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.58(d), 37.59(2) |
| Signature | May run across the seal, but one element of the seal is protected. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(2), (4), (7) |
| Documents | Documents in final or complete form that go to a client for its files, or to a public or government agency for final review. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(1), (2), (3), (6) |
| Digital seal | Section 37.60 pairs a digital seal with a digital signature under parallel requirements. In force since December 17, 2022 (52 Pa.B. 7709), after being added December 16, 2022. | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.56a, 37.60 |
| Expiration | Registration is biennial and ends September 30 of each odd-numbered year. No sealing once licensure status has expired. | 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.18, 37.19, 37.59(5) |
What must a Pennsylvania geologist seal show?
Four items under 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b): the Registered Professional Geologist legend, your name in its registered form, your registration number, and a mention of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. None of the four is optional.
Take your name from your registration, not from letterhead or an older stamp, because the rule ties the seal to the name as registered. The legend reads Registered Professional Geologist in full.
For ideas on laying out those four items, read our article on designing a Pennsylvania geologist seal.
What size is the seal, and when can it be smaller?
The standard seal is 1 3/4 inches in diameter. The one exception is a pocket seal, which 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) allows to be reduced to 1 1/2 inches. The seal is circular in both cases.
These are two fixed figures rather than a range. A seal sized between them, or larger than 1 3/4 inches, matches neither number the rule names.
If you choose the pocket size, order it at 1 1/2 inches exactly. That is the only reduced figure the rule gives.
Which devices can apply the seal?
Pennsylvania permits four devices, and none of them comes free of conditions. The list and its conditions sit in 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.58(d), 37.59(2), which is the text to follow when you choose a device.
Because the permission is conditional, confirm that the device you want and the way you plan to use it both fit those two provisions. A device that appears on the list can still be used outside its conditions.
Our article on the Pennsylvania geologist stamp has more on the physical device.
Can you sign across the seal?
Yes. 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(2), (4), (7) allows a signature that crosses the seal, with one limit: a single element of the seal is protected, and your signature must not obscure it.
The provision identifies which element that is, so read it alongside your artwork and plan a signature path that leaves the protected element clear. Settling this at the proof stage is far easier than reworking a title block later.
Which documents get sealed?
Documents in final or complete form that you issue to a client for its records, or that go to a public or governmental agency for final review. That is the scope 49 Pa. Code § 37.59(1), (2), (3), (6) sets out.
Two things trigger the seal: the document is finished, and it leaves your hands for a client or an agency. For more background, see our guide to Pennsylvania geologist stamp regulations.
Is a digital seal allowed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Section 37.60, cited with § 37.56a, sets up matching sets of requirements for a digital seal and a digital signature. It was added on December 16, 2022 and took effect December 17, 2022, published at 52 Pa.B. 7709.
Because the section treats the two in parallel, set up your digital seal and your digital signature together rather than one at a time.
When does registration expire?
Registration is biennial, and it ends on a fixed calendar date rather than an anniversary: September 30 of each odd-numbered year. Section 37.19(a) sets that date, within 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.18, 37.19, 37.59(5).
Because the date is fixed, it is the same for every registrant on the two-year cycle. Put it on your calendar well ahead of time. Our article on Pennsylvania geologist certification covers the credential itself.
What does the rule bar after expiration?
Section 37.59(5) forbids a registrant to affix a seal and signature to a document, or to let one be applied, once the registrant's licensure status has expired. It also forbids helping another person get around the act.
The bar reaches delegation. Letting a staff member apply your seal and signature after expiration is as much a breach as doing it yourself, so lock the device away until renewal is complete.
What should you have ready when you order?
Your registered name and registration number, plus the size: 1 3/4 inches for the standard seal or 1 1/2 inches for a pocket seal. Then match your device choice to the conditional options in 49 Pa. Code §§ 37.58(d), 37.59(2).
Copy the name and number from your registration record rather than typing them from memory. Our overview of the Pennsylvania geologist seal gives more background before you buy.
How do you check a new seal before first use?
Stamp a test sheet and confirm the four elements: the Registered Professional Geologist legend, your registered name, your registration number and the Commonwealth reference. Then measure the diameter against 1 3/4 inches, or 1 1/2 inches for a pocket seal.
Sign across the test impression the way you will on a live document, and make sure the protected element stays fully readable.
Every other jurisdiction is compared in our geologist seal rules for all 54 U.S. jurisdictions, with the citation for each.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1 5/8 inch seal acceptable in Pennsylvania?
No figure in 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(c) matches it. The rule names 1 3/4 inches for the standard seal and 1 1/2 inches for a pocket seal.
Does a pocket seal drop any of the four elements?
No. Section 37.58(c) lets the diameter shrink to 1 1/2 inches, and the contents listed in 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b) still apply to the smaller seal.
Should my expiration date appear on the seal?
It is not among the four elements in 49 Pa. Code § 37.58(b). The face carries the legend, your registered name, your registration number and the Commonwealth reference.
Is the geologist seal governed by the engineering board?
One board covers all three professions: the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Your seal still carries its own legend, Registered Professional Geologist.
What happens if my renewal misses September 30?
Once licensure status has expired, section 37.59(5) bars you from affixing your seal and signature and from allowing anyone else to apply them. The bar holds until your status is current again.
With your registered name and number at hand, choose your seal size from our Pennsylvania stamps and seals collection.
