A New Mexico professional engineer's seal must be a three-circle design showing the words professional engineer and New Mexico, your license number from the board, and your name as licensed. The outer circle measures 1-1/2 inches across, the middle 1 inch and the inner 1/2 inch. Your original signature and the signing date go beside the seal. This page covers wording, size, devices, signing, electronic signatures and ordering.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC and the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Profession wording | The words professional engineer. | 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC |
| State wording | The words New Mexico. | 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC |
| Your name | In the form your license shows. | 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC |
| License number | The number the board issued you. | 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC |
| Circle diameters | A round seal with three circles: 1-1/2 inches outside, 1 inch in the middle, 1/2 inch at the center. | 16.39.3.12(C)(1) and (C)(1)(2) NMAC |
| Accepted devices | An impression seal, a rubber stamp, or a facsimile generated by computer. | 16.39.3.12(B) NMAC |
| Signing beside the seal | Your original signature next to the seal, with the date you signed. | 16.39.3.12(A) NMAC |
| Documents to seal | Engineering reports, final design drawings, and the certification page of any specifications, all from the licensee who is in responsible charge. | 16.39.3.12(A), (E), (F) and (G) NMAC |
| Electronic signature | Accepted as an alternative, with security left to the licensee. | 16.39.3.12(H) and (A) NMAC |
| Renewal and lapse | The seal rule is silent on both. | 16.39.3.12(D) NMAC (grandfathered seals) |
For the same rule in the other 53 jurisdictions, read professional engineer seal requirements by state.
What must a New Mexico engineer seal contain?
Four items under 16.39.3.12(C) NMAC: the words professional engineer, the words New Mexico, the license number the board issued you, and your name as licensed. Each one is required.
The number is the board's number for you, so copy it from your license rather than from an older document. More on the regulation itself is in our overview of New Mexico PE stamp regulations.
What size and shape is the New Mexico seal?
A circular seal built from three circles: the outermost 1-1/2 inches in diameter, the middle 1 inch, and the innermost 1/2 inch. New Mexico states these as exact figures in 16.39.3.12(C)(1) and (C)(1)(2) NMAC.
Because the rule fixes all three rings, measuring only the outer edge is not enough. When you review a proof, check the middle and inner circles as well.
Which devices can make a New Mexico seal impression?
Three types are named in 16.39.3.12(B) NMAC: an impression-type seal, a rubber stamp, or a computer-generated facsimile. Any of the three can carry the three-circle design, so the choice comes down to how you issue documents.
The embosser and the rubber stamp serve paper sets, while a computer-generated facsimile fits drawings produced and issued digitally. A facsimile is a copy of the seal, so it carries the same four items inside the same three circles as a physical impression. Our guide to obtaining a New Mexico engineering license stamp covers the physical options.
Where do the signature and date go?
Next to the seal. Under 16.39.3.12(A) NMAC, your original signature appears adjacent to the seal or stamp, together with the date you applied that signature. Both are required every time.
The word original matters: the rule asks for your own signature beside the impression. Plan the title block with enough room next to the seal for both the signature and the date.
Is an electronic signature acceptable in New Mexico?
Yes, as an option. 16.39.3.12(H) and (A) NMAC accept an electronic signature on professional documents in place of a permanently legible one, and they make the licensee responsible for security.
In practice, the signing method you choose is your responsibility, including who can reach it. Our article on meeting New Mexico PE stamp requirements from draft to approval covers the wider workflow.
Which New Mexico documents need the seal?
Three kinds, per 16.39.3.12(A) NMAC: engineering reports, the certification page for specifications, and final engineering design drawings, each one the work of the licensee who is in responsible charge.
For a wider look at how the seal provisions fit together, see our summary of New Mexico engineering stamp laws.
Does the seal rule say anything about license lapse?
No. The seal rule does not address renewal or lapse. The provision cited on that point, 16.39.3.12(D) NMAC (grandfathered seals), deals with older seals and is silent on what happens when a license expires.
So this page states no New Mexico rule on sealing after expiration, and it does not borrow one from another state.
What should you supply when ordering a New Mexico seal?
Your name as licensed and your board-issued license number, plus the device you want. The fixed wording and the three circles with their diameters are the same on every New Mexico engineer seal, so those need nothing from you.
Tell us if you want the design on more than one device, such as a rubber stamp for paper sets and an embosser as well. Our article on the New Mexico engineering seal gives more background.
How do you check a New Mexico seal impression?
Measure and read. The outer circle should come out at 1-1/2 inches, the middle at 1 inch and the inner at 1/2 inch, and all four required items should appear with your name and number exactly right.
Then test the signing position. Stamp a sample title block and confirm there is room beside the seal for your original signature and the date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order a 2-inch New Mexico seal?
The rule states exact diameters, with the outer circle at 1-1/2 inches. A 2-inch outer ring would not match the stated size.
Is the date beside my signature the drawing date?
No. The rule asks for the date you put your signature on the sheet, which is the day you sign, not the date on the drawing.
Does every page of a specification book need the seal?
The rule names the certification page of specifications. That is the page the seal requirement points to.
Do preliminary drawings need the seal?
Subsection (A) names final engineering design drawings. Preliminary drawings are not on that list.
Can the name on the seal differ from my license?
No. The rule calls for your name as licensed, so the seal should match the name on your New Mexico license.
Which board regulates New Mexico engineer seals?
The Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors. Its seal provisions are the 16.39.3.12 subsections cited throughout this page.
With your license number ready, order a New Mexico engineer seal cut to the three-circle layout.
