Sealing requirements

[FSS]

Where can I find in writing guidelines on whether drawings need to be sealed by a PE for federal projects? My primary interest is Florida, but with potential projects spread out in multiple states and the Carribean answers from any region would be appreciated. For example, Florida requires drawings for public record to be sealed (or something along those lines) but I have also heard that federal sites don't need sealed drawings. And so the confusion goes.

 

[Polecat]

FSS:

You might be interested in reading thru the comments on
thread 507-11540, a 9/27 posting called "An Ethical Question (plan stamping)."

I also live in Florida (a Native, no less), and all I can tell you is that if you are involved in a project that is NOT located on Federal property, you will probably need to have it sealed in order to comply with the local county codes.

http://www.spiraleng.com

If you wish to visit my website, we can discuss these or other issues further.

 

[JAE]

FSS:
Yes, please refer to the thread indicated above. We have provided engineering on numerous federal projects in many states over the last six plus years. We have found that if a project:
a) Is on Federal property.
b) Is managed, and occupied by a federal agency
c) and is not required to be sealed by the federal agency

you do not have to seal the plans. I was actually challenged by a western state on a federal project a couple of years ago. The state had a provision that denied even the ability to market yourself as an engineer prior to licensing in their state.

We had entered into a design-build contract on a federal project that met the above criteria. The licensing application, by me, was simply to be licensed and seal the plans, even though I technically didn't have to. The state reviewed my case and went ahead with giving me my license in their state. They agreed that a federal project, on federal land, did not fall within their jurisdiction. Technically, the property is not really part of their state. No building permit was required so there was no controlling agency, state-wise, that would have required the seal. Its similar, in legal terms, to a country's foreign embassy in another country. The land around the embassy is actually considered foreign soil.

Now we usually go ahead with getting our license in the state, but we really don't have to.

We did have to get letters from the federal agency backing up our claim that I'm sure helped. Be careful on a couple of things:
1. Each state is different and may react more or less aggressively to situations like this.
2. Your federal client may actually require you to get licensed and seal the plans even though the state has no say in the matter.
3. Some federal projects are on leased land. This situation does require a seal.

 

[FSS]

JAE and Polecat, thanks for response. It was that thread you refer to that prompted my question. Figured question was different enough to start new thread. Is the answer anywhere in writing that I can print or otherwise refer to when trying to settle a dispute?

 

[JAE]

I'm not aware of any written directive from a Fed. agency for this. There are so many federal agencies and each state apparently has to be convinced seperately if they haven't been confronted with this issue before....which would be surprising if they hadn't.