Electronic Stamp (E-Stamp)
Electronic Stamp — Legal in Every State
An electronic stamp (e-stamp) is a digitally applied professional seal — the same name, license number, and state that appear on a rubber stamp, placed on a PDF or CAD file instead of paper. Every US state and the District of Columbia accept electronically sealed engineering documents; most also require a digital signature that locks the file so any later change invalidates the seal.
Electronic stamp (e-stamp)
The visual seal image itself, applied to a digital file. It carries the licensee's name, license number, discipline, and state — exactly what a wet stamp carries.
Digital seal / digital signature
The cryptographic layer bound to the document. It proves who sealed the file and breaks if a single byte changes. Most boards require it alongside the e-stamp image.
Wet stamp
A physical rubber or embossed stamp pressed onto paper, then signed and dated by hand. Still accepted everywhere; still required by a handful of permit offices.
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E-stamp, digital stamp, electronic seal — what's the difference?
These terms overlap, but each names something specific. An e-stamp (also written estamp) is the everyday, colloquial name for a seal applied to a digital file. An electronic seal is that seal image applied electronically to a document. A digital stamp or digital signature goes further: it cryptographically binds the seal to the file so any later change is detectable and the signer is provable. In practice a compliant sealed document uses an electronic seal image plus a digital signature together. For the signature semantics see electronic vs digital signatures explained ; to compare with paper, see electronic vs wet stamps .
Electronic seal acceptance by state
| State | Electronic seals | What the board requires | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 330-X-11-.02, .03 |
| Alaska | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors. | 12 AAC 36.185; AS 08.48.221 |
| Arizona | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 32-125 |
| Arkansas | Accepted | Under the sole control of the person who applied it | Ark. Code Ann. § 17-48-105 |
| California | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. | Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 411 |
| Colorado | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 12-25-217 |
| Connecticut | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature; Meets the federal Digital Signature Standard; Cannot be altered after signing | Conn. Gen. Stat. tit. 20, ch. 391 |
| Delaware | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Delaware Association of Professional Engineers. | 24 Del. C. §§ 2719–2720 |
| District of Columbia | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, § 1516.3, .5 |
| Florida | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. | FAC 61G15-23.002 |
| Georgia | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Georgia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. | O.C.G.A. § 43-15-22 |
| Hawaii | Accepted | As of September 2023 (HAR §16-115-3 amendment), Hawaii accepts digital signatures on all plans, specifications, maps, and reports. Digital signatures must be cryptographically authenticated and under the sole control of the licensee. Confirm current board guidance for your specific project type. | HAR §16-115-8 |
| Idaho | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Idaho Board of Licensure of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. | IDAPA 24.32.01.015 |
| Illinois | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Design Professionals. | IAC §1380.295 |
| Indiana | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Indiana State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. | IAC Title 864, Art 1.1, Rule 2 |
| Iowa | Accepted | Verifies the signature is that of a specific person; Detects any change made after the signature is affixed | IAC 193C-6.1(542B) |
| Kansas | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions. | KAR 66-6-1 |
| Kentucky | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature; Transmitted in a read-only format; At least one delivered copy bears the licensee's original stamp | 201 KAR 18:104 |
| Louisiana | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board. | LAC Title 46, Part LXI, Ch 27 |
| Maine | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Maine State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers. | Me. Bd. of Licensure for PEs, Ch. 2 § 11 |
| Maryland | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Maryland State Board for Professional Engineers. | Md. Code Ann., Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 14-403 |
| Massachusetts | Accepted | A properly encrypted digital signature with an electronic authentication process; Verifiable and uniquely linked so any change invalidates it; Private key/certificate kept under the licensee's sole and exclusive control (e.g., on a smart card) | 250 CMR 3.05(3) |
| Michigan | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Michigan Board of Professional Engineers. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 339.2008 |
| Minnesota | Accepted | An electronic depiction that accurately reproduces the licensee's actual signature | Minn. Stat. § 326.11 |
| Mississippi | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. | Miss. Bd. of Licensure for PE & PS, Rules & Regs. 14.03 |
| Missouri | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 327.411 |
| Montana | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Montana Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. | Mont. Code Ann. §§ 37-67-101, 37-67-314 |
| Nebraska | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-3454 |
| Nevada | Accepted | The document file is locked electronically to prevent changes; Secure encryption prevents copying, transferring, or removing the seal and signature; Applied by the licensee in responsible charge of the work | Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 625.565, 625.080 |
| New Hampshire | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the New Hampshire Board of Professional Engineers. | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 310-A:18 |
| New Jersey | Accepted | Rubber-stamp seals are not permitted. Paper documents must be sealed with an impression-type embosser that crimps the paper, or with a digital seal (N.J.A.C. 13:40-8.1). | N.J.A.C. 13:40-8.1 |
| New Mexico | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the New Mexico Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors. | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 61-23-21 |
| New York | Accepted | Embossing, rubber-stamp, and electronic seals are all accepted by the State Board, but electronic signatures are voluntary under New York's ESRA — a receiving public or local authority is not required to accept them, so confirm with the filing jurisdiction. | 8 NYCRR §68.13 |
| North Carolina | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | 21 NCAC 56.1106 |
| North Dakota | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the North Dakota State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. | N.D. Cent. Code § 43-19.1-21 |
| Ohio | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | Ohio Rev. Code § 4733.14 |
| Oklahoma | Accepted | Unique to the engineer using it; Capable of verification; Under the sole responsibility and control of the engineer affixing it | Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 475.18 |
| Oregon | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature; Verifiable by a third party; Carries one permanently linked digital signature; Meets the board's size requirements | Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 672.020, 672.025 |
| Pennsylvania | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. | 49 Pa. Code § 37.59 |
| Rhode Island | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Rhode Island Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 5-8-14, 5-8.1-12 |
| South Carolina | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the South Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. | S.C. Code Regs. 49-207 |
| South Dakota | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | S.D. Codified Laws § 36-18A-45 |
| Tennessee | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. | Tenn. Code §§ 62-2-306, 62-18-119 |
| Texas | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. | 22 TAC §137.31 |
| Utah | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing - Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. | Utah Code Ann. § 58-22-602 |
| Vermont | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Vermont Board of Professional Engineering. | 26 V.S.A. § 2596 |
| Virginia | Accepted | A unique identification of the professional; Verifiable; Under the professional's direct control | 18 VAC 10-20-760 |
| Washington | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature; Transforms the record so a recipient can detect any alteration made after signing | Rev. Code Wash. § 18.43.070 |
| West Virginia | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the West Virginia State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. | W. Va. Code § 30-13A-19 |
| Wisconsin | Accepted | No additional electronic-seal conditions published by the Wisconsin Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers, and Professional Land Surveyors. | Wis. Admin. Code A-E 8.10 |
| Wyoming | Accepted | Unique to the licensee using it; Capable of independent verification; Under the sole control of the licensee; Linked to the document so any later change invalidates the signature | Wyo. Stat. § 33-29-129 |
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<a href="https://engineeringid.com/electronic-stamp">Electronic seal acceptance by US state — EngineeringID</a>Frequently asked
What is an electronic stamp?
An electronic stamp — often written e-stamp — is a professional seal applied to a digital document instead of paper. It shows the licensee's name, license number, discipline, and state, and it carries the same legal weight as a wet stamp when the board's electronic-seal rules are followed.
Is an electronic stamp the same as a digital signature?
No. The electronic stamp is the seal image. The digital signature is the cryptography that binds the seal to the file, identifies the signer, and detects any later change. Most state boards require both together.
Are electronic stamps legal in every state?
Yes. All 50 states and the District of Columbia accept electronically sealed engineering documents. The conditions differ: some states require the file to be locked against edits, some require independent verification of the signature, and some permit offices still ask for a wet stamp on the record copy.
Does an electronic stamp expire?
The stamp image does not, but the license behind it does. A document sealed while your license was active stays valid; you cannot apply your seal after a license lapses.
How do I create a digital seal?
Generate a board-compliant seal image from your license details, then apply it to PDFs with a digital signature so the document is cryptographically locked. EngineeringID's free stamp tool produces the seal; the platform applies the tamper-evident signature.
Is an e-stamp the same as a digital signature?
No. An e-stamp is the seal image applied electronically; a digital signature is the cryptographic layer that proves who signed and that nothing changed afterward. Many state boards require both.