Stamps

Vector-rendered stamps that look like ink

A digital stamp that looks like a low-resolution scan undermines the professionalism of the document underneath it. A stamp built from a state's regulatory specifications and rendered as SVG is sharp at every zoom, prints crisply at any size, and respects the format your licensing board actually requires. We treat the stamp as a designed artifact, not an upload-and-pray image.

Executive summary

Stamps are SVG vector renderings built from per-state, per-profession definitions. Layout (circular, rectangular, badge), border style, font, and per-state required fields are all data, not a flattened image. Print-ready at any size; pixel-perfect on screen.

The visual stamp is never the integrity layer — that job belongs to the X.509 PKI signature underneath. The stamp is for human recognizability. The signature is for machine verification. Different layers, different jobs, no confusion between them.

Our commitments

Five rules for the stamp

01

Vector first, raster never

Stamps are SVG. They render crisply at any zoom and print at any size without artifacts. We do not ship raster stamps.

02

State requirements are data, not boilerplate

Per-state, per-profession stamp definitions live in a registry. Required fields, layout rules, and border styles are encoded; you cannot accidentally ship a stamp that does not meet your state's spec.

03

The visual is not the integrity

The X.509 signature beneath the stamp is the cryptographic proof. The stamp is for the human reader. We never conflate them.

04

Stamps render server-side at seal time

The stamp is generated fresh per seal — not cached as a flattened image. State changes (e.g. license number update) propagate immediately to new seals.

05

The designer is constrained, not creative

The stamp builder enforces state requirements. You can pick a font, a color, a layout — within the rules your licensing board allows. We do not let users invent a non-compliant stamp.

Implementation — the stamp model

What lives in the stamp registry

Stamp definition Per state × profession Stamp definitions across 50 states and 4 seal-eligible professions
Layout type Circular / rectangular / badge Per-state choice; not user-overridable when state mandates a layout
Required fields State-driven Name, license number, region, signature line — what the state requires, where the state requires it
Color palette State-allowed only Some states require red ink; others allow black or blue. The picker enforces it
Font From the approved list Per-state. State PE boards often specify legibility minimums
Border style Single, double, or none Encoded per state spec; not freeform
Render output SVG embedded in PDF Vector overlay on the seal page; sharp at every zoom
Storage Per-credential reference The stamp belongs to the credential; updating the credential updates the stamp

Implementation — the designer

What the stamp builder lets you change

Layout Per state spec Locked when state mandates; selectable when state allows
Font Approved-list dropdown State-driven; we do not show fonts the state does not accept
Color State-allowed swatches Red / black / blue depending on state
Border None / single / double Per state; some states require, some forbid, some are silent
Live preview Side-by-side preview See the stamp render against a sample document as you adjust
Compliance check Pre-save validation Configuration that does not meet state spec is blocked at save with a specific error
Save & finalize Two-step Draft state → finalized state; finalized stamps are used for sealing

The full picture

What is built, what is being built, and what we chose not to build

Live today

Per-state, per-profession stamp definitions

Live

4 seal-eligible professions × 50 states; required fields, layouts, and constraints encoded as data.

Visual stamp designer with state enforcement

Live

Live preview, approved-only options, pre-save compliance check.

SVG vector rendering

Live

Sharp at every zoom; embedded in the sealed PDF as a vector overlay.

Server-side render at seal time

Live

No cached flattened image; state changes propagate immediately to new seals.

Stamp export (PNG, PDF, SVG)

Live

For external uses (cover letters, stationery) — separate from the sealed-document path.

Bring your own stamp image

Live

Upload a high-resolution stamp; we vectorize and validate it against the per-state spec before sealing accepts it.

Building now

Multi-region stamp configuration

Building now

Engineers licensed in multiple states get a per-region stamp library — sealing picks the correct one based on project location.

Per-organization brand defaults

Building now

A firm's color and font preferences as the default starting point, while still enforcing state-spec constraints.

Position template editor

Building now

Per-document type, define where on the page the stamp lands. Today, the default position is the seal page footer.

Roadmap

Embossed-effect rendering

Roadmap

Optional embossed visual style for stamps in jurisdictions that emphasize a raised-impression look.

Hand-signature integration

Roadmap

A vectorized signature line above or beside the stamp, drawn from a stored signature asset.

Per-document watermark layer

Roadmap

Optional decorative watermark independent of the stamp; for projects that want both.

Considered & rejected

Raster (PNG / JPEG) stamps as the rendering primitive

Considered & rejected

Raster looks like a photograph at any zoom. Vector looks like ink.

Why we rejected it: a digital stamp that pixelates at 200% zoom undermines the professionalism of the document. SVG renders crisply at any size, on any monitor, in any printer. We do not ship raster as the seal asset.

Freeform stamp design without state validation

Considered & rejected

A stamp that does not meet your state's spec is a stamp that fails the next regulatory review.

Why we rejected it: every "let users design freely" creates a path where someone ships a non-compliant stamp by accident. The designer is constrained on purpose. The constraint is the feature.

Treating the stamp as the integrity surface

Considered & rejected

A visual element does not survive screenshots; cryptographic hashes do not survive bit changes.

Why we rejected it: every "the stamp itself is tamper-evident" claim collapses under copy-paste. The X.509 signature underneath is the integrity. The stamp is the human-recognizable artifact. We do not pretend the stamp is doing the cryptographic job.

Caching the rendered stamp as a flattened image

Considered & rejected

A cached image that does not update when the credential updates is a stamp that lies.

Why we rejected it: caching the flattened render saves a few milliseconds at seal time and creates a path where a credential change does not propagate to the next seal. We render fresh, every time. The cost is negligible; the correctness is non-negotiable.

Compliance mappings

Controls this surface satisfies

State PE board rules Per state

Stamp format compliance

468 per-state-per-profession definitions encoded as data

NCEES Model Rules §245.20

Engineer's seal requirements

Required fields, layout, and content per the model rule

ISO 27001 A.10.1.1

Cryptographic controls

Visual stamp is presentation; X.509 signature underneath is integrity

ESIGN Act §101(d)(1)

Retention of contracts and records

Vector-rendered stamps reproduce identically over time

For compliance teams

Questions you do not need to call to ask

How do you ensure stamp format compliance across 50 states?
A per-state, per-profession stamp definition registry encodes required fields, layout rules, color and font constraints. The designer enforces these at edit time; sealing rejects stamps that do not validate against the current state spec.
What happens if a state changes its stamp requirements?
The registry is data, not code. Updates roll out via a deploy; existing finalized stamps re-validate on the next seal. If the new spec invalidates an existing stamp, sealing prompts the user to update before the next operation.
Can a user upload a hand-drawn or photographed stamp?
Yes — we vectorize and validate it against the per-state spec. If the upload does not match the spec (wrong layout, missing field, wrong color), it is rejected with a specific error. We do not let an upload bypass the state requirement.
What format is the embedded stamp in the sealed PDF?
SVG vector, embedded as a PDF object. Renders sharply at every zoom and prints at any size without artifacts. Standard PDF readers display it natively.
Is the stamp the same as the cryptographic seal?
No. The visual stamp is for human recognizability. The X.509 PKI signature underneath is the cryptographic integrity. They are different layers; the stamp does not perform tamper detection.
Can engineers licensed in multiple states have multiple stamps?
Multi-region stamp libraries are in active development. Today, engineers can manage per-credential stamps; sealing on a project picks the matching credential's stamp.

A stamp that looks like ink, validated like code

See the stamp designer or browse the per-state spec registry.

Get Started See credentials