Seal on a structural product which will built on another state?

[chrislaope]

Good morning,

I have a question regarding stamping on drawings of a structural product which will built in another state which I am not registered. The city (the structural product will be built) building official says they accept out of state engineer's stamp, therefore the customer asks me to put my stamp on the drawings to get the permit from the city authority to build this product. Is it legally correct? will I get legal trouble in future?

Thanks for your answer>

 

[woodman88]

A city rarely has the legal right to do this. You need to check the state engineering rules for the state it is being built in. Also, you should check with the state on your seal to see if they are okay with it.

Garth Dreger PE - AZ Phoenix area
As EOR's we should take the responsibility to design our structures to support the components we allow in our design per that industry standards.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I designed a precast concrete culvert which my boss reviewed and stamped. The box is being produced in our state and shipped and installed in the next state over. My boss agreed that there was no way we could justify using our state stamp and we had to look into getting the stamp for the state it was installed in. We never checked the actual rules of the state but I suspect he's right.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

 

[JAE]

You use the term "product" instead of "building" or "structure". I think the engineering laws tend to focus more on physical in-place structures vs. widgets produced by a company.

For "products/widgets" I think this falls under product liability laws vs. engineering board state laws. Depends on the product you are designing and how it is used I would think.

Calling the state board and asking is always a good first step (the state board in which you are not licensed).



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[chrislaope]

JAE: Thank you very much.

It is a nonbuilding structure not similar to buildings. Will this category fall under product liability laws?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[chrislaope]

JAE:

More information on this topic:

This nonbuilding structure not similar to buildings is one part of a project, The EOR of the whole project is a PE registered in that state. And the city building official indicated to him (the EOR) that he(the city building official) will accept out of state PE stamp for this nonbuilding structure not similar to buildings as a part of the project (not whole project). Will this information helps me out of future possible legal/ethical trouble?

Thanks.

 

[JAE]

I don't know.

Certainly the EOR of each project can specify the your type of product carry the seal of "any" PE from any state. But if the state engineering laws say otherwise that your type of engineering effort/product/design falls under their jurisdiction and under their definition of engineering practice, you might be subject to their board fining you. With you out of state I'm not sure what legal power they would have over you.

If it was me - I'd call each and every state board as your projects develop and talk it over with them.

I don't have an image of what your "product" is so I'm not sure of its position with respect to the engineering practice laws.



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[JStephen]

An item custom-designed for installation in a certain place would generally require a seal in that place (if it required a seal).
This is quite often not spelled out in engineering rules, unfortunately. The rules clearly regulate engineering in that state, but they don't always make it clear that you can "practice engineering" in a state without having ever set foot therein.

Generally, it wouldn't be objectionable to YOUR state to put your seal on a project that went elsewhere- it's that other state's rules that are the issue. You can engineer stuff on the moon and put your instate seal on it.