Your city or county Building and Safety Department,
Department of Public Works, Planning Department, or municipal utility
will be able to advise you about code requirements and what permits,
plans, and maps are required, if any. These agencies can also inform
you specifically when a professional engineer or professional land
surveyor is required.
All civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering
final plans, specifications, and reports must:
- be prepared by a registered engineer or by a subordinate under
his or her direction;
- contain the engineer's signature and seal or stamp;
- contain the registration expiration date; and
- if multiple pages or sheets have been prepared, the
signature, seal or stamp, and expiration date need only appear
on the original plans and on the original title sheets.
Before you attempt to design or alter structures, prepare surveys,
or hire an unregistered person to prepare your project, you may
want to consider the following:
- Unregistered or unlicensed persons are allowed to perform
engineering or land surveying services for you only if they
are working under the responsible charge and direct supervision
of a registered professional engineer or licensed professional
land surveyor.
- Responsible charge relates to the span or degree of control
a professional engineer or professional land surveyor is required
to maintain while exercising control and direction and to the
decisions which can be made only by a professional engineer
or professional land surveyor.
- Contact your local city or county building officials and/or
county surveyor's office. Local officials will be familiar with
factors of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as the
local environmental conditions in various areas of the state,
such as snow loads, high winds, earthquake activity, or tidal
action.
