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Sealing & signing drawings electronically

  • 1.  Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-24-2016 10:12 PM

    I'm curious how many of you are going about electronically affixing your seal and signature to your final drawings.

    1. Are you placing seal/signature on the original file (Autocad, Revit); or, on the final PDF?
    2. Are you placing seal and signature as single images or as separate, overlaid images?
    3. Are you the only person who has access to your seal/signature for this purpose; or, is it readily available to production staff to "turn on" in the titleblock or to pull from the server for insertion into a drawing file?
    4. Do you physically sign a seal and handwrite the seal date, after which the image is scanned and inserted into the drawing file?
    5. Assuming the titleblock provides for a date field, are there circumstances when this date differs from the seal date?  If so, what are these circumstances?
    6. Please share the basic workflow for affixing your seal and signature to your electronic files.
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    Mike Leinback AIA
    Senior Project Manager
    Dewberry
    Jacksonville TX
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  • 2.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-25-2016 05:24 PM

    Right, wrong or indifferent, we place the seal on the drawings electronically, then hand sign and date each sheet over the seal.  These "originals" are then scanned as contract documents and placed in the flat file like the old days. 

     

    Tommy Jameson, AIA

     

    JAMESON Architects PA

    300 Pulaski Street

    Little Rock, Arkansas  72201

    501-666-6600

    www.jamesonarchitects.com

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-26-2016 05:57 PM

    I have a 2D CAD version of my seal that is placed on each drawing. Pennsylvania (or at least the municipalities in which I work) only require that an architect sign the first sheet. I sign it with a blue pen and date it. 

    I can't understand how any singular method authenticates the person sealing the drawings more than any other way unless the code officials start requiring us to sign in front of them (shhh...don't give them any ideas).

    ------------------------------
    Lee Calisti AIA
    Principal
    lee CALISTI architecture+design
    Greensburg PA

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-27-2016 05:33 PM

    New Jersey (which represent about 80% of our work) requires a raised seal. Our signatures are inserts in the dwg or rvt files. Before issuing signed and sealed drawing we adjust the date, thaw the signature layer, and freeze the "Preliminary Not For Construction Stamp" that would normally print in the signature area. The result is a pdf or plot with signature and date. The AOR controls the seal and each individual sheet is sealed with a raised seal as required by the state board regulations.

    We do have pending legislation that would permit electronic signature and seal with a 3rd party verification service, No one I have spoken too really knows what that means yet . . . 

    Ink on vellum anyone ;)

    ------------------------------
    Robert Longo AIA
    Partner
    Cornerstone Architectural Group
    South Plainfield NJ

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-31-2016 12:17 PM
    The fundamental answer to the original question lies with AHJ. However, the question to the AHJ regarding permit document submission requirements needs to include a thorough request. There is a huge difference between a digital signature and an electronic signature.
    Digital signatures are tied to a registered individual that has applied for that signature via software package or third party agency, who in part issues a serial number to the signature applicant. A digital signature ensures that the document has not been modified after the drawing has been signed. When a digitally signed document is modified, the digital signature is invalidated.
    An electronic signature (pdf of hand signature or software signature inserted into an active file) document image not unlike a A/E company logo. An electronic signature offers no document control to the professional of record.
    Google digital signature versus electronic signature for a thorough and concise legal understanding.
    Digital signatures are the only way to efile permit documents and maintain secure verifiable control contract documents.
    Sealing the documents is a digital signature customization unfamiliar to me. I insert the seal image the old fashion (and unsecured) way. To the best of my knowledge, NJ and FLA still require embossed seals.
    Hope this helps.
    Brendan J. Murray


    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-25-2016 05:54 PM
    California now allows digital stamp and signature, by state law, except for the first sheet, which ends a wet signature.  Some jurisdictions seem to not to know, or don't care, and still require wet signed.

    We have always had the digital stamp, but used to wet sign each sheet.  Now we just have a jpeg image with my signature, available to staff, to plug into the drawings.  We are not too concerned about mis-use or theft, but maybe we should be…..


    Jim Zack, AIA         |     principal




    t.     415.495.7889, ext. 201 • f. 415.495.7869 


    156 south park
     • 
    san francisco, ca
     • 
    94107




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-25-2016 06:31 PM

    We have used electronic seal and signature successfully for most submittals, but are occasionally asked to provide the top sheet wet signed. Usually we know the officials who review the drawings and they have not requested wet signatures.

    Ken Kornberg

    Kornberg Associates

    Menlo Park, CA 

    ------------------------------
    Kenneth Kornberg AIA
    Principal
    Kornberg Associates/Architects
    Menlo Park CA

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-25-2016 07:30 PM

    Much depends on how the government requires it.  Locally they requested a clean copy of seal and signature for there file, and then they created a login for me which I can protect the login id & password, and then upload drawings for each project.

    I do have a electronic symbol for my seal and place that on the cover sheet with index only for the copy that gets submitted in pdf form.

    Biddinng etc. do not include the seal, never has.

    Office of 1, so easy to keep out of other hands.

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    Roger Donaldson AIA
    Member Architect
    Roger L Donaldson, AIA P.L.C.
    Holt MI

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-26-2016 05:53 AM

    The practice in our office is pretty simple.  The Architect uses a rubber stamp on a piece of paper, then signs and dates the seal.

    The seal is scanned and inserted onto each sheet in the drawings and the date of the drawings are reset to correspond to the date on the seal.

    ------------------------------
    Michael Clark AIA
    Director Of Design
    H&H Design-Build
    New Albany IN

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-29-2016 01:35 PM
    Minor Correction to earlier response for California: As odd as it sounds, California doesn't actually mandate "wet signatures" on documents - unfortunately, it also fails in our Architect's Practice Act, specifically to condone it either.  My California colleague is correct in that many jurisdictions still have a written requirement/standard that state "wet stamp and signature" required.  Years ago, I contacted the State Board of Architects to get clarification on the issue.  They confirmed it was hogwash to make such  request.  They provided me with a letter that was addressed to Building Officials (at large) that stipulated that they cannot, and should not put such requirements on the documents as it doesn't reflect the Practice Act.  We asked kindly that should review their boilerplate forms/comments and cease stipulating such language.  I've attached it to many Plan Check response letters over the years.  It has proven quite useful and saved my hand from cramping on large sets.

    To answer the question posted more directly, I, too, like several other respondents, have created in CAD both a stamp/seal to XREF onto sheets as well as a CAD signature (in a separate file).   Additionally, we've created a "rubber stamp" in Acrobat which has both stamp/seal and signature (also in blue) which you can stamp onto a PDF.  Be sure to adjust the security properties to "lock them" so nobody can edit/copy the stamps.  The last part is the kicker - adjust those settings or someone can copy it all.


    Best regards,

    craig m. hausman, a.i.a. 
    hausman* architecture, inc
    710 12th street  sacramento  ca 95814

    t. 916.204.8919





    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-26-2016 07:24 AM

    this blanket question is wrought with ambiguity.  the sign and seal requirements are not consistent across jurisdictions.  You need to confirm what is allowed by the State where the project is located , and what limitations may or may not be placed on protecting your signature is allowed in electronic format. 

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    Kerry Hogue AIA
    HKS, Inc.
    Dallas TX

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-27-2016 05:43 PM

    Each State has it's own laws.  CT recently updated it's statutes to allow electronic seals and signatures by Architects, but the language was no properly edite3d, so way it is worded has been legally interpreted to mean that it only can be used for electronic transfer of documents, where that is the practice / is allowed.  If a Building Department required hard copy signed and sealed drawings to be submitted for permit, you cannot print a hard copy including a seal and signature that was inserted electronically.  In the latter case each page of the drawings must be hand signed and either rubber stamped or raised sealed.  The law allows for the front cover of the specifications only to be so signed and sealed, not every page!  (phew)

    Below is a letter that was sent to the State Building Inspector from the CT Architectural Licensing Board:


    S T A T E O F  C O N N E C T I C U T
    ARCHITECTURAL LICENSING BOARD
    165 CAPITOL AVENUE, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106

    January 15, 2016

    Department of Administrative Services
    165 Capitol Avenue
    Hartford, CT 06106

    ATT:      Mr. Joseph V. Cassidy
    Acting State Building Inspector

    Re: Letter dated December 3, 3015 to the Architectural Licensing Board

    Dear Mr. Cassidy,

    The Architectural Licensing Board discussed your letter to them, dated December 3, 2015, at their
    meeting held January 15, 2016 concerning the acceptance of documents with electronic seals by a
    Building Official. In response to the questions asked in this letter, the Board offers their
    responses as stated below.

    Question #1: “When submitting documents requiring a seal in accordance with CGS 20-293 to a local
    Building Official, is an electronic seal only acceptable for documents submitted in electronic
    form, i.e. via internet upload, email, etc.?”

    Board response: Yes.

    Question #2: May documents that are generated electronically, but subsequently printed and
    submitted as
    hard copy to the Building Official have electronic seals or are they required to have live wet
    seals?”

    Board response: All documents submitted as hard copy must have live seals.

    The Board invites you to their March 18, 2016 Board Meeting should you have any additional
    questions.

    Sincerely,


    S. Edward Jeter, Chairman
    Architectural Licensing Board

    Telephone 860.713.6050 ● Fax 860.713.7243 ● TDD 860.713.7240
    Internet Web Site: www.ct.gov/dcp
    An Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer

    ------------------------------
    Bruce Spiewak AIA
    Principal
    Bruce J. Spiewak, AIA, Consulting Architect, LLC
    West Haven CT

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 05-31-2016 12:10 PM

    Thanks to all of you who have responded thus far. 

    A new, but related question for those of you who are ONLY sealing the PDF version of each document----

    Following release of the original drawing set for construction, whenever there is a need to release an updated version of a particular drawing (with clouds denoting revisions to the drawing and a date associated with each change), do you add a new seal and CURRENT date to the revised PDF?  For our purposes here, I am assuming that you have returned to your Cad or BIM-authoring software to affect the necessary revisions; and, are now generating a new PDF to be released to the contractor.

    ------------------------------
    Mike Leinback AIA
    Senior Project Manager
    Dewberry
    Dallas TX

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 06-01-2016 05:37 PM

    Whether a revised document needs to re-signed and re-sealed could be dependent on the nature of the revision and the requirements of the specific AHJ.

    ------------------------------
    Kerry Hogue AIA
    HKS, Inc.
    Dallas TX

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Sealing & signing drawings electronically

    Posted 06-01-2016 06:07 PM

    For electronic submittals in Florida, which represents most of our work, we add a digital stamp of the seal in Bluebeam Revu and flatten it.  We then upload each sheet to a third-party electronic signature service (Docu-Sign) and add a digital signature and signature date.  The final version has the graphic signature, seal, and related certificates.  Some of the jurisdictions in Florida do not require Architects to apply the third-party signature certificates beyond the version used in Adobe Acrobat Pro.  However, the process we use is required by Florida statute for our engineers when submitting digitally and by some jurisdictions that have reconciled the different standards.  Each sheet is individually signed and submitted as a compiled PDF portfolio.  

    We've not provided access for our production team members, though it would not be hard for them to find if they went looking on the server.  They do not have access to the online third party certification service. 

    There is a date in the title block, which typically matches the date signed and issued.  This new process is so much easier than the previous crimped seal method we had to use long after the engineers and other disciplines were permitted to wet seal their documents.

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    Daniel Dixon AIA
    Dan Dixon Architects, LLC (DDA)
    Orlando, FL

    Original Message