OAR 806-010-0045
Stamps, Seals and Signatures

(1) Every registered architect shall have a stamp or seal bearing the name of the registrant only, together with the city and state in which the architect’s principal office is located. The stamp or seal may include the architect’s registration number issued by the Board.
(2) The seal must be one of crimp type, rubber stamp type, or may be electronic.
(3) All technical submissions which are required by public authorities for building permits or regulatory approvals, or are intended for construction purposes, including all addenda and other changes to such submissions, shall be sealed and signed by the architect.
(4) The term “signature” or “signed” as used in ORS Chapter 671 (Architects) means the following:
(a) A handwritten or digital representation of a handwritten identification that represents the act of the architect putting the architect’s name on a document to attest to its validity. The handwritten or digital representation must be:
(A) An original written by hand;
(B) A scanned image of an original, handwritten identification; or
(C) A digital identification that is an electronic authentication process attached to or logically associated with an electronic document.
(b) Signatures must be:
(A) Permanently affixed to the document(s) being certified;
(B) Applied to the document by the identified registrant;
(C) Placed across the seal/stamp of the registrant;
(D) Unique to the registrant using it;
(E) Capable of independent verification; and
(F) Under the exclusive control of the registrant using it.
(5) The stamp with the registrant’s manual or digital signature must appear on the title page of specifications and on every sheet of the drawings intended for permit or construction, whether or not the project is exempt under ORS 671.030 (Activities not considered as “practice of architecture”), and must be the stamp of an Oregon registered architect with control and supervision of the project. If the specifications and drawings bear the name of an Oregon registered architectural firm, the registrant stamping the documents must also possess written legal authority to accept responsibility for the specifications and drawings on behalf of the firm. The originals may be reproduced for permit and construction purposes.
(6) By signing and sealing a technical submission, the architect represents that the architect was in responsible control over the content of such technical submissions during their preparation and has applied the required professional standard of care.
(7) An architect may not seal and sign, or countersign, or allow their seal or signature to be affixed to any architectural plans, drawings, documents, specifications or reports not prepared by them or under their responsible control and supervision.
(8) Any architect signing or sealing technical submissions not prepared by that architect, but prepared under the architect’s responsible control, will maintain and make available to the Board, upon request, reasonably adequate records to demonstrate the nature and extent of the architect’s control over, and professional knowledge of, such technical submissions throughout their preparation.
(9) Notwithstanding other sections of these rules, a successor registered architect may complete a deceased or disabled architect’s drawings and specifications intended for permitting and construction as though they were the successor’s original, but must perform a thorough review and will become fully responsible for the content. The successor registered architect must use their own title block, seal, and signature, and must remove the title block, seal, and signature of the deceased or disabled architect.
[ED. NOTE: Images referenced are available from the agency.]

Source: Rule 806-010-0045 — Stamps, Seals and Signatures, https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=806-010-0045.

Last Updated

Jun. 24, 2021

Rule 806-010-0045’s source at or​.us