If you have recently become licensed, there are a few things you need to know about your Maine land surveyor stamp. From acceptable sizes and formats to the manner in which it must be used, understanding the rules and requirements will protect your licensing and your career as a land surveyor.

Appearance

All Maine land surveyor stamps must be 1-5/8” in diameter. You are permitted to use either an embossing style seal, or a rubber stamp that used ink for affixing to official documents.

There are specific requirements for the layout of your seal as well. It must contain two concentric circles, with the largest making up the outside boundary of the seal. The inner circle on the Maine land surveyor seal is slightly smaller than the outer ring, which creates a space between the two. Inside this space at the top, the words “State of Maine” must appear. In the lower space between the circles, the words “Land Surveyor” are required. Inside the smaller circle, the licensee’s name is entered over two lines, with the license number being right below it. Across the bottom arc of the smaller circle, the word “Professional” is required.

Using a Maine Land Surveyor Stamp

There are also specific usage guidelines that licensees must follow when using their Maine land surveyor stamps. The seal is required on all maps, reports, plats, drawings, plans and other related final documents. The seal should only be used on documents that you prepare, or those that are created by employees that you directly supervise. It is unlawful for any surveyor to attach his or her seal to documentation that was generated by another party.

It is important that newly licensed surveyors understand just what their seal means when placed on a final document. Your official Maine land surveyor stamp indicates that you have verified the information that each report contains and found it to be in compliance with all applicable regulations and codes. Additionally, your seal assigns full responsibility of the information to you, which means you can be held responsible for any issues or damages that arise through the use of incorrect information found in the reports. The potential ramifications and fines associated with these damages, or fixing them, can be quite high, which highlights the importance of making sure your Maine land surveyor seal is only put on documents that you have verified.

If you have any additional questions or concerns about using your Maine land surveyor stamp, the Maine Legislature website provides all requirements and changes that have been applied. Make sure to check the website frequently to make sure you remain in compliance with any legislation changes that may occur throughout your career as a land surveyor in Maine. Failing to do so could result in fines and other penalties that could affect both your usage of the Maine land surveyor stamp and your licensing.