HELP PREVENT FRAUD

Stolen, photocopied, and altered plans are being used at an alarming rate

Quick Checks To Determine if you have an ILLEGAL PLAN:

For PDF - Electronic/Digital Plans

For plans WITHOUT an address in the title block / header

  • The ONLY valid electronic plans have a VERIFIABLE DIGITAL SIGNATURE (see below).
  • If a PDF plan has no address and has an ink seal and is not encrypted (see below), it is a FRAUD & modified without our knowledge.
  • Under any circumstance, if a PDF plan has a seal with a rubbed pencil to show the seal, it is a FRAUD - DO NOT ACCEPT.

For plans WITH a proper address in the title block / header

  • First, make SURE The project is truly site specific - An address on a general performance evaluation is a FRAUD
  • If the plan is truly site-specific & there is a proper address in the title block / header, the plan MUST be digitally signed to be valid (see below).

See more information on electronic plans
(digital signatures) below.

For Paper-Physical Plans

For plans WITHOUT an address in the title block / header

  • This office ONLY EMBOSSES paper plans without project addresses (performance evaluations). If there is an INK STAMP, it's a copy & a FRAUD.
  • If an address is ever hand written on a plan or doesn't match the font / style, it is a FRAUD
  • Plans without an address are general performance evaluations. They REQUIRE a design professional to adapt the general plan to any site-specific address. DO NOT ACCEPT A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION WITHOUT A QUALIFIED PERSON TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADAPTING TO A SITE-SPECIFIC LOCATION. THAT IS NOT DONE BY THIS FIRM!

For plans WITH a proper address in the title block / header

  • Printed site-specific plans are most likely sealed with a wet-ink seal. This introduces a higher risk of misuse.
  • If a site-specific plan has an ink seal, LOOK CLOSELY - is there anything written on the plan? does the font/details look altered in any way? Does it look like a photocopy? If any of this is true, it is a FRAUD
  • One test to tell if a wet-seal plan is original: Look on the back & see if the ink bled through. Copies don't bleed ink!

See more information on printed plans
(physical seals) below.

CALL OUR DIRECT HOTLINE AT (954) 519-5119 OR USE THE ONLINE CHAT FOR IMMEDIATE HELP

About Certifying Plans Throughout the US

Engineering Express has numerous multi-state engineers on staff states that provide both physical & digital certifications for our plans & calculations.

Requirements for certifying plans in each state varies. Contact this office or check with your local municipality to determine the proper method for properly certifying plans in the state of the project in question.

FL PE Seal SampleSeal Example from Florida Guidelines

Understanding Digital Signatures

Quick Summary:

  • A PDF with a scanned seal image is NOT a digitally signed document - It's a PHOTOCPY and NOT VALID FOR USE ANYWHERE IN THE US WITHOUT VERIFICATION
  • A self-signed PDF is NOT A DIGITALLY SIGNED DOCUMENT. ANYONE CAN FORGE THAT!!

How to verify a digital signature:

(Adobe example)

Read Our In-Depth How-To for Bluebeam & Adobe Digital Signature Verification

Case Study: Florida Law (most all states have a similar rule)

There are two forms of digital signatures. One is an ‘electronic signature’ and one is a ‘digital signature’.  An electronic signature is ‘self-signed’ through programs like adobe acrobat meaning you just ‘electronically sign the document’.  The trouble with this is there is no way to verify that the electronic signature is truly yours.  Therefore, states such as Florida (a leader in digital seal rules and the example set forth for other states) require the engineer electing to use the (free) electronic signature to prepare a hand signed & sealed ‘affidavit’ verifying the code (SHA-1) on the electronic signature truly belongs to them.   For Florida, this is FAC rule 61G15-23.005.

Engineering Express exclusively uses the digital signature method:

Alternatively, the ‘digital signature’ method, FAC rule 61G15-23.004. This method utilizes a third-party pay service to authenticate the signature via a secure cloud link to a pre-verified key.  The reader of the document can click on the digital signature and see that it is in fact authentic.
The NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying) has written a helpful article on the topic which can be found here.
States in the US have adopted many variations of the electronic signature rule which are fast-evolving with the rush to digital work.  

Find current laws by state by clicking here ($10 to purchase through the National Society of Professional Engineers – NSPE)

GENERALLY ACCEPTED RULE APPLYING TO DIGITALLY SEALED PLANS:

 Documents digitally signed may be transmitted electronically as long as the signature is unique to and under the sole control of the person who applied it, be capable of verification and be linked to the document in such a manner that the signature is invalidated if any data on the document is altered

Understanding Physical (Printed) Seals

Most all states require original signatures and an embossed, ink (referred to as ‘wet’ seal) or CAD produced seals for physically printed engineering documents.  Some states don’t permit all formats so it is encouraged to check with each governing board for proper seal format.  Regardless of format, photocopies of plans should never be accepted as the primary engineering document due to risk of fraud, misuse, and liability.

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) maintains a database of physical and digital seal guidelines by state found by clicking here.

 

Physical seals are fast being replaced by the more secure & efficient digital signature.

Remember This Rule:

Once digital, always digital.  Once hard copy, always hard copy.


Translation:  Digitally sealed plans can only exist in digital space.
Once a printed document is scanned, that’s not the originally sealed product.

Other Helpful Information

Browse our knowledge base by clicking here to learn more about digitally & physically sealed plans.

Click to browse our article to learn how to validate a 3rd party digital seal by using Adobe or Bluebeam. 

The signature of the principal engineer of the firm is frequently questioned.  The registered signature of Frank Bennardo PE is a double left-handed swirl that appears in the image to the right.  

If there are any questions as to the validity of a hand or digital signature please contact the office.

Frank Bennardo PE Signature Sample

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