Fla. Stat. § 481.221 — Florida Code / Title XXXII / Chapter 481 / Part I / Section 481.221
481.221 Seals; display of certificate number.
Status: in_force

(1) The board shall prescribe, by rule, one or more forms of seals to be used by registered architects holding valid certificates of registration.

(2) Each registered architect shall obtain one seal in a form approved by rule of the board and may, in addition, register her or his seal electronically in accordance with ss. 668.001-668.006. All final construction documents and instruments of service which include drawings, plans, specifications, or reports prepared or issued by the registered architect and being filed for public record shall bear the signature and seal of the registered architect who prepared or approved the document and the date on which they were sealed. The signature, date, and seal shall be evidence of the authenticity of that to which they are affixed. Final plans, specifications, or reports prepared or issued by a registered architect may be transmitted electronically and may be signed by the registered architect, dated, and sealed electronically with the seal in accordance with ss. 668.001-668.006.

(3) The board shall adopt a rule prescribing the distinctly different seals to be used by registered interior designers holding valid certificates of registration. Each registered interior designer shall obtain a seal as prescribed by the board, and all drawings, plans, specifications, or reports prepared or issued by the registered interior designer and being filed for public record shall bear the signature and seal of the registered interior designer who prepared or approved the document and the date on which they were sealed. The signature, date, and seal shall be evidence of the authenticity of that to which they are affixed. Final plans, specifications, or reports prepared or issued by a registered interior designer may be transmitted electronically and may be signed by the registered interior designer, dated, and sealed electronically with the seal in accordance with ss. 668.001-668.006.

(4) No registered architect shall affix, or permit to be affixed, her or his seal or signature to any final construction document or instrument of service which includes any plan, specification, drawing, or other document which depicts work which she or he is not competent to perform.

(5) No registered interior designer shall affix, or permit to be affixed, her or his seal or signature to any plan, specification, drawing, or other document which depicts work which she or he is not competent or registered to perform.

(6) No registered architect shall affix her or his signature or seal to any final construction document or instrument of service which includes drawings, plans, specifications, or architectural documents which were not prepared by her or him or under her or his responsible supervising control or by another registered architect and reviewed, approved, or modified and adopted by her or him as her or his own work according to rules adopted by the board.

(7) No registered interior designer shall affix her or his signature or seal to any plans, specifications, or other documents which were not prepared by her or him or under her or his responsible supervising control or by another registered interior designer and reviewed, approved, or modified and adopted by her or him as her or his own work according to rules adopted by the board.

(8) Final construction documents or instruments of service which include plans, drawings, specifications, or other architectural documents prepared by a registered architect as part of her or his architectural practice shall be of a sufficiently high standard to clearly and accurately indicate or illustrate all essential parts of the work to which they refer.

(9) Studies, drawings, specifications, and other related documents prepared by a registered interior designer in providing interior design services shall be of a sufficiently high standard to clearly and accurately indicate all essential parts of the work to which they refer.

(10) Each registered architect must include her or his license number in any newspaper, telephone directory, or other advertising medium used by the registered licensee. Each business organization must include the license number of the registered architect who serves as the qualifying agent for that business organization in any newspaper, telephone directory, or other advertising medium used by the business organization.

(11) When the certificate of registration of a registered architect or interior designer has been revoked or suspended by the board, the registered architect or interior designer shall surrender her or his seal to the secretary of the board within a period of 30 days after the revocation or suspension has become effective. If the certificate of the registered architect or interior designer has been suspended for a period of time, her or his seal shall be returned to her or him upon expiration of the suspension period.

(12) A person may not sign and seal by any means any final plan, specification, or report after her or his certificate of registration has expired or is suspended or revoked. A registered architect or interior designer whose certificate of registration is suspended or revoked shall, within 30 days after the effective date of the suspension or revocation, surrender her or his seal to the executive director of the board and confirm in writing to the executive director the cancellation of the registered architect’s or interior designer’s electronic signature in accordance with ss. 668.001-668.006. When a registered architect’s or interior designer’s certificate of registration is suspended for a period of time, her or his seal shall be returned upon expiration of the period of suspension.

History: ss. 12, 19, ch. 79-273; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 14, 23, 24, ch. 88-383; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 416, ch. 97-103; s. 1, ch. 2005-30; s. 2, ch. 2005-124; s. 50, ch. 2020-160.