Digitally Signing and Sealing Documents

Electronically transmitted documents can be signed and sealed by one of two methods: digital signing and sealing; or electronic signing and sealing.

A digital signature must be unique to the Professional using it, obtained from a third-party certification authority, and capable of verification. The certification authority will vet the professional and provide a password-protected digital signature file. (Miami-Dade County does not approve or provide a list of authorities.)

An electronic signature for a file of documents is created by a piece of software called a secure hash standard (or SHA) authentication code generator. Electronic signatures does not have third party verification. After completing a project, you create a computer file that contains as many sheets as necessary for the engineering project. The file is run through the generator, which provides a string of numbers and letters (the SHA authentication code) that is used in your document’s signature report.

The printable signature report must include your name and license number, and list all items to which the electronic signature applies. The signature report must be printed and hand signed, dated, and sealed.

Once you have purchased your digital certificate, the certification authority will provide you instructions on how to install your digital certificate. It is recommended to save your certificate in two locations (browser or usb). You can export or insert it for use on other devices and/or for safe keeping in case your installed certificate is lost. This could include your local computer or on an external drive.

Digital Signature

Below are examples of digitally signed and sealed signature images with seal and without. If no image of your seal is included, the signature block must contain all of the information that would appear in the seal.

When engineering calculations, specifications, reports or other documents contain multiple sheets or pages, the design professional may apply a single digital signature per PDF file.  A digital signature applied computer PDF file shall have the same force and effect as signing all the individual sheets or pages contained within that item.

Miami-Dade County Guidelines indicate that each drawing shall have its own PDF file, no multiple sheets in one PDF file are allowed for the drawings.

Electronic Signature

The signed and sealed report must be sent along with the electronically signed and sealed file either by hardcopy or electronic scan.

Printed copies of electronically signed, dated, and sealed documents are not considered signed and sealed.

Simply encrypting, securing, or locking an electronic file does not constitute a digital or electronic signature or seal.

Examples with seal and without are below. If no image of your seal is included, the signature block must contain all of the information that would appear in the seal.

1. The Delegated Engineer sends the shop drawings and calculations without digital signature to the Architect/Engineer of Record who adds an image of a review stamp to the PDFs approving the documents and then sends them back to the Delegated Engineer who applies the digital signature to the documents. The files are now ready to be submitted to the County through the upload portal
2. The Delegated Engineer applies the digital signature to the shop drawings and calculations which are then sent to the Architect/Engineer of Record who adds an image of a review stamp to the PDFs approving the documents and then sends them back to the Delegated Engineer who must put a second digital signature to revalidate the documents. At this point the files are now ready to be submitted to the County through the portal
3. The Delegated Engineer applies the digital signature to the shop drawings and calculations which are then sent to the Architect/Engineer of Record who generates a signed and sealed letter indicating shop drawings have been approved. The letter must include a detailed index of what is approved, including drawing names and/or sheet numbers, calculation name/content and number of pages.  The letter must be digitally signed and submitted together with the shop drawings through the County’s portal

• Drawings: Each sheet should be a separate PDF file. Each sheet must be signed and sealed by the Delegated Engineer and must contain the approval stamp from the Architect/Engineer of Record
• Calculations: Must be submitted as a single PDF, and only the cover/index page needs to be signed and sealed by the Delegated Engineer and must contain the approval stamp from the Architect/Engineer of Record