How do I check the engineer's stamp and license on my ADU plans?

Look at the seal, then look up the license. A California Professional Engineer's seal must show the engineer's name, license number and branch, with "State of California" in the bottom border, and each stamped plan sheet must be signed and dated. You can confirm the license is current through the license lookup run by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG).

What a valid seal and signature include

• Seal contents. Board Rule 411 (16 CCR 411) requires "Professional Engineer," "Registered Professional Engineer" or "Licensed Professional Engineer" in the top border, "State of California" in the bottom border, and the licensee's name, license number and branch in the center.
• Every sheet. For electrical and mechanical engineering, B&P 6735.3 and 6735.4 require permitted plans to carry the signature, seal and date of signing on each sheet. Calculations and reports need them at least on the title, cover or signature sheet.
• Digital is allowed. Rule 411 permits an electronically generated seal and an electronically applied signature. Los Angeles, for example, accepts wet or electronic stamps and signatures.
• Not allowed. The same rule prohibits preprinting blank forms with the seal or signature, decals of the seal or signature, and rubber-stamped signatures.

How to verify the license

1. Open BPELSG's License Lookup page and follow its link to the Department of Consumer Affairs search.
2. Search by the number on the seal (numbers only, no leading zeros) or by name.
3. Check the license type letter. BPELSG uses C for civil, E for electrical and M for mechanical.
4. Check the status. "Clear" means current and valid. Delinquent, cancelled, retired, revoked and suspended licensees do not have the right to practice.
5. If anything looks off, call the Board. BPELSG notes that even a Clear license can have complaint or disciplinary history, and not all enforcement information is online.

Other checks worth making

• California license. B&P 6730 requires anyone practicing civil, electrical or mechanical engineering in California to be licensed by the California board, so a license from another state alone is not enough.
• Architects. If an architect stamps your MEP sheets, the California Architects Board runs its own license verification.
• Matching sheets. Confirm the stamped sheets are the same version you are submitting, with the same revision dates.

What this means for your MEP plans

If your city requires stamped MEP sheets, every sheet you submit should carry a current California seal, signature and date. Changes made after stamping should go back to the engineer; under B&P 6735.3 and 6735.4, an engineer is not responsible for later changes they did not authorize. At MEP Plans USA, a PE stamp is a separately quoted add-on where your jurisdiction requires one. Learn more in Do I need an engineering stamp? and PE stamps for California MEP plans. Requirements vary, so confirm with your building department.

Sources: bpelsg.ca.gov, bpelsg.ca.gov, bpelsg.ca.gov, dbs.lacity.gov, cab.ca.gov.