PE stamp in Michigan: the statewide code and the LARA seal

When a Michigan PE stamp is required

The Board of Professional Engineers, under the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, licenses Professional Engineers through the Occupational Code. A licensee seals and signs plans, specifications, and reports that the licensee issues and files with a public authority. The project address controls the license. An out-of-state PE cannot seal a Detroit, Grand Rapids, or township permit set.

The Occupational Code exempts planning and design of a detached one- or two-family residence that does not exceed 3,500 square feet of calculated floor area. That exemption does not cover adult foster care homes, and it does not cover larger houses or commercial work. If the enforcing agency has asked for a seal, upload that comment. AllInStamp matches a Michigan-licensed PE and verifies the license before sealing.

Who enforces the Michigan Building Code

The 2021 Michigan Building Code took effect April 9, 2025. One- and two-family dwellings are in the Michigan Residential Code. There is no separate city building code layered on top of those books. Enforcement is not always the city: LARA’s Statewide Jurisdiction List shows whether the state, the county, or the local unit reviews a given address. A permit application goes to that enforcing agency.

Name the city or township and, if you already know it, the enforcing agency. A state-reviewed township filing is not the same intake as a Detroit or Ann Arbor building department, even though both apply the Michigan code.

Seal design and electronic signatures

R 339.16032 requires the seal to show the licensee’s name and full license number as they appear on the state license, with “State of Michigan” and “Licensed Professional Engineer” in the legend. The license number is 10 digits. The licensee keeps the seal secure and uses it only while the license is in effect.

MCL 339.2007 and 339.2008 treat an electronic seal and an electronic signature as a seal and a signature. Documents submitted to a governmental agency for approval carry the embossed, printed, or electronic seal of the person in responsible charge. A licensee does not seal work that was not prepared by that licensee or under that licensee’s supervision. Tell us whether the enforcing agency’s portal wants the electronic workflow.

How to get a Michigan set sealed

Upload the PDF plan set and calculations, and note the jurisdiction and the code edition on the application. Include prior review comments on a resubmittal. Out-of-state drawings can be reviewed. The seal is applied only by a Michigan licensee in responsible charge.

Start a new quote with Michigan prefilled. Intake typically responds within 24–48 hours. Stamp turnaround then follows page count and whether rush service is selected.

FAQ

Does every house plan in Michigan need a PE seal?

A detached one- or two-family residence that does not exceed 3,500 square feet of calculated floor area can be planned without a license under MCL 339.2012. Larger residences, adult foster care, and commercial work follow the seal requirement when documents are filed with the enforcing agency.

Does Michigan accept an electronic PE seal?

Yes. The Occupational Code defines seal and signature to include electronic versions, and filed documents may carry an embossed, printed, or electronic seal of the person in responsible charge.

Is the building department always the city?

No. Some addresses are reviewed by the county or by the state Bureau of Construction Codes. Check the Statewide Jurisdiction List for the project address, and put that office in the quote.