INSTRUCTIONS FOR LICENSURE OF ENGINEERING OR LAND SURVEYING FIRMS

(Reference: Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:683 and Chapter 23 of the Rules of the Board)

The following information is a guide for licensure of firms in the State of Louisiana which provide or offer to provide Engineering and/or Land Surveying services. For the purpose of this document the term "firm" or "corporation" refers to any business entity authorized in Louisiana, e.g., corporations, partnership, Limited Liability Corporation, etc.

Engineering or land surveying firms that are unincorporated, sole proprietorships bearing the full name of the owner who is a licensed professional engineer or land surveyor are not required to be licensed.

All domestic or foreign firms qualifying to do business in Louisiana and providing or offering to provide engineering or land surveying services in Louisiana are required to be licensed with this Board.

Any firm with the words "engineer”, “engineering”, “land surveyor” or “land surveying" in its title, regardless of whether it actually provides or offers to provide these professional services, must meet the qualifications for licensure as an engineering or land surveying firm. For any firm with these words in the title of the firm, the Board must issue a waiver to the Secretary of State to allow the Secretary to immediately process the firm's request for registration in the State of Louisiana.

The procedures for licensure follow:

1. If the firm uses the word “engineering” or “land surveying” in their name by letter (or fax), the firm must request that the Board send a waiver to the Louisiana Secretary of State. In this request, the following information must be provided to the Board:

       a. Complete name and address of the firm.

       b. The names and license numbers of the professional engineers or land surveyors employed full-time by the firm who are licensed in the State of Louisiana and who will be designated as “supervising professionals” pursuant to §2305 of the Rules of the Board..

2. An Application for Firm Licensure can be downloaded from the LAPELS website www.lapels.com

3. The firm must independently deal with the Louisiana Secretary of State. Once the firm has completed the steps required by the Louisiana Secretary of State, a certificate will be provided by the Louisiana Secretary of State. Depending on the type of corporate entity, the Louisiana Secretary of State will refer to it as a certificate of incorporation, qualification, organization, or registration.

4. The Application for Firm Licensure must be completed upon receipt of this certificate. The firm application must be received by the Board within thirty (30) days of the issuance date of the certificate from the Louisiana Secretary of State. A copy of the certificate must be included with the completed Application for Firm Licensure. Receipt of the certificate does not permit the firm to offer professional services. The firm must complete the following two steps listed below:

       a. Complete and sign the application form and mail it to the Board along with a check in the amount of $165.00 or, for dual service firms (Engineering and Land Surveying), $330.00.

       b. Once the application and check is processed, the Board will issue a firm license and formally (by letter) confirm that the firm may offer professional services.

5. If the firm is a sole proprietorships or not required to register with the Louisiana Secretary of State, disregard all actions except those in Item 1, above.

With regard to the Secretary of State, to file a corporate entity in Louisiana contact the Commercial Division of the Office of the Secretary of State at:

PO Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
225-925-4704 or use their web site at
http://www.sec.state.la.us/comm/comm-index.htm