Structural Engineer Stamp for Permit Drawings
A structural engineer stamp on foundation, framing, beam and lateral drawings, backed by calculations and checked against your site's loads.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in your state
- Built to IBC, IRC and local amendments
- Plan-check comments answered
A structural seal that stands on real calculations
Plan reviewers ask for a structural engineer stamp whenever the structure of a project goes beyond what the code’s prescriptive tables cover. That includes beams and headers with long spans, removed bearing walls, additions and second stories, tall walls, decks and patio covers, steel framing, retaining walls and most commercial buildings. The stamp tells the building official that a licensed engineer has checked how every load reaches the ground.
PE Engineer reviews and seals structural drawings and calculations for projects in all 50 states. Each set is sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where the building is located, with design loads taken for the actual site rather than a generic assumption. If your drawings need calculations, corrections or a redesigned member before they can be sealed, we do that work as part of the job.
You can come to us with drawings already prepared by a designer, drafter or builder, or with only a sketch. Either way you receive a sealed structural package that a framer can build from and an inspector can follow.
What you receive
- Review of all structural sheets
- Gravity and lateral load calculations
- Member, footing and connection sizing
- Corrected or added structural details
- PE sealed structural drawings
- Sealed calculation package
Structural drawings we review and seal
The seal covers the structural scope we check, and we list that scope clearly so the plan reviewer knows exactly what is engineered.
Foundation plans
Footings, slabs, stem walls, piers and grade beams checked for soil bearing, frost depth and the loads coming down from the framing, including anchor bolts and hold-down anchorage.
Floor, wall and roof framing
Joist, rafter and stud sizes, spacing and spans verified under dead, live, snow and wind loads, with bearing points traced down to the foundation.
Beams, headers and posts
Sawn lumber, LVL, glulam and steel beams sized for bending, shear and deflection, with post and bearing checks and the connection hardware called out.
Lateral systems
Shear walls, braced wall lines, diaphragms, hold-downs and collectors designed for wind and seismic forces when the project exceeds prescriptive bracing rules.
Steel and masonry elements
Steel beams, columns, moment frames and connections to AISC 360, and reinforced masonry walls to TMS 402, for residential and commercial work.
Manufactured component coordination
Truss layouts, I-joist systems and pre-engineered buildings reviewed for bearing, girder connections, uplift and the loads they place on the supporting structure.
Your Stamped, Permit-Ready Plans Start With One Upload
Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
What a structural engineer stamp covers
A structural engineer stamp applies to the parts of a project that hold it up: foundations, framing, beams, columns, lateral bracing and the connections between them. It is usually placed on the structural sheets of a plan set and on the calculation package that supports them. On a small project those may be one or two sheets added to the architectural set. On a larger one they form a separate structural section.
The seal certifies the structural design only. It does not cover room layouts, egress, energy compliance or the electrical and plumbing systems, which are separate scopes. When a set mixes disciplines, we mark which sheets the structural seal applies to so the plan reviewer is not left guessing.
Building departments commonly require a structural engineer stamp for:
- Removing or altering a load-bearing wall, or adding a beam to open a space.
- Additions, second stories and raised ceilings that change how loads travel.
- Decks, patio covers, carports and canopies outside prescriptive limits.
- Retaining walls above the height your jurisdiction exempts.
- Steel, concrete and masonry structures, and most commercial buildings under the IBC.
- Projects in high wind, heavy snow or seismic areas where bracing must be calculated.
What the engineer checks before sealing structural drawings
A structural seal is only as good as the review behind it. Before any sheet is sealed, the engineer works through the design the way a plan checker would, and then goes further.
- Design loads. Dead, live, snow, wind and seismic loads are set from ASCE 7 and the code your jurisdiction has adopted, using hazard data for the project address.
- Load path. Every load is traced from the roof down through beams, posts and walls to a footing that can carry it. Interrupted load paths are a frequent reason drawings need revision.
- Member sizing. Wood members are checked to the NDS, steel to AISC 360 and concrete to ACI 318, including deflection limits that keep floors from bouncing and finishes from cracking.
- Lateral resistance. Shear walls, braced panels, hold-downs and diaphragm connections are checked against wind and seismic demand.
- Connections. Hangers, straps, post caps, bolts and welds are specified so the framer knows exactly what to install.
Where the design falls short, we revise the member, add a detail or prepare the missing calculations, and then seal the set. That is the difference between a seal you can rely on and a signature on a sheet. Items the code allows to be deferred, such as truss drawings, are listed on the plans so the reviewer knows what will follow.
Have a Question? Get a Real Engineer's Answer in Minutes
Skip the guesswork. Chat live with a licensed engineer about your drawings, code requirements or permit comments, free and with no obligation.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Structural stamps for common residential projects
Many residential stamp requests involve an existing house. A remodeler wants to open a kitchen to the family room. A homeowner is adding a primary suite over the garage. A builder has a set of plans from a stock plan service that needs to be adapted for higher snow or wind loads at the new lot. In each case the engineer needs to understand both the new work and the existing structure it depends on.
For a load-bearing wall removal, we size the new beam, design the posts and check whether the footings below can carry the concentrated loads. For an addition we check the existing foundation and the tie-in to the house. For roofs framed with manufactured trusses, our truss review confirms the girder connections, bearing walls and uplift anchorage that the truss drawings rely on.
Photos, measurements and any existing plans help us understand what is in the walls today. When the existing structure cannot be confirmed from the information available, we note the assumptions on the drawings or recommend a field verification before construction begins.
PE seal or SE seal: which one does your project need?
In most states, structural drawings for houses, additions, garages, decks and light commercial buildings are sealed by a Professional Engineer who practices structural engineering. A few states, Illinois among the best known, regulate structural engineering through a separate Structural Engineer (SE) license, and several others require an SE for significant structures such as schools, hospitals and larger buildings.
When we quote your project, we confirm which license the state and the building type call for. Where an SE is required, the drawings are sealed by an engineer who holds that license in your state. Where a PE is sufficient, the seal comes from a PE licensed in your state who is experienced in the type of structure you are building.
The same review applies either way. If your structural drawings were prepared by a designer or another firm, the third-party plan review and stamp page describes how an engineer adopts and seals work prepared by others. Plan-check comments on the structural scope are answered and revised within the original fee.
To quote a structural stamp we need the project address, the drawings in PDF, any existing calculations, truss or product data, and the plan checker’s comments if the set has already been reviewed. Most residential structural sets are sealed within a few business days of receiving complete information, and rush service is available when a pour, inspection or permit date is close.
You likely need a structural stamp if
- A wall you are removing carries load
- Beam or joist spans exceed code tables
- You are adding a story or a heavy roof
- Your city asked for structural calculations
- The project uses steel, concrete or masonry
- Your site has high wind, snow or seismic loads
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your structural pe stamp drawings.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Structural codes and standards we check against
Structural drawings are reviewed against the edition of each code and standard your jurisdiction has adopted, including local amendments:
- International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC)
- ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
- NDS, National Design Specification for Wood Construction
- AISC 360, Specification for Structural Steel Buildings
- ACI 318, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
- TMS 402, Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in the state where your project is located. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
Related services
Beam & Header CalculationsStamped beam calculations for LVL, glulam, steel and lumber beams and headers, including posts, bearing and footings under every point load.Explore More
Framing PlansFloor, wall and roof framing plans with joist, rafter, header and shear wall design, sealed by a licensed PE for permit.Explore More
Third-Party Plan Review & StampAlready have drawings? A licensed PE reviews them in full, fixes what falls short and seals the set for your building department.Explore MoreFrequently asked questions
Do I need a structural engineer stamp for my permit?
You need one when your project goes beyond the prescriptive rules in the residential code, or when the building department specifically asks for engineered drawings. Wall removals, long beams, additions, retaining walls and most commercial work usually qualify. Send us the plans or the plan checker’s comments and we will confirm.
Can you stamp structural drawings my designer or contractor prepared?
Yes, after a full engineering review and where the state’s rules allow it. The engineer checks loads, member sizes and connections, then seals the set or tells you exactly what needs to change. We can make the corrections ourselves or mark them up for your designer.
Does a structural stamp include calculations?
Yes. Most building departments want the calculations that support the structural design, and the engineer needs them to take responsibility for it. We prepare or check the calculations and seal them along with the drawings as one package.
Do you need to visit the site?
Most structural stamps are completed from drawings, photos and measurements. When existing conditions cannot be confirmed that way, or when the jurisdiction requires a site observation, we can arrange a visit through a local licensed engineer and include it in the quote.
Can you stamp a revised beam or field change after the permit is issued?
Yes. Contractors often need a sealed revision when a specified beam is unavailable, a post must move or framing does not match the plans. We check the change, prepare a revised detail or letter, and seal it so the inspector can sign off.
Is a structural PE stamp accepted in every state?
A seal is valid only in the state where the engineer is licensed, so every project is sealed by an engineer licensed in the state where it is built. Through our network of state-licensed PEs, that covers all 50 states.
Get your free structural pe stamp proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state