Engineering Express frequently gets asked to ‘re-seal’ our product approvals for site-specific project after they have been approved by the state.
These documents are to be validated by by the municpality by comparing them to the approved records on file with the approving agency & are NOT required to be signed and sealed.
There are two Florida Declaratory Statements on record verifying this question:
http://www.floridabuilding.org/Upload/FBC/CodeID_1812_DEC03-296.pdf
Another Case is here (Wrol Up Case #: DCA04-DEC-051 )
http://www.floridabuilding.org/Upload/FBC/CodeID_2050_DEC04-051.pdf
The local jurisdiction is only required to obtain proof of state product approval for products that have obtained statewide approval consistent with the limitations of use and installation instructions identified by the state approval.
The permittee is not required to submit signed and sealed drawings for approved building products but must demonstrate compliance within the limitations of each product approval.
PLEASE NOTE: For Florida Product Approvals, we recommend the permittee print or screen capture the main screen for the product approvals & submit that when turning in your copies for permit so the building departments know where it came from. This is a widely accepted method of submittial for these plans.
For verification of the above PDF documents in question visit:
www.EngineeringPlans.com
Or, more difficult to search but you can also go directly to the government webistes at:
https://floridabuilding.org/pr/pr_app_srch.aspx (Florida Product Approvals)
http://www.miamidade.gov/building/pc-search_app.asp (Miami Dade NOA’s)
Summary
The concept is the certified evaluation plan has already passed through the review & approval process so the certified plan is registered, requiring only copies to prove it’s the same report.
For Shop Drawing Approval:
Some municipalities require the product approvals be ‘approved’ for use at a site-specific location. This does not mean that they need to be signed and sealed by the project’s engineer of record so please don’t seal them if you’re the PE for the host structure.
The proper thing to do is to notate the approval number on the main plans OR use a shop drawing approval stamp on the approval indicating it’s valid for use at that project.
This concept is what confuses many building officials into thinking the evaluation reports need to be signed and sealed.
If that does happen, point them to the above links.
Last Update: October 21, 2024
