Sec. 19. (a) A county, city, town, township, school corporation, or other political subdivision of this state may not engage in the construction or maintenance of any public work involving the practice of engineering for which plans, specifications, and estimates have not been prepared, certified, and sealed by, and the construction and maintenance executed under the direct supervision of, a professional engineer. Any contract executed in violation of this section is void.

     (b) An official of this state, or of any city, town, county, township, or school corporation, charged with the enforcement of any law, ordinance, or rule relating to the design, construction, or alteration of buildings or structures may not use or accept or approve any plans or specifications that have not been prepared by, or under the supervision of and certified by, a registered professional engineer. This subsection does not apply:

Terms Used In Indiana Code 25-31-1-19

  • Board: means the state board of registration for professional engineers. See Indiana Code 25-31-1-2
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Practice of engineering: means any service or creative work that the adequate performance of requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to services or creative work that includes the following:

    Indiana Code 25-31-1-2

  • Professional engineer: means an individual who, by reason of that individual's special knowledge of the mathematical and physical sciences and the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design which are acquired by education and practical experience, is qualified to engage in the practice of engineering as attested by that individual's registration as a professional engineer. See Indiana Code 25-31-1-2
(1) to plans or specifications prepared by, or under the supervision of and certified by, an architect who is registered under IC 25-4-1;

(2) to structures and construction listed in IC 22-15-3-3(a); or

(3) to plans or specifications contained in a registration, license, or permit application, including an application for an initial permit, the renewal of a permit, the modification of a permit, or a variance from a permit submitted to the commissioner of the department of environmental management under IC 13, unless the permit is for the approval of plans or specifications for construction for which a professional engineer’s seal is required by operation of either state or federal law, rule, or regulation. This subsection does not require a professional engineer’s seal for an application for an air quality construction permit under 326 IAC 2-1-3.

This section shall not be construed as to abridge or otherwise affect the powers of any state board or department to issue rules governing the safety of buildings or structures.

     (c) All maps required to show the underground workings of any mine in Indiana must be prepared, certified, and sealed by a professional engineer or professional surveyor.

Formerly: Acts 1935, c.148, s.19; Acts 1947, c.262, s.8; Acts 1957, c.320, s.9; Acts 1961, c.277, s.9; Acts 1965, c.284, s.9. As amended by P.L.8-1984, SEC.121; P.L.23-1991, SEC.26; P.L.215-1993, SEC.19; P.L.82-1994, SEC.30; P.L.246-1995, SEC.1; P.L.57-2013, SEC.85.

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