LO
ConstraintCognitive automation2009-06-19
In Texas, plans and specifications issued by a licensed engineer for a project built or used in the state must carry the license holder's seal
Mechanical engineeroccupation page →
Event date / reported
2009-06-19
Evidence stage
ConstraintFailure, rollback, regulation or cost is suppressing adoption. Can lower an assessment or widen its uncertainty.
Tasks this bears on
Safety, compliance and sign-off
Assessing machine risks, meeting safety law and standards, and sealing designs where the law requires a licensed engineer.
Still human-led✓ Evidence-backed
Where this applies
Texas, United States. The statute says a person may not engage in the practice of engineering unless the person holds a license, and that a plan, specification, plat or report issued by a license holder for a project to be constructed or used in the state must include the license holder's seal. It exempts employees of a private company working only on the research, development, design, fabrication, production or service of products the company manufactures — so many product-design mechanical engineers need no licence. It says nothing about software.
What this means
Where engineering is regulated, a named licensed engineer seals the plans. It keeps sign-off with a person — but only for the work the licence covers; much product design is exempt.
What it does not yet show
One US state's statute; it does not measure how designs behind a sealed plan are produced.
What you can check
Open Texas Occupations Code chapter 1001 and read Sec. 1001.401(b), then the exemption in Sec. 1001.057.
Does it change the assessment?
No. The impact index is never moved by a single event. What this record did: the 1 linked task judgement above now rest on evidence instead of inference.
Source
Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1001 (Texas Engineering Practice Act), Sec. 1001.401 Use of Seal (as amended by H.B. 2649, eff. June 19, 2009) · verified 2026-09-29 · Claude (VOLO agent) · interpreted 2026-09-29 · Claude (VOLO agent)
Primary source — published by the party that did this, or the authority of record. No co-signature needed.
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