54-1235. PRACTICE BY A BUSINESS ENTITY. (1) The practice of or offer to practice professional engineering or professional land surveying, as defined in this chapter, by professional engineers or professional land surveyors, through a business entity, or by a business entity through professional engineers or professional land surveyors, as employees, or officers, is permitted subject to the provisions of this chapter, provided that all personnel of such business entity, who act in its behalf as professional engineers or professional land surveyors in this state are licensed as provided by this chapter, or are persons lawfully practicing under the exemptions enumerated in this chapter, and further provided that said business entity, except utilities regulated by the Idaho public utilities commission, has been issued a certificate of authorization by the board as provided by this chapter. No business entity shall be relieved of responsibility for the conduct or acts of its employees or officers by reason of its compliance with the provisions of this chapter, nor shall any individual practicing professional engineering or professional land surveying as defined in this chapter, be relieved of responsibility for engineering or land surveying services performed by reason of his employment or relationship with such business entity. All final drawings, specifications, plats, reports, or other engineering or land surveying papers or documents involving the practice of professional engineering or professional land surveying as defined in this chapter, which shall have been prepared or approved for the use of or for delivery to any person or for public record within this state shall be dated and bear the signature and seal of the professional engineer or professional land surveyor who prepared or approved them.

(2) A business entity organized pursuant to this section may provide or offer to provide allied professional services as defined in section 30-21-901, Idaho Code, in connection with the providing of engineering or land surveying services, by persons licensed in allied professions acting as employees or officers, provided such persons are duly licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render such allied professional services within this state.

(3) A business entity desiring a certificate of authorization for engineering, for land surveying, or for both, shall file with the board a description of the engineering or land surveying service to be offered or practiced in the state, an application upon a form to be prescribed by the board and the designation required by the following paragraph, accompanied by the application fee.

(4) Such business entity shall file with the board a designation of an individual or individuals duly licensed to practice professional engineering or professional land surveying in this state who shall be in responsible charge of the practice of professional engineering or land surveying, as applicable, by said business entity in this state. In the event there shall be a change in the individual or individuals in responsible charge, such changes shall be designated in writing and filed with the board within thirty (30) days after the effective date of such change.

If all requirements of this chapter are met, the board shall issue to such business entity a certificate of authorization for professional engineering, for land surveying, or for both; provided, however, the board may refuse to issue a certificate if any facts exist which would entitle the board to suspend or revoke an existing certificate.

A professional engineer or professional land surveyor who renders occasional, part-time or consulting engineering or land surveying services to or for a business entity may not be designated as the person in responsible charge for the professional activities of the business entity.

(5) The secretary of state shall not accept for filing from any person any assumed business name which includes within its name any of the words "engineer," "engineering," "land surveyor," "land surveying," or any modification or derivation thereof, unless the board shall have issued a letter indicating that the person has a licensed professional in responsible charge of the professional activities of the sole proprietorship or business entity. The board may notify the secretary of state, in writing, that it waives any objection to the name if the person is clearly not governed by chapter 12, title 54, Idaho Code. The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the organizational documents of an Idaho business entity, or authorize the transaction of business by any foreign business entity which includes, among objects for which it is established or within its name, any of the words "engineer," "engineering," "land surveyor," "land surveying," or any modification or derivation thereof, unless the board shall have issued for said applicant a certificate of authorization or a letter indicating the eligibility of said applicant to receive such certificate. The board may notify the secretary of state, in writing, that it waives any objection to the name or purpose of any business entity if it is clearly not governed by chapter 12, title 54, Idaho Code. The business entity applying shall include such certificate or letter from the board with any filings submitted to the secretary of state.

History:

[54-1235, added 1963, ch. 20, sec. 1, p. 161; am. 1978, ch. 170, sec. 23, p. 389; am. 1979, ch. 176, sec. 1, p. 527; am. 1986, ch. 140, sec. 27, p. 396; am. 1990, ch. 192, sec. 10, p. 433; am. 1996, ch. 357, sec. 21, p. 1203; am. 2001, ch. 247, sec. 10, p. 898; am. 2008, ch. 378, sec. 25, p. 1044; am. 2015, ch. 251, sec. 6, p. 1048.]