45:8-27. License required; display of license; exceptions; corporations, firms, partnerships and associations

In order to safeguard life, health and property, and promote the public welfare, any person practicing or offering to practice professional engineering or professional land surveying in this State shall hereafter be required to submit evidence that he is qualified so to practice and shall be licensed as hereinafter provided. After the date upon which this chapter becomes effective, it shall be unlawful for any person to practice or to offer to practice engineering or land surveying in this State, or to use the title professional engineer or land surveyor or any other title, sign, card or device in such manner as to tend to convey the impression that such person is practicing engineering or land surveying or is a professional engineer or land surveyor, unless such person is duly licensed under the provisions of this chapter. Every holder of a license shall display it in a conspicuous place in his principal office, place of business or employment.

No corporation, firm, partnership or association shall be granted a license under this chapter; however, certain corporations shall be required to obtain a certificate of authorization as provided pursuant to P.L.1989, c.276 (C.45:8-56 et al.). No corporation, firm, partnership or association shall use or assume a name involving the word "engineers" or "engineering" or any modification or derivative of such terms, unless an executive officer, if a corporation, or a member, if a firm, partnership or association, shall be a licensed professional engineer of the State of New Jersey.

No corporation, firm, partnership or association shall use or assume a name involving the words "surveyors," "land surveyors," "surveying," or "land surveying," or any modification or derivative of such terms, unless an executive officer, if a corporation, or a member, if a firm, partnership, or association, shall be a licensed land surveyor of the State of New Jersey.

No corporation, firm, partnership or association shall practice or offer to practice engineering or land surveying in this State unless the person or persons in responsible charge of engineering or land surveying work shall be so licensed to practice in this State. The person or persons carrying on the actual practice of professional engineering or land surveying on behalf of or designated as "engineers" or "surveyors" or "professional engineers" or "land surveyors," with or without qualifying or characterizing words, by any such corporations, firms, partnerships or associations, shall be licensed to practice professional engineering or land surveying as provided in this chapter.

Services constituting the practice of professional engineering shall not be rendered or offered through any business association other than a sole proprietorship of a professional engineer, a partnership of professional engineers, a partnership of closely allied professionals including at least one professional engineer, a professional service corporation established pursuant to the "Professional Service Corporation Act," P.L.1969, c.232 (C.14A:17-1 et seq.) or a corporation authorized pursuant to P.L.1989, c.276 (C.45:8-56 et al.).

Services constituting the practice of land surveying shall not be rendered or offered through any business association other than a sole proprietorship of a land surveyor, a partnership of land surveyors, a partnership of closely allied professionals including at least one land surveyor, a professional service corporation established pursuant to the "Professional Service Corporation Act," P.L.1969, c.232 (C.14A:17-1 et seq.) or a corporation authorized pursuant to P.L.1989, c.276 (C.45:8-56 et al.).

Nothing in this act shall be construed as required licensing for the purpose of practicing professional engineering or land surveying by any person, firm, or corporation upon property owned or leased by such person, firm or corporation, unless the same involves the public safety, public health or public welfare.

L.1938, c.342, s.1; amended 1947,c.60,s.1; 1950,c.149,s.1; 1970,c.177,s.1; 1989,c.276,s.1.