Find Florida engineers by city or county

Florida regulates engineering and architecture separately because both can affect life safety, but they address different parts of a project. Engineering practice centers on applying mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to structures, systems, land and water, utilities, equipment, and construction. Architecture centers on the design and construction of buildings intended for people and the use of space within and around them.

On a typical commercial building, the architect may lead the overall design and coordinate the permit set. Florida PEs may prepare structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or specialty engineering sheets and calculations. On site development, roadway, stormwater, utility, or other civil work, a PE may be the primary design professional and an architect may not be needed.

A seal is more than a logo on a drawing. On final documents filed for public record, the professional's signature, date, and seal identify who prepared or approved the work and accepted responsibility for it. Florida allows limited incidental crossover between architecture and civil or structural engineering, and exemptions exist for some projects, so the building department or other authority having jurisdiction should confirm which professionals and sealed documents a particular permit requires.