Authentication is the act of formally taking professional responsibility for a finished engineering or geoscience document, normally accomplished by applying the seal, signature, and date. It tells users of the document, clients, contractors, regulators, the public, that an identified licensee stands behind the work.
Only final or issued documents are authenticated. Documents that are preliminary, draft, or for information only should be clearly marked (e.g., "Preliminary, Not for Construction") so no one relies on them as final. Authenticating an incomplete document, or one not intended for use, misleads its users.
- Each discipline-specific portion of a multi-disciplinary project is authenticated by the practitioner responsible for that portion.
- Electronic seals and digital signatures are increasingly accepted, provided the regulator's authentication and security requirements are met.
- Authentication links a specific person to a specific document. It is the audit trail of professional responsibility.
Exam tip: Seal + signature + date = authentication. A missing signature or date can invalidate an otherwise sealed document.