Authenticating Professional Work Products
The Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard helps APEGA licensed professionals and permit holders comply with the statutory requirements of authenticating professional work products (PWPs). It also helps the public understand the obligations of APEGA licensed professionals in authentication and the use of the APEGA stamp.
Areas addressed in the practice standard include:
- defining professional work products to enable licensed professionals to better determine what should be authenticated
- defining a Responsible Member's validation of professional work products
- standardizing authentication and validation methods to enable licensed professionals, permit holders, and the public to easily identify the authenticator and the validator, as well as the authentication and validation dates
- discussing the uses of digital technology to authenticate professional work products
- setting the requirements for the authentication of professional work products imported into or exported from Alberta
- providing considerations for the retention and storage of authenticated professional work products
Authentication Practice Bulletins
APEGA has published two practice bulletins on specific practice areas that support the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard. A professional practice bulletin provides clarity and guidance on a specific subject related to professional practice. Practice bulletins go into effect and enforcement upon publication date and remain until the practice bulletin is repealed.
Required elements of an authenticated professional work product
Authentication: To be completed by a licensed professional
Physical Authentication
- the licensed professional’s stamp, either applied as an ink impression or printed as part of the PWP
- the licensed professional’s APEGA ID, either applied with ink or printed as part of the PWP if not included on the licensed professional’s stamp
- the licensed professional’s physical signature across the stamp in a manner that does not obscure their name and APEGA ID
- the authentication date applied with ink
Stamps
The APEGA professional stamp now includes the licensed professional's APEGA ID. You are not required to order a new stamp; however, licensed professionals will need to manually insert their APEGA ID to ensure they meet all authentication requirements.
Digital Authentication
- an electronic image of the licensed professional’s stamp
- an electronic image of the licensed professional’s APEGA ID, if not included on the licensed professional’s stamp
- an electronic image of the licensed professional’s physical signature across the stamp in a manner that does not obscure their name and APEGA ID
- an electronic image of the authentication date
- the licensed professional’s APEGA digital signature (supplied by an APEGA-approved provider)
Digital Signatures
APEGA licensed professionals must apply a digital signature supplied by Notarius, the APEGA-approved digital signature provider, when digitally authenticating and validating PWPs.
Validation: To be completed by a Responsible Member
Physical Validation
- the Permit to Practice stamp, which includes the permit holder name or operating name and the permit number (which may also be included without the use of a Permit to Practice stamp), either applied as an ink impression or printed as part of the PWP
- the Responsible Member’s APEGA ID either applied with ink or printed as part of the PWP
- the Responsible Member’s physical signature
- the validation date, which may be different than the authentication date, applied with ink
Stamps
APEGA has reintroduced the Permit to Practice stamp for Responsible Members to use in validating professional work products. Permit stamps include the permit holder name, permit number, and a line for the required Responsible Member's APEGA ID to be inserted. If you are a Responsible Member and would like to order a physical or electronic image of the permit stamp, you may do so through our current stamp supplier, Royal Rubber Stamp & Sign Co., by calling 1-800-272-8859. Permit stamps are not required but encouraged.
Digital Validation
- an electronic image of the Permit to Practice stamp, which includes the permit holder name or operating name and the permit number (which may also be included without the use of a Permit to Practice stamp)
- an electronic image of the Responsible Member’s APEGA ID
- an electronic image of the Responsible Member’s physical signature
- an electronic image of the validation date, which may be different from the authentication date
- the Responsible Member’s APEGA digital signature (supplied by an APEGA-approved provider)
Digital Signatures
APEGA licensed professionals must apply a digital signature supplied by Notarius, the APEGA-approved digital signature provider.
Additional resources
Online Learning Module
The online learning module outlines the requirements of the Authenticating Professional Work Products practice standard and the obligations of licensed professionals, Responsible Members, and permit holders. This module is available to APEGA registrants through your myAPEGA account.
To access the module from the dashboard in myAPEGA, click on the Learning Modules tab in the blue navigation bar. If you don't see the blue navigation bar, select the menu icon (≡) in the top-left corner to expand the full menu options.
Questions?
For general practice questions and guidance, please contact [email protected].