Bill 2725

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2725
Ratification Number:       709
Act Number                 611
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Relating to engineers and land
                           surveyors

(A611, R709, H2725)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-21-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS, SO AS TO DEFINE RESIDENT REGISTERED ENGINEER, RESIDENT REGISTERED LAND SURVEYOR, BRANCH OFFICE, AND REGISTERED; AND TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 40-21-405 SO AS TO PERMIT A REGISTERED ENGINEER AND REGISTERED LAND SURVEYOR TO MAINTAIN A PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS AND BRANCH OFFICES AND TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE PLACES OF BUSINESS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Definitions added

SECTION 1. Section 40-21-10 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding at the end:

"(10) 'Resident registered engineer' or 'resident registered land surveyor' means a licensed practitioner who spends a majority of each normal workday in the principal or branch office.

(11) 'Branch office' means a place of business separate from the principal place of business where engineering services or land surveying services are provided. A specific project or construction site office is not a branch office. Nothing contained herein prevents a registered engineer or registered land surveyor from undertaking an engineering or a land surveying project anywhere in the State.

(12) 'Registered' means the engineer or land surveyor is duly registered in the State."

Principal place of business and branch offices allowed

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 40-21-405. Registered engineers and registered land surveyors engaged in business as sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, or other types of firms involving the practice of engineering or land surveying may maintain a principal place of business as well as branch offices. Each principal place of business as well as each branch office must have a resident registered engineer or registered land surveyor in responsible charge of the field and office surveying or engineering work provided. A registered engineer must supervise the engineering branch office and a registered land surveyor must supervise the land surveying branch office. The resident registered engineer or registered land surveyor is considered in residence in only one place of business at a given time. The provisions of this section do not apply to a registered land surveyor or registered engineer with only one place of business. In this section, engaged in business means holding oneself out generally to the public as qualified and available to perform engineering or land surveying services, or both, for a fee."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.