 |
Professional Licensure Sealing and Signing
On March 1, 2009, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin using PKI based digital
signatures in order to be in compliance with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
(DPOR) requirements for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Certified Landscape Architects to
sign and seal their work. VDOT implemented an electronic plan submittal process in 2002 and will continue
to enhance this process in 2008 with the use of electronic signatures. All plans submitted to VDOT for
projects on the August 2009 advertisement schedule will be required to be in PDF format and include a
PKI based digital signature. The digital certificates can be purchased from IdenTrust Services, LLC
using the links below. Both VDOT staff and consultants can purchase the digital certificates from IdenTrust.
The cost of the certificate for VDOT staff will be covered by the department. Consultants will be
responsible for purchasing their own certificates. The department will be utilizing Adobe Acrobat 9
Standard Version as the signing solution to place the seal and digital signature in the PDF file and
recommend consultants use the same for consistency.
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act Title 59.1, Chapter 42.1 does support Professional Engineers,
Certified Landscape Architects and Land Surveyors to sign and seal their work electronically.
The Purpose of UETA is to enable electronic commerce by providing that contracts and records
are not invalid simply because they are in an electronic format rather than on paper. Also,
Title 54.1, Chapter 4 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, regarding Professional Engineers,
Land Surveyors, and Landscape Architects does not prohibit these individuals to sign and seal their
work electronically.
VDOT recognizes the need for entities, citizens, and public employees to interoperate with the
department’s applications for the purpose of conducting business electronically. The agency will be
using IdenTrust Services to provide such persons and entities with X.509 v.3 Digital Certificates.
The digital certificates will be managed and controlled by IdenTrust Services as part of the Access
Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) program. IdenTrust Services, LLC will supply Certificate
Authority (CA) service to entities and citizens located within or desiring to interface with the
department in a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Please note: ONLY THE SUBSCRIBER OF THE CERTIFICATE SHOULD HAVE EXCLUSIVE USE - THE DIGITAL CERTIFICATE IS YOUR FORM OF IDENTIFICATION,
SIMILAR TO YOUR PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENSE. Under the GSA Certificate Policy, it is our responsibility as an Authorized Certificate Authority
to revoke the certificate in a case of loss or disclosure of the private key (Passphrase) to anyone other than the subscriber.
ACES Digital Certificate:
| Access Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) |
| CERTIFICATE TYPE |
SUBSCRIBER |
PURPOSE/USAGE |
COST |
| Business Representative |
Employee authorized to act on behalf of a company |
Identity Authentication Digital Signature/Signing
Usage: authenticate yourself as an employee (affiliated) of a valid business when signing
emails and documents, and identifying yourself to gain access to restricted web sites.
|
$119.00 - two years
|
| Delivery Time 5-7 Business Days |
|
How to Trust IdenTrust ACES Root Certificate in Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader requires one-time trusting of the IdenTrust ACES Root certificate. This can be accomplished by installing the attached .fdf on the computer that is being used.
In order to "trust" the IdenTrust ACES Root Certificate, you will need to follow these instructions:
|
| |
1 |
Double click on the IdenTrust-ACES-CA.fdf file |
| |
2 |
Click "Set Contact Trust" to add the Certificate to the List of Trusted Identities |
| |
3 |
Check the box next to:
a. In Adobe 6 - "Trust Signatures created with this Certificate"
b. In Adobe 7, 8 - "Trust this Certificate for: Signatures and as a Trusted Root"
c. In Adobe 9 - Choose the "Use this certificate as a trusted root" checkbox
|
| |
4 |
Click "OK" or "Import", click "OK" again, then click "Close" |
|
If you have any questions about the implementation of digital signatures at VDOT, please call VDOT’s Location & Design Helpdesk at 888-683-0345.
|
|
|
|
SALES CONTACT
RELATED CONTENT
CONTACT SUPPORT
|
|
