P.R. Laws tit. 20, § 711b
For the purposes of §§ 711—711z of this title, the practice or exercise of the professions of engineer, architect, landscape architect or surveyor comprise the corresponding functions, fields and provisions established below:
(a) Practice of engineering or architecture. — Comprises the rendering of any professional work or the execution of any work of a creative nature whose completion requires the knowledge, training and experience of an engineer or architect.
It includes the application of special knowledge of the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering or architecture for rendering such professional services or executing such works of a creative nature as may be required in any work involving consulting, studies, research, appraisals, drawing up of blueprints, measurements, inspections and supervision of works under construction, in order to ensure compliance with the specifications and the proper execution of the projected works in relation to any public or private works, facilities, machinery, industrial procedures and methods, equipment systems and works of a technical nature in engineering or architecture.
(b) Practice of surveying. — Comprises the rendering of any professional service or the execution of any work of a creative nature whose completion requires the education, knowledge, training and experience of a surveyor. It includes the rendering of any services or the execution of any works that require the application of knowledge in surveying to render said professional services or execute such works of a creative nature. It comprises consulting, conducting studies, and teaching surveying subjects, conducting research, cartographic, photogrammetric and geodesic works, measurements in relation to engineering or architectural projects or works, the segregation of real estate and topography for official use, the determination and description of areas, boundaries and land divisions and the consolidation and segregation of real estate and their verification and certification, including graphic representations thereof.
The practice of surveying furthermore encompasses technical and professional tasks concerning the determination, drafting and location of coastlines, the location of bodies of water, the correlation of vertical and horizontal as well as level, surface and underground controls, the geometric design of lots, access points, easements and rights of way, the layout and leveling of water and sewage pipelines and of water supply systems and real estate, and the monumenting, locating, leveling and layout of highways. It also includes the execution of measures related to studies and field studies on sanitary systems, water supplies, access points and routes, on hydrography, real estate registries, geography, photogrametric controls and on the location of plants, aqueducts, mines, bridges, power lines and docks.
The surveyor shall draft certifications of his work when said work is of a surveying nature.
(c) Practice of landscape architecture. — Comprises the application of artistic and scientific principles to the research, planning, design and management of natural and constructed environments as related to landscape architecture. The landscape architect applies creative and technical skills and the scientific, cultural and political knowledge in the planned arrangement of natural elements taking into consideration the administration and conservation of natural, constructed and human resources.
The practice of landscape architecture may include, in order to preserve, develop and enhance the landscape, the following: research, the selection and location of land and water resources for their proper use; viability studies and the preparation of written graphic criteria to be used as guides in the planning and design of landscape architecture development programs; the planning, and design of urban landscape architecture; expertise; the teaching of the science of landscape architecture and the management of landscape architecture construction projects. It also includes the preparation, revision and analysis of master plans for the use and development of land in relation to landscape architecture, the production of general and specific plans for the land; plans for leveling the drainage of the landscape, plans for irrigation and planting and construction details for landscape architecture; specifications, cost estimates and reports for land development; advice on the design of roads, bridges and structures in relation to the functional and aesthetic requirements on the areas on which these are to be constructed; negotiations to develop landscape architecture projects; field observation and inspection of the landscape architecture project and the restoration and maintenance of the land. Provided, That in those landscape architecture projects for which the intervention of an architect, engineer or surveyor is called for, the certification of their respective work shall be made by the architect, engineer or surveyor.
The landscape architect shall prepare the certification of his/her work when the project is clearly and substantially undertaken to conserve, develop and enhance the landscape. It shall not be understood that the professional practice of landscape architecture in any way limits the professional practice scope of licensed architects, engineers, surveyors or agronomists devoted to horticulture and to the design and construction of landscape gardens.
(d) Limitation to the practice of engineers in training. — Engineers in training will be authorized to practice their profession in a limited manner. They shall not render services for the certification of blueprints, designs or measuring in engineering or architecture, or assume primary responsibility therefor.
(e) Limitation to the practice of associate engineers. — Associate engineers shall be authorized to practice their profession institutionally. That is, they can only render their professional and supervisory services as part of their work within a private or governmental organizational framework in which they have no significant responsibility for professional services rendered directly to the public. They may supervise the work of engineers in training and certify the experience of the latter before the Board. They shall not render the services of blueprint certification, design or surveying in engineering or architecture, directly to the public nor perform functions reserved for licensed engineers, in accordance with other provisions of §§ 711—711z of this title.
An associate engineer shall be entitled to choose to become a licensed engineer after passing the revalidation examination he/she lacks.
(f) Limitation to the practice of architects in training. — Architects in training will be authorized to practice their profession in a limited manner under the direct supervision of a licensed professional duly authorized to practice engineering or architecture in Puerto Rico. Architects in training shall not certify professional works or assume primary responsibility therefor or directly contract these with the general public.
(g) Limitations to the practice of surveyors in training. — Surveyors in training will be authorized to practice their profession in a limited manner under the direct supervision of a licensed professional duly authorized to practice surveying in Puerto Rico. Surveyors in training shall not certify professional works or assume primary responsibility therefor.
(h) Limitations to the practice of associate surveyors. — Associate surveyors shall be authorized to practice their profession institutionally. That is, they can only render their professional and supervisory services as part of their work within a private or governmental organizational framework in which they have no significant responsibility for professional services rendered directly to the public. They may supervise the work of surveyors in training and certify the experience of the latter before the Board. Associate surveyors shall not certify professional works or assume primary responsibility therefor directly with the public.
An associate surveyor shall be entitled to choose to become a licensed surveyor after passing the revalidation examination he/she lacks.
(i) Limitations to the practice of landscape architects in training. — Landscape architects in training will be authorized to practice their profession in a limited manner under the direct supervision of a licensed professional duly authorized to practice engineering, architecture, or architectural landscaping in Puerto Rico. Landscape architects in training shall not certify professional works or assume primary responsibility therefor.
None of the professionals in training or associate shall alter or modify the works carried out by licensed professionals pursuant to §§ 711—711z of this title when these refer to the technical aspects of the profession.
History —Aug. 12, 1988, No. 173, p. 797, § 4; Dec. 26, 1997, No. 185, § 4; Jan. 14, 1999, No. 47, § 1; Dec. 7, 2007, No. 180, § 3, eff. Dec. 31, 2007.