Section 4733.16. Business authorized to practice

(A) A firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation may provide professional engineering or professional surveying services in this state as long as the services are provided only through natural persons registered to provide those services in the state, subject to the exemptions in sections 4733.17 and 4733.18 of the Revised Code and subject otherwise to the requirements of this chapter.

(B) No firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation, except a corporation that was granted a charter prior to August 7, 1943, to engage in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services in this state or that was otherwise lawfully providing engineering services in this state prior to November 15, 1982, shall engage in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services, hold itself out to the public as being engaged in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services, or use a name including one or more of the words "engineer," "engineering," "surveyor," or "surveying" or any modification or derivation of those words, unless the firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation obtains a certificate of authorization from the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors and files all information required to be filed under this section with the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors and otherwise complies with all requirements of this chapter. A nonprofit membership corporation may use a name including one or more of the words "engineer," "engineering," "surveyor," or "surveying" or any modification or derivation of those words without complying with this section.

(C) A corporation may be organized under Chapter 1701. of the Revised Code, a professional association may be organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, or a limited liability company may be formed under Chapter 1705. of the Revised Code for the purpose of providing professional engineering, professional surveying, architectural, or landscape architectural services or any combination of those services. A corporation organized under Chapter 1701. of the Revised Code for the purpose of providing those services also may be organized for any other purpose in accordance with that chapter.

(D) Each firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation through which professional engineering or professional surveying services are offered or provided in this state shall designate one or more full-time partners, managers, members, officers, or directors as being responsible for and in responsible charge of the professional engineering or professional surveying activities and decisions, and those designated persons shall be registered in this state. Each firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation shall annually file with the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors the name and address of all owners and all persons designated as being in responsible charge of the professional engineering or professional surveying activities and decisions and any other information the board may require.

(E) The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall issue a certificate of authorization to each firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation that satisfies the requirements of this chapter, including providing information that the board may require pursuant to division (D) of this section.

(F) This section does not modify any law applicable to the relationship between a person furnishing a professional service and a person receiving that service, including liability arising out of that service.

(G) Nothing in this section shall restrict or limit in any manner the authority or duty of the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors with respect to natural persons providing professional services or any law or rule pertaining to standards of professional conduct.

(H) Corporations, partnerships, associations, limited liability companies, or firms organized under the laws of another state or country wishing to provide professional engineering or professional surveying services shall obtain a certificate of authorization and meet the applicable requirements of this section.

Effective Date: 10-08-2001; 05-18-2005