AGO 1951-53 No. 39.

Case DateMay 11, 1951
CourtWashington
Washington Attorney General Opinions 1951. AGO 1951-53 No. 39. May 11, 1951[Orig. Op. Page 1]PRIVATECORPORATIONS, STATED PURPOSE AND NAME, PRACTICE OF ENGINEERING OR SURVEYING, FILING OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.Corporations may not lawfully practice the professions of engineering or land surveying; accordingly, the Secretary of State should refuse to issue certificates of incorporation where the stated purpose or required corporate name displays the intent to practice such professions or to hold the corporation out as proposing to do so.Honorable J. D. McDougallActing Director of LicensesOlympia, WashingtonCite as: AGO 1951-53 No. 39Dear Sir: It appears from your request for an opinion dated March 9, 1951, that, in your attempt to enforce the engineers and land surveyors act, chapter 283, Laws of 1947, you follow an earlier opinion of this office advising that corporations may not legally advertise, practice or offer to practice professions of engineering, professional engineering or land surveying, but you find that the Secretary of State is accepting filings of new corporations whose stated purpose is to practice such professions or whose proposed corporate name contains the word "engineer" and have asked for a clarification as it applies to such professions. Our conclusion is that corporations may not lawfully practice the profession of engineering or land surveying; accordingly, the Secretary of State should refuse to issue certificates of incorporation where the stated purpose or requested corporate name displays the intent to practice such professions or to hold the corporation out to the public as proposing to do so. ANALYSIS [Orig. Op. Page 2] The registration of engineers and land surveyors act, chapter 283, Laws of 1947, has been interpreted by this office by an opinion addressed to the Director of Licenses on January 9, 1948, on the basis that such act refers only to the words "person" or "persons" having certain educational qualifications which a corporation, being an artificial entity, is unable to acquire. This opinion is consistent with the general law that corporations cannot practice professions, and we concluded that a corporation or company may not legally advertise, practice or offer to practice said professions of engineering, professional engineering or land surveying in this state. It is...

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