What Is an Engineer of Record?

The Engineer of Record (EOR) is the licensed professional engineer who assumes formal legal and professional responsibility for the design of a specific discipline — structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other — on a building project. The EOR's seal and signature on drawings and specifications is a declaration that the design meets applicable codes and standards and that the EOR stands behind the work professionally and legally.

What the EOR Is Responsible For

The scope of EOR responsibility is broad. It includes the technical adequacy of the design, compliance with applicable codes and standards, coordination with other disciplines at the interfaces relevant to their scope, review and response to shop drawings and submittals, site reviews during construction to confirm work conforms to the design intent, and the issuance of letters of assurance or field reviews required by the authority having jurisdiction.

In most Canadian provinces, the building permit cannot be issued without EOR commitments, and the occupancy permit cannot be granted without EOR letters of assurance confirming that work has been completed in general conformance with the permit documents.

Why This Matters to Building Owners

Understanding the EOR's role has direct practical implications for how you structure your project team and contracts.

• Design-build contractors are not Engineers of Record by default. A contractor who hires a discount engineer to stamp design-build drawings may be providing you with an EOR who has limited involvement in the design and limited accountability. Ask who the EOR is, whether they are directly employed by the engineering firm, and how they will be involved during construction.
• EOR field reviews are not optional niceties. The EOR's field review obligations exist because the design must be verified against what is actually built. Skimping on field reviews exposes owners to latent deficiencies that may not surface until occupancy — or later.
• Changes during construction require EOR involvement. When a contractor proposes a substitution or a design change, it is the EOR — not the contractor, not the owner's representative — who must assess and document whether the change is acceptable. Allowing changes without EOR review voids the professional accountability the permit system is built on.

Choosing Your EOR Wisely

The best EOR relationships are built on direct communication between the engineer and the project owner, clear scope definition, and adequate fee structure to allow genuine involvement during construction. An EOR engaged at a fee that only allows for drawing production — with no field review budget — is an EOR in name only.

At Design Works Engineering, our Engineers of Record are involved from preliminary design through construction completion, providing the professional oversight that protects our clients' investments and ensures buildings perform as designed. Talk to us about how we approach EOR responsibility on projects like yours.