Agency 120. Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation  

AGENCY SUMMARY

Various separate licensing boards, each authorized to regulate the practice of one or more professions or occupations, are placed within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation for administrative purposes. For each regulatory board, the director of the department acts as secretary and administrative officer, maintains all records, collects and accounts for all fees, and enforces all applicable laws and regulations. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 3. See the separate listings for these boards in this title under Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects; Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors; Auctioneers; Barbers and Cosmetology; Branch Pilots; Cemetery; Common Interest Community; Contractors; Fair Housing; Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians; Real Estate Appraiser; Real Estate; Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists; Waste Management Facility Operators; and Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals.

Each of these regulatory boards is authorized to (i) establish the qualifications of applicants for certification or licensure; (ii) examine, or cause to be examined, the qualifications of each applicant, including when necessary the preparation, administration and grading of examinations; (iii) certify or license qualified applicants as practitioners; (iv) levy and collect fees; (v) promulgate regulations necessary to ensure continued competency, to prevent deceptive or misleading practices by practitioners, and to effectively administer the regulatory system administered by the board; (vi) ensure that inspections are conducted relating to the practice of each practitioner certified or licensed by the board; (vii) revoke, suspend or fail to renew a certificate or license for just causes as enumerated in regulations of the board; (viii) receive complaints concerning the conduct of any person whose activities are regulated by the board; and (ix) promulgate canons of ethics under which the professional activities of persons regulated shall be conducted. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 2.

In addition to its functions concerned with separate licensing boards, the Director of the department is authorized to make regulations for (i) the licensing of professional boxing, martial arts, or wrestling events and those persons involved in such events as a promoter, matchmaker, trainer, boxer , martial artist or wrestler, as well as the authorization of approved sanctioning organizations to oversee amateur martial arts events and their participants (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 8.1) ; (ii) the licensing of polygraph examiners and the approval of schools in which courses of instruction in the detection of deception are taught (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 18); and (iii) the certification of certified natural gas automobile mechanics and technicians (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 23.4).

The Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation within the department is authorized to publicize the policies and programs of the department, monitor the policies and activities of the department, advise the Governor and the director on matters relating to the regulation of professions and occupations, and evaluate constantly each profession and occupation in the Commonwealth not otherwise regulated for consideration as to whether such profession or occupation should be regulated and, if so, the degree of regulation that should be imposed. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 3.

The department operates under the supervision of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. Regulations of the department and of the various boards administered by it are available from the director at 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233. Internet address: http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/

Rev. 10/2016

AGENCY SUMMARY

Various separate licensing boards, each authorized to regulate the practice of one or more professions or occupations, are placed within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation for administrative purposes. For each regulatory board, the director of the department acts as secretary and administrative officer, maintains all records, collects and accounts for all fees, and enforces all applicable laws and regulations. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 3. See the separate listings for these boards in this title under Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects; Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors; Auctioneers; Barbers and Cosmetology; Branch Pilots; Cemetery; Common Interest Community; Contractors; Fair Housing; Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians; Real Estate Appraiser; Real Estate; Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists; Waste Management Facility Operators; and Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals.

Each of these regulatory boards is authorized to (i) establish the qualifications of applicants for certification or licensure; (ii) examine, or cause to be examined, the qualifications of each applicant, including when necessary the preparation, administration and grading of examinations; (iii) certify or license qualified applicants as practitioners; (iv) levy and collect fees; (v) promulgate regulations necessary to ensure continued competency, to prevent deceptive or misleading practices by practitioners, and to effectively administer the regulatory system administered by the board; (vi) ensure that inspections are conducted relating to the practice of each practitioner certified or licensed by the board; (vii) revoke, suspend or fail to renew a certificate or license for just causes as enumerated in regulations of the board; (viii) receive complaints concerning the conduct of any person whose activities are regulated by the board; and (ix) promulgate canons of ethics under which the professional activities of persons regulated shall be conducted. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 2.

In addition to its functions concerned with separate licensing boards, the Director of the department is authorized to make regulations for (i) the licensing of professional boxing, martial arts, or wrestling events and those persons involved in such events as a promoter, matchmaker, trainer, boxer , martial artist or wrestler, as well as the authorization of approved sanctioning organizations to oversee amateur martial arts events and their participants (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 8.1) ; (ii) the licensing of polygraph examiners and the approval of schools in which courses of instruction in the detection of deception are taught (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 18); and (iii) the certification of certified natural gas automobile mechanics and technicians (Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 23.4).

The Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation within the department is authorized to publicize the policies and programs of the department, monitor the policies and activities of the department, advise the Governor and the director on matters relating to the regulation of professions and occupations, and evaluate constantly each profession and occupation in the Commonwealth not otherwise regulated for consideration as to whether such profession or occupation should be regulated and, if so, the degree of regulation that should be imposed. Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 3.

The department operates under the supervision of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. Regulations of the department and of the various boards administered by it are available from the director at 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233. Internet address: http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/

Rev. 10/2016