Welcome to the California Department of Consumer Affairs

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Consumer Information Center

Putting Consumers First
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
(800) 952-5210 (California residents only)
(916) 445-1254 (Sacramento area / out of state)
TDD Only (800) 326-2297 or (916) 322-1700



The Consumer Information Center (CIC) is an information resource for California consumers.  CIC is operated by the Consumer and Community Relations Division of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.  When consumers have problems in the marketplace, they call CIC's toll-free number, (800) 952-5210, to obtain assistance.  Staff members can help find the right government agency to help with a particular problem, and they can also identify options that consumers may not have yet considered.  The CIC staff answers inquiries from consumer groups, professional organizations, and other government agencies.

Consumers and others who have questions about professional licenses and registrations issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs also use this toll-free number to inquire about the licensing process or for verification of licensure or registration. The department licenses or registers more than two million people in more than two hundred professions.  The CIC staff can answer general questions about applications and renewals; verify licensure or registration; provide complaint forms; and provide copies of consumer publications.

The CIC staff is the first point of contact for licensees, registrants, and the public for the following bureaus, programs, and boards: 

Acupuncture Board   Bureau of Automotive Repair  Smog Check II Program
Barbering and Cosmetology, Board of  Respiratory Care Board  Cemetery and Funeral Bureau

Bureau of Security and Investigative Services  Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair  Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation
Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau

Licensees, registrants, and the public also can contact these bureaus, committees, programs, and boards directly. CIC offers a toll-free number for the hearing impaired, 1-800-326-2297, and uses TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) equipment. CIC also provides telephone translation services in 144 languages for consumer and licensee inquiries. CIC staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call Center telephone agents are available for incoming calls from 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. Monday through Friday. CIC's toll-free number will continue to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for fax back documents and zip code locator assistance.