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Department of Consumer Affairs to focus on Halting Unlicensed Activity

Consumer Education, Enforcement Among the Tools Department Will Use

SAN JOSE — California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Director Carrie Lopez today told a gathering of consumer protection agencies that DCA will begin an enhanced effort to halt the activities of unlicensed professionals in California.

Lopez told the California Consumer Affairs Association Northern Division meeting in San Jose today that DCA's effort will last through at least the autumn.

"We continue to learn of individuals who are performing such work as contracting, cosmetology and even dentistry without any license or with inappropriate licenses," said Lopez. "This activity is not only a risk to consumers' pocketbooks, but sometimes even to their safety."

In addition, said Lopez, unlicensed professionals compete unfairly against the professionals who obey they law. As a result, DCA will be working with industries and trade associations to get the message to consumers.

"Even with unlimited resources, no government agency can completely halt unlicensed activity on their own," she said. "But consumers who check the licenses of the professionals they hire, and who only hire licensed professionals, are 100% successful."

Beginning next month, DCA will hold a series of events statewide to help educate consumers about how to protect themselves from unlicensed activity.

DCA will also be undertaking special enforcement measures to both put egregious offenders out of business, and to promote the path to licensure for the many individuals and businesses who simply aren't aware of the licensing requirements for their professions. Those efforts will begin in August.

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