Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation

"april 11,2026 - sent an email requesting info on how to obtain my Washington DC electical journeyman's license. I am licensed in Va. april 15, 2026 - received email stating i need to fill out 2 forms attached in the email and then allow 2-3 weeks for processing. Filled out the forms, sent them back. may 31, 2026- sent an email checking on the status of things. I noticed they charged my credit card for the "administrative fees" june 4, 2026 - email back stating that my stuff was processed on may 28, 2026 and that it was mailed out on or about june 1, 2026 and to allow 15 business days for it to arrive. i verify they have the correct address etc. june 25, 2026 - i send another email a little irritated, asking why my letter has not arrived and that it has been 24 business days now and why does it take this long for a letter to go from richmond, va to chesterfield, va i get the same email again from them stating it was processed on may 28, 2026 and that it was mailed out on or about june 1, 2026 july 2, 2026 - i goto DPOR office and speak with the desk lady. she tells me the same info then tries to get a hold of the ONE person who authorized to do my letter. Of course, she happens to be "working from home" today...i sit, i wait. The desk lady informs me that this person usually sends out an email copy when she mails these. She asks another person in the office if this person is in the office and that person also says that the person usually emails out a copy as well. Finally the desk lady says that whoever this mystery person is is going to remail it out but also send an email copy....she says she's sending it now (the email copy) so i sit there refreshing my email for about 15 minutes....finally, assuming everything is good and thinking that it will eventually hit my email at some point that day, i leave. july 6, 2026 - i send another email stating i still have not received my letter. I state that i went to the building 4 days prior and the desk person said it would be re-sent and an email copy was on the way. I state that i have not received anything. I get the same static reply that it was processed on may 28, 2026 and mailed out on or about june 1, 2026 july 8, 2026 - i call DPOR to find out what's going on and the lady on the phone says that it takes 30 business days. i tell her i have an email that says 15 business days and she says it's 30 and has no idea why anyone would tell me 15. i then ask her why does it take 30 days to go from richmond, va to chesterfield, va (my house is 30 miles from DPOR) and she tells me that's it's the post office that makes it take that long. it is now july 15, 2026 - 32 "business days" later. I have received no letter and no email copy. And everyday i do not have this license is money that i am losing. you have ONE person who is qualified or whatever to send out my letter? and you lied to me? and you took money off my credit card. Where is my letter?"

"I had a generally positive experience with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Their role in maintaining standards across multiple professions is clearly important, and it shows in how structured their processes are. The licensing process was fairly straightforward, and I appreciate the effort to keep everything organized and accessible. The information provided on requirements and procedures was helpful, especially for first-time applicants trying to navigate the system. That said, response times can sometimes be a bit slow, particularly when trying to get clarification or support. Improving communication speed and customer support would make the overall experience much better. Overall, DPOR does a solid job in regulating professions and protecting public interest, but there is still room for improvement in responsiveness and user experience."

"Waiting to receive my license for six months after paying hundreds to test, etc. They had the correct address but had written the address on the envelope twice the first three times they sent it to me, making it a void envelope? Terrible. And then we receive an attitude when we ask what is going on upon calling in. Absolutely terrible to work with"

"DPOR is the only way to check a home contractor's complaint history and license status, whether a plumber, architect, builder, electrician, remodeler, etc."