Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Government AdministrationVirginia, United States51-200 Employees
DPOR is a mid-sized state agency in the executive branch, operating under the Secretary of Labor and coordinating 18 regulatory boards and programs. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the department serves more than 300,000 individuals and businesses across hundreds of license types, covering professions from architects and contractors to cosmetologists and professional wrestlers. Policy boards, composed of practitioners and citizens appointed by the governor, determine which professions fall under regulation as defined by the General Assembly. DPOR issues professional credentials—licenses, certificates, or registrations—through processes designed to be unobtrusive, efficient, and focused on ensuring competent practice while minimizing unnecessary barriers. The agency also enforces standards of professional conduct, investigates regulatory violations, pursues compliance, and can impose sanctions such as fines, probation, suspension, or license revocation when warranted.