HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT
Time For Filing A Complaint
Any complaint against a regulant for any violation of statutes or regulations pertaining to the regulatory boards, in order to be investigated by the Department, shall be made in writing, or otherwise made in accordance with Department procedures, and received by the Department within three years of the act, omission or occurrence giving rise to the violation.
Where a regulant has materially and willfully misrepresented any information required by statute or regulations to be disclosed to a complainant and the information so misrepresented is material to the establishment of the violation, the complaint may be made at any time within two years after discovery of the misrepresentation.
Filing A Complaint
The Compliance and Investigations Division of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (the "Department") reviews complaints to determine whether the Department is authorized to process the complaint. The Department will only process complaints against individuals or businesses that are subject to the laws or regulations of regulatory boards within the Department.
For a list of individuals or businesses subject to the laws or regulations of boards within the Department, see Professions and Occupations Regulated by DPOR.
What Happens When You File A Complaint
NOTE: The Department cannot guarantee anonymity.
By law, all complaints received by the Department are subject to public disclosure once a case is closed. Therefore, if you wish to file a complaint anonymously, please do not include any personal information on the complaint form or any supplemental documents that reveal your identity. While the Department may accept an anonymous complaint, it will not proceed if it lacks sufficient information to support a regulatory or criminal violation.
The complaint will be reviewed to determine whether a violation of a law or board regulation may have occurred. If the evidence supports a probable violation of a law or board regulation, the complaint will be processed by the Compliance and Investigations Division. The complaint may be resolved informally or investigated further. You may be asked to provide additional information.
If the investigation shows probable cause that a violation occurred, (1) the appropriate regulatory board may take action to require remedial education, impose a fine, suspend or revoke the license, or fail to renew a license, or (2) criminal action may be taken if the individual or business is not licensed. You may be asked to appear in court or at a disciplinary proceeding to provide testimony for the case.
If the investigation does not show probable cause that a violation occurred, the case will be closed.
See the Disciplinary Process page for more information.
In some instances, the Department may offer mediation as a means of alternative dispute resolution regarding complaints against licensees. A regulatory board CANNOT require any individual or business to refund money, correct deficiencies, or provide other personal remedies. In some cases, a legal action may be your only recourse to resolve a matter. The Department cannot provide legal advice.
In certain cases, you may be eligible to receive funds under the Virginia Contractor/Real Estate Transaction Recovery Acts. For further information, contact the Recovery Fund section at (804) 367-1559, by mail, or click here for Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund or here for Virginia Real Estate Transaction Recovery Fund.
For more information, to request a complaint form, or to file a complaint, contact us at:
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Compliance and Investigations Division
Complaint Analysis and Resolution
9960 Mayland Drive
Suite 400
Richmond, Virginia 23233-1463
Telephone: (804) 367-8504
TDD: (804) 527-4290
Fax: (804) 527-4405
Email: complaintanalysis@dpor.virginia.gov
The Department considers all complaints important. The processing of the complaint will be conducted in as timely a manner as possible. Many complaints, however, present an immediate threat to public safety and will be given priority. Thank you for your patience during the complaint process.
Copyright © 2000 Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
This web page was last updated: 08/31/2007 08:49:35 AM