California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)

To protect and serve consumers, the Department of Consumer Affairs issues licenses in more than 100 business and 200 professional categories, including doctors, dentists, contractors, cosmetologists and automotive repair facilities. The Department of Consumer Affairs includes 40 regulatory entities (nine bureaus, one program, twenty-five boards, three committees, one commission, and one office). These entities establish minimum qualifications and levels of competency for licensure. They also license, register, or certify practitioners, investigate complaints and discipline violators. The committees, commission and boards are semiautonomous bodies whose members are appointed by the Governor and the Legislature.