The Department of Consumer Affairs is responsible for promoting and protecting the interests of millions of California consumers by serving as a guardian and advocate for their health, safety, and economic well-being and by promoting legal and ethical standards of professional conduct. The Department helps to promote good business practices and to ensure that California's consumers receive quality services by establishing minimal competency standards for more than 230 professions involving approximately 2.3 million professionals. The Department is also an important advocate on consumer and business issues.

In general, the Department of Consumer Affairs' Boards and Bureaus provide exams and licensing, enforcement, complaint mediation, education for consumers and information on privacy protection.

Services to investigate complaints against licensees; develop valid examinations for applicants for licensure; monitor and advocate for legislation; provide consumer education and outreach; provide legal and audit services; and provide general administrative support involving personnel, budgeting, accounting, purchasing and space management, are centralized to provide efficiencies.

Additional information on the Department, and the various boards and bureaus is available at www.dca.ca.gov.