“According to a release, this measure will allow the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulations to create a Universal Licensing Recognition program for 85 occupations.”
Why this is important: On July 1, 2023, new legislation will take effect in Virginia that will allow Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (“DPOR”) to create Universal Licensing Recognition for 85 occupations, including a number of construction-related trades. The legislation will allow DPOR to simplify, expedite and recognize out-of-state licenses for people: 1) who have held an equivalent license in another state for at least three years; 2) are in good standing in all states where they are licensed; 3) were required to pass a competency exam and met training standards to obtain their original state license; and 4) pay all applicable Virginia fees. The legislation will also have an expedited process to license those who come from states that do not require licensure, by recognizing the person’s work experience in a trade that requires licensure in Virginia. This is important because it will help fill critical in-demand jobs and cut consumer costs, while at the same time protect the public by ensuring that those jobs are filled by qualified trained professionals whose competence has been recognized by the licensing processes of the other states, and who have been and remain in good standing in the jurisdictions where they are licensed. Notably, this will not apply to architects, professional engineers, land surveyors and landscape architects. Understandably so, this allows for Virginia licensed design and engineering professionals to design and administer construction projects where Virginia’s building codes, laws, and regulations are implicated, and who will ostensibly be inspecting and confirming that construction work is in compliance with the design and building requirements. While at first blush, Virginia contractors may view this as a threat by virtue of new competition, the benefit of potentially having access to more qualified licensed subcontractors and labor in the face of the shortages confronting developers and contractors is apparent and has been recognized by the adoption of this legislation. As a parting note, however, it still remains important for owners, developers, general contractors and others hiring construction trades to screen subcontractors and tradesworkers to ensure competence, qualification, and suitability for their particular projects, for as the saying goes -- “ a mere license to drive does not a good driver make!” --- Robert A. Ziogas
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