Utah licensors cited and fined contractors dozens of times during two weeks in October as part of a targeted enforcement campaign against construction fraud.
The state’s Division of Professional Licensing, or DOPL, conducted a “significant enforcement initiative” looking for violations of construction licensing laws across Utah from Oct. 13 to 24, it said, as part of a national campaign in partnership with the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies.
That effort resulted in 42 administrative citations and a potential of $38,000 in fines, according to DOPL.
Those state actions followed 244 site checks, and officials said the quantity indicates “persistent compliance issues.” The state did not include a list of contractors but said no company or individual was cited more than once.
Utah has made it a point to target the growing problem of construction fraud, creating a new task force earlier this year.
“DOPL remains dedicated to combating contractor scams and fraud,” said Jana Johansen, assistant director of DOPL, in a statement.
In addition to the task force, the state offers a template for a residential construction agreement to “actively empower Utahns to make safer, more informed choices when hiring a contractor,” Johansen said.
There’s more information about DOPL and enforcement efforts at dopl.utah.gov and resources for homeowners at dopl.utah.gov/contracting/resources.