ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A newly released audit suggests the State of Maryland may have issued certain professional licenses to unqualified applicants.
The state audit specifically reviewed the work of Maryland's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) between April 1, 2021 and January 15, 2025.
DOPL regulates licenses for 25 occupations and professions including 1- Real Estate, 2 - Home Improvement, 3- Plumbing, 4- Electricians, 5- Stationary Engineers, 6 - Elevator Safety, 7 - Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, and 8 - Real Estate Appraisers/Appraisal Management Companies/ & Home Inspectors.
The report found DOPL used a third-party vendor to verify whether applicants met standard educational and work experience requirements before taking their tests to become licensed in these trades
"Our test of 11 licenses issued between December 2023 and June 2024 by 7 of the 8 aforementioned boards/commissions, disclosed that there was no documentation to support the propriety of 7 licenses issued," auditors wrote. "For example, 3 licenses were issued to individuals who were required to provide documentation that they passed national and state examinations but there was no documentation of these test results."
Auditors noted similar findings in a November 2017 audit.
Part of the issue could be attributed to low staffing rates within DOPL.
"As of June 2024, approximately 26 percent of the total 77 positions were vacant," auditors wrote. "These vacancies may have contributed, at least in part, to the findings in this report."
In response to the audit, DOPL vowed to "establish procedures necessary to review exam applications from the exam vendor on a quarterly basis."
