{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-306.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-306.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-306.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-306.html"}],"law_id":80292,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80292,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-306","catch_line":"Enforcement of laws by Director or investigators; authority of investigators appointed by Director","history":"1979, c. 408, \u00a7 54-1.39; 1988, c. 765; 1989, c. 16; 1991, c. 130; 2002, c. 605; 2005, c. 383.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Director or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the statutes and regulations pertaining to the Department, the regulatory boards within Subtitle II (§ 54.1-200 et seq.) of this title, and any of the programs which may be in another title of this Code for which any regulatory board within Subtitle II has enforcement responsibility. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall have the authority to investigate violations of the statutes and regulations that the Director is required to enforce. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall also have the authority to issue summonses for violations of the statutes and regulations governing the unlicensed practice of professions regulated by the Department. In the event a person issued such a summons fails or refuses to discontinue the unlawful acts or refuses to give a written promise to appear at the time and place specified in the summons, the investigator may appear before a magistrate or other issuing authority having jurisdiction to obtain a criminal warrant pursuant to § 19.2-72. In addition, sworn criminal investigators of the Department’s Criminal Investigations section shall be statewide conservators of the peace while engaged in the performance of their official duties.B\n\nAll investigators appointed by the Director are vested with the authority to administer oaths or affirmations for the purpose of receiving complaints and conducting investigations of violations of this subtitle, or any regulation promulgated pursuant to authority given by this subtitle or in connection with any investigation conducted on behalf of any regulatory board within this subtitle or a program which may be located in another title in this Code. Such investigators are vested with the authority to obtain, serve and execute any warrant, paper or process issued by any court or magistrate or any regulatory board under the authority of the Director and request and receive criminal history information under the provisions of § 19.2-389.C\n\nAny regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation may adopt a resolution delegating to the sworn investigators appointed by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-306, the authority to conduct inspections. After conducting an inspection pursuant to the delegation of inspection authority, an investigator may initiate an investigation based on any act, omission, or condition witnessed by the investigator and offer a consent agreement to the regulant to resolve any violation discovered during the inspection, subject to the provisions of subsection B of § 54.1-202. If a consent agreement is offered pursuant to the delegation of authority authorized by this subsection, it shall not become effective until approved by the Director.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":287438,"text":"The Director or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the statutes and regulations pertaining to the Department, the regulatory boards within Subtitle II (§ 54.1-200 et seq.) of this title, and any of the programs which may be in another title of this Code for which any regulatory board within Subtitle II has enforcement responsibility. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall have the authority to investigate violations of the statutes and regulations that the Director is required to enforce. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall also have the authority to issue summonses for violations of the statutes and regulations governing the unlicensed practice of professions regulated by the Department. In the event a person issued such a summons fails or refuses to discontinue the unlawful acts or refuses to give a written promise to appear at the time and place specified in the summons, the investigator may appear before a magistrate or other issuing authority having jurisdiction to obtain a criminal warrant pursuant to § 19.2-72. In addition, sworn criminal investigators of the Department’s Criminal Investigations section shall be statewide conservators of the peace while engaged in the performance of their official duties.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":287439,"text":"All investigators appointed by the Director are vested with the authority to administer oaths or affirmations for the purpose of receiving complaints and conducting investigations of violations of this subtitle, or any regulation promulgated pursuant to authority given by this subtitle or in connection with any investigation conducted on behalf of any regulatory board within this subtitle or a program which may be located in another title in this Code. Such investigators are vested with the authority to obtain, serve and execute any warrant, paper or process issued by any court or magistrate or any regulatory board under the authority of the Director and request and receive criminal history information under the provisions of § 19.2-389.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":287440,"text":"Any regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation may adopt a resolution delegating to the sworn investigators appointed by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-306, the authority to conduct inspections. After conducting an inspection pursuant to the delegation of inspection authority, an investigator may initiate an investigation based on any act, omission, or condition witnessed by the investigator and offer a consent agreement to the regulant to resolve any violation discovered during the inspection, subject to the provisions of subsection B of § 54.1-202. If a consent agreement is offered pursuant to the delegation of authority authorized by this subsection, it shall not become effective until approved by the Director.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12755,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:44","permalink":{"id":240491,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14754,"identifier":"3","token":"54.1\/II\/3","url":"\/54.1\/II\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12755,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and Boards Within the Department","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239415,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12755,"identifier":"II","token":"54.1\/II","url":"\/54.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":68813,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-300","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-300\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-300","metadata":false},{"id":72242,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-301","catch_line":"Department continued; appointment of Director","url":"\/54.1-301\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-301","metadata":false},{"id":73009,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-302","catch_line":"Supervision of Department","url":"\/54.1-302\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-302","metadata":false},{"id":82752,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-303","catch_line":"General powers of Director","url":"\/54.1-303\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-303","metadata":false},{"id":61781,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-304","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Director with respect to regulatory boards","url":"\/54.1-304\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-304","metadata":false},{"id":83982,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-305","catch_line":"Bond of Director","url":"\/54.1-305\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-305","metadata":false},{"id":80292,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-306","catch_line":"Enforcement of laws by Director or investigators; authority of investigators appointed by Director","url":"\/54.1-306\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-306","metadata":false},{"id":81064,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-307","catch_line":"Subpoenas","url":"\/54.1-307\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-307","metadata":false},{"id":56501,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-307.1","catch_line":"Time for filing complaints against regulants","url":"\/54.1-307.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-307.1","metadata":false},{"id":77300,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-308","catch_line":"Departmental expenses","url":"\/54.1-308\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-308","metadata":false},{"id":73304,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-308.1","catch_line":"Interest on cash bonds held by regulatory boards of Department","url":"\/54.1-308.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-308.1","metadata":false},{"id":79288,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-309","catch_line":"Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation; members, terms, chairman; meetings","url":"\/54.1-309\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-309","metadata":false},{"id":56616,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-310","catch_line":"Powers and duties of Board","url":"\/54.1-310\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-310","metadata":false},{"id":73057,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-310.1","catch_line":"Petitions for regulation; review by Board; report","url":"\/54.1-310.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-310.1","metadata":false},{"id":70301,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-311","catch_line":"Degrees of regulation","url":"\/54.1-311\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-311","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83982,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-305","catch_line":"Bond of Director","url":"\/54.1-305\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-305","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":81064,"structure_id":14754,"section_number":"54.1-307","catch_line":"Subpoenas","url":"\/54.1-307\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-307","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-306\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 408 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1988, chapter 765; in 1989, chapter 16; in 1991, chapter 130; in 2002, chapter 605<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 383<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60926,"section_number":"54.1-1121","catch_line":"Investigations","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-1121\/"},{"id":69136,"section_number":"54.1-2115","catch_line":"Investigations","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2115\/"},{"id":80292,"section_number":"54.1-306","catch_line":"Enforcement of laws by Director or investigators; authority of investigators appointed by Director","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-306\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":56060,"section_number":"19.2-72","catch_line":"When it may issue; what to recite and require","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-72\/"},{"id":74681,"section_number":"54.1-200","catch_line":"Composition of regulatory boards","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-200\/"},{"id":86442,"section_number":"54.1-202","catch_line":"Monetary penalty; delegation to Director of authority enter consent agreements","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-202\/"},{"id":80292,"section_number":"54.1-306","catch_line":"Enforcement of laws by Director or investigators; authority of investigators appointed by Director","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-306\/"}],"permalink":{"id":240517,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80292,"identifier":"54.1-306","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-306","url":"\/54.1-306\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-306\/","token":"54.1\/II\/3\/54.1-306","dublin_core":{"Title":"Enforcement of laws by Director or investigators; authority of investigators appointed by Director","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-306","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Director<\/span> or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the statutes<\/span> and regulations pertaining to the Department<\/span>, the regulatory boards<\/span> within Subtitle II (§ 54.1-200<\/a> et seq.) of this title, and any of the programs which may be in another title of this Code for which any regulatory board<\/span> within Subtitle II has enforcement responsibility. The Director<\/span> or investigators appointed by him shall have the authority to investigate violations of the statutes<\/span> and regulations that the Director<\/span> is required to enforce. The Director<\/span> or investigators appointed by him shall also have the authority to issue<\/span> summonses for violations of the statutes<\/span> and regulations governing the unlicensed practice of professions regulated by the Department<\/span>. In the event a person issued such a summons<\/span> fails or refuses to discontinue the unlawful acts or refuses to give a written promise to appear at the time and place specified in the summons<\/span>, the investigator may appear before a magistrate<\/span> or other issuing authority having jurisdiction<\/span> to obtain a criminal warrant pursuant to § 19.2-72<\/a>. In addition, sworn criminal investigators of the Department<\/span>’s Criminal Investigations section shall be statewide conservators of the peace while engaged in the performance of their official duties. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> All investigators appointed by the Director<\/span> are vested with the authority to administer oaths<\/span> or affirmations for the purpose of receiving complaints and conducting investigations of violations of this subtitle, or any regulation promulgated pursuant to authority given by this subtitle or in connection with any investigation conducted on behalf of any regulatory board<\/span> within this subtitle or a program which may be located in another title in this Code. Such investigators are vested with the authority to obtain, serve and execute any warrant, paper or process issued by any court<\/span> or magistrate<\/span> or any regulatory board<\/span> under the authority of the Director<\/span> and request and receive criminal history information under the provisions of § 19.2-389<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Any regulatory board<\/span> within the Department<\/span> of Professional and Occupational Regulation may adopt a resolution delegating to the sworn investigators appointed by the Director<\/span> pursuant to § 54.1-306<\/a>, the authority to conduct inspections<\/span>. After conducting an inspection<\/span> pursuant to the delegation of inspection<\/span> authority, an investigator may initiate an investigation based on any act, omission, or condition witnessed by the investigator and offer a consent agreement to the regulant to resolve any violation discovered during the inspection<\/span>, subject to the provisions of subsection B of § 54.1-202<\/a>. If a consent agreement is offered pursuant to the delegation of authority authorized by this subsection, it shall not become effective until approved by the Director<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nENFORCEMENT OF LAWS BY DIRECTOR OR INVESTIGATORS; AUTHORITY OF INVESTIGATORS\nAPPOINTED BY DIRECTOR (\u00a7 54.1-306)\n\nA. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the\nstatutes and regulations pertaining to the Department, the regulatory boards\nwithin Subtitle II (§ 54.1-200 et seq.) of this title, and any of the\nprograms which may be in another title of this Code for which any regulatory\nboard within Subtitle II has enforcement responsibility. The Director or\ninvestigators appointed by him shall have the authority to investigate\nviolations of the statutes and regulations that the Director is required to\nenforce. The Director or investigators appointed by him shall also have the\nauthority to issue summonses for violations of the statutes and regulations\ngoverning the unlicensed practice of professions regulated by the Department. In\nthe event a person issued such a summons fails or refuses to discontinue the\nunlawful acts or refuses to give a written promise to appear at the time and\nplace specified in the summons, the investigator may appear before a magistrate\nor other issuing authority having jurisdiction to obtain a criminal warrant\npursuant to § 19.2-72. In addition, sworn criminal investigators of the\nDepartment’s Criminal Investigations section shall be statewide\nconservators of the peace while engaged in the performance of their official\nduties.\n\nB. All investigators appointed by the Director are vested with the authority to\nadminister oaths or affirmations for the purpose of receiving complaints and\nconducting investigations of violations of this subtitle, or any regulation\npromulgated pursuant to authority given by this subtitle or in connection with\nany investigation conducted on behalf of any regulatory board within this\nsubtitle or a program which may be located in another title in this Code. Such\ninvestigators are vested with the authority to obtain, serve and execute any\nwarrant, paper or process issued by any court or magistrate or any regulatory\nboard under the authority of the Director and request and receive criminal\nhistory information under the provisions of § 19.2-389.\n\nC. Any regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational\nRegulation may adopt a resolution delegating to the sworn investigators\nappointed by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-306, the authority to conduct\ninspections. After conducting an inspection pursuant to the delegation of\ninspection authority, an investigator may initiate an investigation based on any\nact, omission, or condition witnessed by the investigator and offer a consent\nagreement to the regulant to resolve any violation discovered during the\ninspection, subject to the provisions of subsection B of § 54.1-202. If a\nconsent agreement is offered pursuant to the delegation of authority authorized\nby this subsection, it shall not become effective until approved by the\nDirector.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 408, \u00a7 54-1.39; 1988, c. 765; 1989, c. 16; 1991, c. 130;\n2002, c. 605; 2005, c. 383.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}