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How to Verify a Professional's License in Columbia?

Columbia City professionals are regulated and licensed by 39 different Boards under the Missouri Division of Professional Registration. These licenses serve as a means of ensuring that professionals maintain an acceptable minimum standard that has been expressly defined for each profession. When you want to embark on a project, hiring a duly licensed professional is a good way to make sure that your project is executed to a good standard. You can check the license status of the professional you intend to hire by visiting the Division's Licensee search portal, which is provided for that purpose. Columbia also locally regulates some professionals including electrical and mechanical contractors. These locally regulated professionals are required to obtain a license or certification from the city's Community Development Department, through its Building and Site Development Division. You can call the Department at (573) 874-7474 to confirm city-issued professional licenses or certifications.

You should also make sure that you satisfy any other requirements that may be put in place by local authorities before you start your project. For example, if you intend to carry out a renovation of your premises, demolition, or other home improvement or construction-related projects you might need to obtain a permit from the Columbia Building and Site Development Division. You can call the Division at (573) 874-7474 for inquiries or to obtain permits or you can apply for permits yourself through the Citizen Self Service Portal.

Do Columbia Neighborhood Councils
Issue Permits?

No, Columbia City neighborhood groups and associations do not issue permits or licenses to residents or businesses within the city. Instead, neighborhood organizations, under the auspices of the Neighborhood Services Division, promote programs and initiatives in pursuit of neighborhood interests and also aimed at improving the quality of life within the city. As an example of this sort of collaboration, on March 17th, 2021, the Columbia City Council approved a bill to renovate the Flat Branch Park ahead of the city's Bicentennial celebrations later that year in July. The park is to be connected to the ongoing Gateway Plaza project and it is hoped that these renovations will help make it more attractive to the community. Likewise, on July 7th, 2021, the City Council considered several items on the consent agenda before approving a new pedestrian crossing Downtown and a reduction of the westbound traffic lanes on Broadway.

How to File an Unfair Business
Complaint in Columbia?

If you have been scammed in Columbia, or have a complaint against a Columbia business for deceptive, unfair, or illegal business practices, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Section of the Missouri Attorney General's Office. You can file your complaint by filling out an online complaint form. Make sure you include all the details of the transaction, the particulars of the business or professional, and any supporting documents you may have. Alternatively, you can fill and send a pdf complaint form to

• Missouri Attorney General's Office
• Consumer Protection Unit
• P.O. Box 899
• Jefferson City, MO 65102

The complaint process offered by the Attorney General's Office is an informal mediation process through which you might be able to achieve restitution in cash, an exchange of services, or fulfillment of the original promise which was the cause of the dispute. However, you should note that the Attorney General cannot compel a business to take a particular course of action, nor can it provide you with personal legal representation or legal advice. In some circumstances, civil or criminal action may be carried out against the business complained of in the interest of the public. However, if you seek a particular individual remedy, you might have to contact a private attorney or proceed to a Boone County Civil Court to file an action against the business or professional.