Performance Details

Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development - Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

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Mission

Inspiring public confidence through balanced regulation of competent professional and business services.

Core Services

• License businesses to engage in commerce in Alaska, and grant endorsements for sale of tobacco products, electronic smoking products, or products containing nicotine, and register businesses providing telemedicine services.
• Administer 44 professional licensing programs; 24 of these are regulated solely by the division, and 21 are governed by boards and commissions with divisional administrative and investigative support.
• Register and update Corporations and Trademarks for entities engaged in commerce in Alaska.
• Provide the means to file a complaint or bring a matter pertaining to actions of a licensed or unlicensed professional or business to investigative staff and perform investigations into such complaints.

Mission Results

Core Services

A: Commercial services are regulated through the business licensing program, and professional services are delivered by competent, qualified licensees. Details > TARGET #1: Manage licensure of Alaska businesses and professionals. TARGET #2: Manage registration of corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships.

A1: License businesses to engage in commerce in Alaska, and grant endorsements for sale of tobacco products, electronic smoking products, or products containing nicotine, and register businesses providing telemedicine services. Details > TARGET #1: Businesses are licensed so that they may enjoy the "privilege of engaging in a business in the state" (AS 43.70.020). Endorsements are issued to businesses selling tobacco products, electronic smoking products, or products containing nicotine. A2: Administer 44 professional licensing programs; 24 of these are regulated solely by the division, and 21 are governed by boards and commissions with divisional administrative and investigative support. Details > TARGET #1: Professional services are available to the public and have competent, qualified licensees. A3: Register and update Corporations and Trademarks for entities engaged in commerce in Alaska. Details > TARGET #1: Provide for the registration of newly created corporate entities. TARGET #2: Provide for registration and renewal of trademarks. A4: Provide the means to file a complaint or bring a matter pertaining to actions of a licensed or unlicensed professional or business to investigative staff and perform investigations into such complaints. Details > TARGET #1: Review 100 percent of complaints that have a potential for licensing violations and investigate when appropriate.

Performance Detail

Target #1: Manage licensure of Alaska businesses and professionals. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Number of Current Business & Professional Licensees Fiscal Year YTD FY 2024 198,172 -5.08% FY 2023 208,775 +2.37% FY 2022 203,937 +7.95% FY 2021 188,914 +13.40% FY 2020 166,594 +3.98% FY 2019 160,225 -1.92% FY 2018 163,366 +1.04% FY 2017 161,677 +11.71% FY 2016 144,725 +0.85% FY 2015 143,501 +5.73% Analysis of results and challenges: Alaska benefits by increasing the number of companies and availability of competent, qualified practitioners doing business in the state. A variety of contributing factors can often cause the number of licensees to fluctuate, such as changes in competency requirements, fees, demand for the profession, economic climate, etc. Five programs have experienced greater than 50% increase in licenses since FY2019: Athletic Trainers, Behavior Analysts, Dieticians, Guardians and Conservators, and Nutritionists. Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Target #2: Manage registration of corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Analysis of results and challenges: Notifications to non-compliant corporations were reinstituted in FY2012, resulting in an increase in the number of entities in good standing. The total number of registrations increased in FY2024, and the percentage of compliant entities remained at approximately 93%. Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Target #1: Businesses are licensed so that they may enjoy the "privilege of engaging in a business in the state" (AS 43.70.020). Endorsements are issued to businesses selling tobacco products, electronic smoking products, or products containing nicotine. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. New Business Licenses & Endorsements Fiscal Year Business License Endorsements FY 2024 17,787 -21.38% 285 +28.96% FY 2023 22,623 -8.92% 221 +7.28% FY 2022 24,839 -5.91% 206 -36.22% FY 2021 26,400 +37.77% 323 +34.58% FY 2020 19,162 +10.60% 240 -69.66% FY 2019 17,325 +7.98% 791 +593.86% FY 2018 16,045 -1.78% 114 -14.93% FY 2017 16,335 +3.66% 134 -16.25% FY 2016 15,758 -0.50% 160 -35.22% FY 2015 15,837 +0.82% 247 +65.77% Analysis of results and challenges: Endorsements are issued to businesses selling tobacco products, electronic smoking products, or products containing nicotine under AS 43.70.075. These data track newly licensed businesses and new endorsements authorizing tobacco retail sales. Effective January 1, 2019, sales of electronic smoking products and products containing nicotine required an endorsement to a business license, resulting in a significant increase in the number of new endorsements in FY2019. Business license fees were waived in FY2021, FY2022, and 7 months of FY2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reinstatement of the business license fee on February 1, 2023 may account for the decrease in the number of licenses issued. (The Telemedicine Business Registry has no reporting for FY2024 because it became a business license endorsement in FY2025.) Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Target #1: Professional services are available to the public and have competent, qualified licensees. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Total Professional Licenses Fiscal Year Count FY 2024 107,290 -1.73% FY 2023 109,176 +4.59% FY 2022 104,383 +6.73% FY 2021 97,800 +10.72% FY 2020 88,331 +1.81% FY 2019 86,757 -2.97% FY 2018 89,414 +0.93% FY 2017 88,592 +18.98% FY 2016 74,462 +3.94% FY 2015 71,642 +6.56% Analysis of results and challenges: Alaska benefits by increasing the number and availability of competent, qualified practitioners doing business in the state. The volume and complexity of professional licenses has grown steadily for more than a decade. Legislation has added new programs or expanded existing ones, creating 27.1% more licenses since FY2019. In FY2017, a few additional existing transaction types totaling 3,386 licenses, exemptions, or practice plans were included in the license count to better reflect the volume of licensing activity occurring within the division. Administrative adjustments were made again in FY2019, resulting in the appearance of a slight decrease in professional licenses. The demand for workers in all fields—especially health care, behavioral health care, and real estate appraisal—has resulted in the increase in professional licenses over the last several years. Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Target #1: Provide for the registration of newly created corporate entities. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Newly Created Domestic & Registered Foreign Entities Fiscal Year Domestic Entities Foreign Entities FY 2024 8,950 +3.41% 2,402 +15.76% FY 2023 8,655 +17.61% 2,075 +34.04% FY 2022 7,359 -2.77% 1,548 -25.25% FY 2021 7,569 -10.16% 2,071 +18.89% FY 2020 8,425 +38.87% 1,742 +8.94% FY 2019 6,067 -14.86% 1,599 +6.03% FY 2018 7,126 +7.38% 1,508 +10.64% FY 2017 6,636 +3.85% 1,363 -6.19% FY 2016 6,390 +14.78% 1,453 -0.68% FY 2015 5,567 +9.26% 1,463 -2.47% Analysis of results and challenges: Domestic (Alaskan) and foreign (non-Alaskan) entities (i.e. business corporations, professional corporations, nonprofit corporations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and religious corporations) doing business in the state are required to register with the division. The above table shows the total number of new domestic and foreign entities registered within the fiscal year. Target Last Modified: 05/30/2024

Target #2: Provide for registration and renewal of trademarks. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Registered Trademarks Fiscal Year Trademarks FY 2024 690 -21.77% FY 2023 882 +29.14% FY 2022 683 +0.44% FY 2021 680 +6.08% FY 2020 641 +2.23% FY 2019 627 +9.23% FY 2018 574 +16.67% FY 2017 492 +5.13% FY 2016 468 Analysis of results and challenges: Entities may choose to register trademarks, which include trademarks, service marks, certification marks, and collective marks. The above table shows the total number of trademarks within the fiscal year. New and renewed trademarks are good for five years. The division does not measure intent for making trademark applications, so no data is available to attribute the large increase in 2023. Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Target #1: Review 100 percent of complaints that have a potential for licensing violations and investigate when appropriate. Methodology: DCCED, CBPL, CBP Portal. Business and Professional License Complaints and Cases Fiscal Year Open Matters Closed Matters Closed Investigations FY 2024 1,106 -12.36% 1,226 +4.07% 425 -13.97% FY 2023 1,262 -10.56% 1,178 -9.03% 494 +57.83% FY 2022 1,411 +32.61% 1,295 +17.41% 313 -22.91% FY 2021 1,064 -22.45% 1,103 -27.53% 406 -4.02% FY 2020 1,372 +2.54% 1,522 +6.88% 423 -6.00% FY 2019 1,338 +4.12% 1,424 +10.90% 450 +15.98% FY 2018 1,285 +3.96% 1,284 +8.72% 388 -2.02% FY 2017 1,236 -31.37% 1,181 -35.50% 396 -34.00% FY 2016 1,801 +17.25% 1,831 +6.33% 600 -6.83% FY 2015 1,536 -20.70% 1,722 -14.79% 644 -10.93% Analysis of results and challenges: One of the division`s goals is to protect Alaskan consumers by thoroughly and efficiently responding to all complaints about unsafe practice or unlicensed professionals and businesses. Efforts are made to effectively prioritize and address complaints based first upon the seriousness of the alleged violation then on the date of receipt. The number of open cases reflects ongoing investigative efforts of all types, which fall into several general categories described below: Intakes: Initial contacts from citizens that do not result in a formal written complaint to the division. Intakes with no response from the complainant are generally closed within thirty days but may be reopened should a written complaint be returned. Complaints: Formal written grievances about a licensee that are opened as matters and either: • Closed without action because the allegation is not jurisdictional under licensing statutes or regulations; or • Closed without action because the board has determined the alleged conduct does not rise to the level appropriate for licensing action. Investigations: Matters clearly demonstrating the potential for violation of licensing statutes or regulations. These are reviewed by a board member and may be forwarded to the full board for formal censure or discipline. Probation and Monitoring: Additional matters opened by the division to track adherence to the terms of mandated license probation or monitoring as part of discipline determined by the board. Usually this is done because of board action after a formal investigation. The number of closed cases includes investigative actions of all types which were resolved during the fiscal year. The number of closed investigations reflects the most serious and complex investigative matters undertaken by the division. Most investigations result in formal censure or discipline by the board or commission, or division for those programs without a statutory board. The investigations team has been able to improve case closure rates due to a return to near full staffing and an added emphasis on timely case progression. Inadequate staffing directly relates to delays in case progression and timely case closure. The division needs staff to investigate and resolve cases. Target Last Modified: 11/15/2024

Last refreshed: 05/22/2025 12:00 pm