The Ohio Department of Commerce is the State’s chief regulatory agency.
Our mission is to assist businesses to operate lawfully so they can succeed as jobs-creators and we can safeguard Ohioans.
The Department of Commerce is self-supporting, through fees. We issue nearly 600,000 licenses, permits, registrations and certifications each year in various professions, industries and commercial enterprises.
The Department is made of up 8 Divisions. Through the divisions, we regulate banks and savings institutions, credit unions, mortgage lenders and consumer finance businesses; Securities professionals and products; real estate professionals and cable television. The Division of Liquor Control is a part of the Department of Commerce, as is the Division of the State Fire Marshal. We regulate the building industry and collect and hold Unclaimed Funds until we can return the money to its rightful owner.
The Department of Commerce is proud to provide excellent customer service. If you do not find what you are looking for on this site, please contact us, we would be happy to assist you.
Jacqueline T. Williams was appointed Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce by Governor John R. Kasich in April 2015. She serves as a member of the Governor’s cabinet and is responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the Department of Commerce.
The Department of Commerce is one of the state’s leading regulatory agencies. Williams has made providing exceptional customer service a top priority for the agency while promoting the growth, success, safety and soundness of businesses in real estate, industrial compliance, securities, financial institutions, liquor control, fire safety, and unclaimed funds.
Prior to her appointment as Director, Williams served as Chief of the Minority Business Development Division in the Ohio Development Services Agency. In that role, she was responsible for leading the state’s efforts to develop, grow and sustain minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprises. She previously was Executive Director of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission.
Williams has also served as the Director of College Savings with the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, she worked with policymakers, opinion leaders and consumers to establish a national college savings agenda.
Prior to her time in Washington, Williams served for 10 years as Executive Director of the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, where she repositioned the enterprise to grow assets in CollegeAdvantage, the state’s 529 college savings plan, from $440 million to $6.5 billion and increased plan participation from 85,000 to 760,000. During her tenure, CollegeAdvantage was recognized by SavingforCollege.com and Morningstar as a Top 5 national college savings plan. Williams served two terms as Chair of the College Savings Plans Network and under her leadership, the network achieved tax free distribution for 529 plans. Williams has also served as Chief of Consumer Services at the Ohio Consumers Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, where she oversaw marketing, human resources, training and communications.
Williams worked for AT&T in a number of national and global marketing capacities. She also was AT&T’s Director of Public Relations, where she supported 24 business units with annual revenues exceeding $750 million
Williams earned both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She has completed executive education at the Aspen Institute, WELD and with the Miami University Center for Entrepreneurial Education.
Annual Report 2017
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The Department of Commerce will begin regulating the manufactured homes industry on January 21, 2018. For more information, click here.
The Medical Marijuana Control Program website is your one-stop shop for information, and includes frequently asked questions, updates on timelines and the rules process, a way to submit feedback and questions, and more. Read more.
Commerce is administering the newly created Volunteer Peace Officers’ Dependents Fund. Each political subdivision with a police or sheriff’s department that employs volunteer peace officers is a member of the Fund and must establish a board. To determine if you are a member, please click here. If you are a member, please click here and follow the instructions.
Starting Jan. 2, 2018, security procedures for visitors to the Riffe Center will change. Click here for details.
Equifax, a major credit reporting agency, recently announced a security breach that occurred from mid-May - July 2017. During this period, individuals' confidential personal information such as social security numbers and credit card numbers were comprised. Click here for consumer help information.