The Regulated Industries Complaints Office, or RICO, is an enforcement agency within the DCCA that reviews complaints involving persons who provide specialized trade or professional services to Hawaii consumers that require a license from one of the licensing boards attached to the DCCA.  As of 2021, RICO’s authority covers 52 regulated industries    consisting of more than 170,000 active licensees. The sheer number of complaints received annually by RICO means that cases may not be   referred for prosecution, and, enforcement action is not guaranteed.  Still, RICO is authorized to sue persons that provide regulated services to consumers without being licensed to perform the work, and, RICO can file actions against misbehaving licensees, and it does so regularly every year.  RICO, therefore, relies heavily on education, self-informed consumers, and good evidence to uphold the standards of professional conduct and care that are embodied in the licensing laws.