Florida

Board

of

Opticianry

To be licensed as an Optician in Florida, you must apply for either licensure by examination or endorsement. Below are the requirements for each licensure pathway.

Licensure by Examination Requirements

1. Complete and submit the “Optician Application for Examination” form and the required fees.

Exam eligibility will be approved if the applicant meets all the following criteria:

• Is not younger than 18 years of age;
• Is a graduate of an accredited high school or possesses a certificate of equivalency of a high school education;
• Successfully passed the National Opticianry Competency Examination within three years of application or has current ABO certification;
• Successfully passed the Contact Lens Registry Examination within three years of application or has current NCLE certification; and
• Has completed one of the following:
  1. Received an associate degree, or equivalent, in opticianry from an accredited school; or
  2. Has registered as an apprentice with the department and completed 6,240 hours of training under their registered sponsor(s). These requirements must be met within 5 years after the date of registration.

2. Following receipt of a passing score on the opticianry licensure examination, complete and submit the “Optician Initial Licensure Form” and fee.

3. Provide a copy of the certificate documenting completion of a two-hour live technical practice continuing education (CE) course on fitting and adjusting provided by a board approved provider. For approved provider course information, visit CE Broker.

Examination Requirements:

The Florida Opticianry Licensure Examination Requirements consists of three parts:|

Part 1. National Opticianry Competency Examination (NOCE) by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO)

Part 2. Contact Lens Registry Examination by the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE)

Part 3. The National Practical Examination:

• American Board of Opticianry Practical and National
  Contact Lens Examiners Practical by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO). Contact at www.abo-ncle.org or
  (703) 719-5800

NOTE: Prior to applying to take a national practical examination, you must successfully pass the National Opticianry Competency Examination (NOCE) and the Contact Lens Registry Examination (NCLE) through the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners. Proof of successful completion of these two parts are required prior to taking a national practical examination.

If you are applying for re-exam, you cannot use the on-line application.  Please email the board office at MQA.opticianry@flhealth.gov with your full name and the approximate date you took your first exam.

Licensure by Endorsement Requirements:

1. 1. Complete and submit the “Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE) Application” along with the appropriate fees.
   2. Hold an active, unencumbered license issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory in the United States in a profession with a similar scope of practice, as determined by the board.
   3. Obtain a passing score on a national licensure examination or hold a national certification recognized by the board, applicable to the profession for which the applicant is seeking licensure in this state.
   4. Has actively practiced in the profession for which the applicant is applying for at least 3 years during the 4-year period immediately preceding the date of submission of the application.
   5. Attests that they are not, at the time of submission of the application, the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in a jurisdiction in which they hold a license or by the US Department of Defense for reasons related to the practice of the profession for which he or she is applying.
   6. Has not had disciplinary action taken against him or her in the 5 years immediately preceding the date of submission of the application.
   7. Submits a set of fingerprints for a background screening pursuant to s. 456.0135, if required for the profession for which they are applying.

**A person is ineligible for endorsement if he or she:

• Has a complaint, an allegation, or an investigation pending before a licensing entity in another state, the District of Columbia, or a possession or territory of the United States;
• Has been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, any felony or misdemeanor related to the practice of a health care profession;
• Has had a health care provider license revoked or suspended by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States, or has voluntarily surrendered any such license in lieu of having disciplinary action taken against the license; or
• Has been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the applicant has successfully appealed to have his or her name removed from the data bank.