Requirements for Full Licensure as a Dispensing Optician

An applicant may be granted a license to practice as a dispensing optician if he or she submits to the Board a properly-completed application for such licensure, on a form prescribed and furnished by the Board for that purpose, accompanied by all of the following: (1) Satisfactory written proof that he or she has: (a) Graduated from a two-year educational program in opticianry which is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation or by another accreditation entity recognized and approved by the Board; (b) Successfully completed one year of education in an educational program in opticianry which is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation or by another accreditation entity recognized and approved by the Board, and successfully completed an apprenticeship of not less than 2,100 hours over a period of not less than 18 months which meets all applicable requirements of 235 CMR 4.00: Apprenticeship Requirements and Procedures; or (c) Successfully completed an apprenticeship of not less than 4,200 hours over a period of not less than three years which meets all applicable requirements of 235 CMR 4.00: Apprenticeship Requirements and Procedures; and (2) Satisfactory written proof that he or she has taken, and achieved a passing score on, the National Opticianry Competency Examination administered by the American Board of Opticianry, or such any other examination as may be approved by the Board; and (3) Applicable to applicants for licensure on or after June 1, 2007, satisfactory written proof that he or she has taken, and achieved a passing score on, the Contact Lens Registry Examination administered by the National Contact Lens Examiners, or any other examination as may be approved by the Board; and (4) Satisfactory written proof that he or she has taken, and achieved a passing score on, the practical examination in opticianry prescribed by the Board; or a practical examination in opticianry administered by the governmental licensing authority of another state or territory of the United States which, in the opinion of the Board, is substantially equivalent to the practical examination in opticianry prescribed by the Board; and (5) Satisfactory written proof that he or she is 18 years of age or older and is of good moral character; and (6) Payment of all required fees prescribed by the Board and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance pursuant to M.G.L. c. 7, § 3B and 801 CMR 4.00: Rates.