Apply for a dispensing opticians license

You may apply for a dispensing opticians license online

Board of Registration of Dispensing Opticians

The Details   of Apply for a dispensing opticians license

What you need   for Apply for a dispensing opticians license

General Instructions 

Please review and complete the steps noted below to prior to starting and submitting your Dispensing Optician license application. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to dispensing.opticians@mass.gov

1. Review the Board’s Regulations 

Prior to completing your application, please review the Board’s regulations, set forth at 235 Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR).  You may purchase an official copy of 235 CMR in person at the State Bookstore located at the Massachusetts State House, Room 116, Boston, MA 02133, or you may order a copy online through the Secretary of State. The Board also maintains an unofficial, courtesy copy of the regulations accessible through the Statutes and Regulations section of its website.  

2. Apply to take the Licensing Examination 

All applicants must have passed the National Competency Examinations administered by the American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO-NCLE). You will be required to upload a copy of your ABO and NCLE scores or certificate during the online application process. The examination for ABO and NCLE is held four times a year. You may contact ABO-NCLE at 109341 Democracy Lane, Fairfax VA 22030. Call (703) 719-5800 to schedule an appointment to take the examination, or register through ABO-NCLE website

To be eligible to take the exam, applicants must have accomplished one of the following:  

  • Completed four-thousand and two hundred (4,200) hours of apprenticeship in no less than three (3) years; 

  • Graduated from a two (2) year educational program in opticianry which is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation; or 

  • Completed one (1) year of an educational program which is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation and completed two thousand and one hundred (2,100) hours of an apprenticeship in no less than eighteen (18) months. 

Apprentices must be registered with the Massachusetts Division of Apprentice standards.  Experience in a wholesale RX Lab, or under a non-licensed optical trainer, will not be accepted by the Board for licensure eligibility.

Board permission is no longer required to take the Massachusetts practical examination.  Applicants should arrange to take either of the accepted practical examinations (see below) at any time prior to submitting applications for licensure. It is up to individuals to determine whether they are prepared for the exam.

Note that the ABO web site indicates that you must have board approval. However, board approval is not required.

  • JCAHPO practical exam (offered by NCSORB)

Please call 651-731-2944 or 800-284-3937, or send email to jcahpo@jcahpo.org

Note: You will only need to pass one of the above exams. Please contact the vendor to complete exam registration. You will be required to upload a copy the Massachusetts practical exam scores or certificate during the online application process.

3. Submission of Supporting Documentation and Required Forms 

The following documents are required to be uploaded during the online application process: 

  • A 2”x 2” passport style photo; 

  • Criminal Offender Record Information ; 

  • ABO and NCLE Scores or Certificate; 

  • Apprenticeship Certificate or transcripts from an approved school of Opticianry (an official transcript must also be mailed to the Board in an envelope sealed by the school); and 

  • A letter or letters from the optician(s) or optometrist(s) who sponsored your apprenticeship, on their letterhead, stating the areas covered during your four thousand and two hundred (4,200) hours (or the amount of hours for which they are signing if you worked for more than one supervisor) during the no less than three year period of apprenticeship. The Original letter(s) must be mailed to the Board office. 

The following documents must be mailed to the Board: 

  • Transcripts from an approved school of Opticianry (in a sealed envelope); 

  • Official verification of out of state license (if applicable); and 

  • Notarized Letters(s) from your apprenticeship supervisor (sponsor). 

All required documents, other than the verification, should be mailed in one complete packet. Please mail these documents to: 

Board of Registration of Dispensing Opticians 
Bureau of Health Professions Licensure
250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118 

Note for Reciprocity Applicants: If you are licensed by another state, you must mail an official verification letter in an unopened, sealed envelope from that state, directly to the Board at the address noted above. 

4. Non-Refundable Application Fee 

All applicants are required to pay a non-refundable application fee of $59.00, or $95.00 for licensure by reciprocity.  The fee covers the application, and if the application is approved, it also covers the initial license and a wall certificate.  This fee can be paid online at the end of the application process, either by check or credit card. Please note that a convenience fee will be assessed for credit card payments. 

Application Determinations 

Please direct any questions regarding the application process to the Board’s office. Contact dispensing.opticians@mass.gov

How to apply   Apply for a dispensing opticians license

1. Go to the Health Professions Licensing Portal  and create an account, or log into your existing account. If this is your first time using this new portal, please visit Health Professions Licensing System User Guide.

2. Follow system prompts. A user manual is available for here if needed.

 

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