Application Instructions
- Optometry License Application Instructions
- Completed Application: Applications may be submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov.
- Application fee of $200.00: Pay by credit or debit card. All application fees are nonrefundable.
- Criminal Background Check
- Positive Response Documentation: If you answer "Yes" to any questions on the application, explain fully in a statement that includes all details. Include the violation, location, date, cause number, and disposition. Submit copies of court documents for each instance to support the statement. If malpractice, provide the name(s) of the plaintiff(s). Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
- Name Change Documentation: Documentation of any legal name change if your name differs from that on any of your documents. Documentation may include a copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree. Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
- Official Optometry Transcript: An official transcript that shows the applicant has met all requirements for graduation. Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
- National Board of Examiners in Optometry Score Report: Applicants must submit an official score report sent directly from the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) showing completion of Parts I, II, III and the treatment and management of ocular disease (TMOD) with passing scores in all subjects. You may verify the fee and procedures to request an official score report from the NBEO at www.optometry.org/ or by phone at (800) 969-3926.
- Verification of Licensure: Verification of any registration/license/certification to practice any health-related profession or occupation in another state or territory. Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
- CPR or BLS Certification: Proof of current certification in basic life support or cardiopulmonary resuscitation given by the American Heart Association, American Red Cross or a provider approved by the board. Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
Jurisprudence Examination: All applicants for licensure as an optometrist must pass a written jurisprudence examination. The jurisprudence examination will cover the optometry statute and rules, located on the bottom of the Optometry Home page. You will be notified, after the approval of your application by the Board, and a copy of the jurisprudence exam will be sent to you. A score of 75 or above on the examination is passing.
Board Review: After your application is complete with all required documentation it will go to the Board for approval. Please be advised that your application must be complete for the Board to review.
If the Applicant Has Not Taken and Passed Part III of the National Board Of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Examination: Prior to 1994, if an applicant did not take and pass Part III of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry examination, the applicant is required to provide a statement from the appropriate agency in each state where the applicant has been licensed by examination, holds an active license, and from which the applicant is endorsing, certifying the areas of the examination, type of examination, pass-fail criteria, and the applicant’s score in each area of the examination.
Applications for applicants that have not taken and passed Part III will require additional review by the Optometry Board.
The applicant who applies for licensure under this section bears the burden of proving the requirements of the state in which the applicant is currently licensed are equivalent to those requirements of the Board. The applicant shall submit documentation to determine whether the requirements of the other state are equivalent to the Board’s.
The Fair Information Practice Act: In compliance with Ind. Code 4-1-6, this agency is notifying you that you must provide the requested information, or your application will not be processed. You have the right to challenge, correct, or explain information maintained by this agency. The information you provide will become public record. Your examination scores and grade transcripts are confidential except in circumstances where their release is required by law, in which case you will be notified.
Mandatory Disclosure of U.S. Social Security Number: Your social security number is being requested by this state agency in accordance with Ind. Code 4-1-8-1 and 25-1-5- 11(a). Disclosure is mandatory, and this record cannot be processed without it. Failure to disclose your U.S. social security number will result in the denial of your application. Application fees are not refundable.
Abandon Applications: If an applicant does not submit all requirements within one (1) year after the date on which the application is filed, the application for licensure is abandoned without any action of the Board. An application submitted after an abandoned application shall be treated as a new application.
- Optometric Legend Drug Certificate
Applicant must have an Optometry license or pending application to apply for an Optometric Legend Drug Certificate.
- Completed Application: Applications may be submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov.
- Application fee of $20.00: Pay by credit or debit card. All application fees are nonrefundable.
- Provide Proof of Education in Ocular Pharmacology from A School or College of Optometry or Medicine: Provide a transcript of your course work from the institution that has been approved by the Indiana Optometry Board. Please upload at the time of application or log back into your account and use the License Update option.
- National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Score Report: Provide a score report certifying successful completion of the treatment and management of ocular disease (TMOD) administered by the NBEO.
- Controlled Substances Registration - Limited Practice - Tramadol Only
Use this section to ensure you've submitted all requirements.
Completed Application Application Fee ($60) 2 hours of CE in opioid - Completed Application: Applications may be submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov.
- Application fee of $60.00: Fee is paid online during the online application process. All application fees are nonrefundable.
- Continuing Education: Effective July 1, 2019, any licensed provider who applies for a controlled substance registration or renews a controlled substance registration must have two hours of continuing education in opioid abuse and prescribing to obtain or renew the registration. The two hours must be obtained within the previous two years prior to applying for or renewing a registration. Individuals applying for a controlled substance registration who have not yet received their professional license do not need to complete the two hours of CE. Providers applying for a controlled substance registration who already hold a professional license will need to submit proof of the two hours of continuing education with their application.
- For more information regarding Controlled Substance information, please visit the Indiana Board of Pharmacy here.
- Controlled Substances Registration Information Letter
- Continuing Education Provider
- Application - Apply online at https://mylicense.in.gov/eGov/ML1PLA.html
- Required Documentation: Please be prepared to upload the following with your application
- Course information (curriculum, brochure, etc.)
- Resumes of Instructors
As of July 1, 2006, new provisions were effective regarding the approval of continuing education programs. Under the new statutory provision as listed below, if a program is designed to directly enhance the optometrist’s knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the optometrist’s profession or occupation and falls under an “Approved Organization” it is no longer necessary to submit an application for approval by the Indiana Optometry Board.Under IC 25-1-4-0.2:
Sec. 0.2. As used in this chapter, “approved organization” refers to the following:- (1) United States Department of Education.
- (2) Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- (3) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
- (4) Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
- (5) Federal, state, and local government agencies.
- (6) A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- (7) A national organization of practitioners whose members practicing in Indiana are subject to regulation by a board or agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or IC 15.
- (8) A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the
- approval of any organization listed in subdivisions (1) and (7).
- (9) An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
- (10) Any other organization or individual approved by the Board.
THIRTY (30) DAY DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
852 IAC 1-16-3 Application for approval of continuing education sponsor
Authority: IC 25-24-1-1
Affected: IC 25-24-1-14.1
Sec. 3. (a) The sponsoring organization must file an application provided by the agency not later than thirty (30) days after the beginning date of the program. The application must contain the following information:- (1) The name of the speaker.
- (2) The academic and professional background of the speaker.
- (3) A thorough description of the content of the program.
- (4) The date and location of the program.
- (5) The number of clock hours of continuing education requested.
- (6) The name of the person or persons who will monitor attendance and the manner in which attendance will be monitored.
- (7) Any other pertinent information required by the board.
(b) As a condition to approval of programs, the sponsoring organization must agree to provide participants with a record of attendance. The record of attendance shall state the following:
- (1) The name of the participant.
- (2) The name of the sponsoring organization.
- (3) The title of the program.
- (4) The name of the speaker or speakers.
- (5) The date of the program.
- (6) The location of the program.
- (7) The number of clock hours and type of continuing education hours requested.
(c) The sponsor shall retain records of attendance by participants for three (3) years from the date of the program.
(Indiana Optometry Board; 852 IAC 1-16-3; filed Jul 23, 1987, 9:15 a.m.: 10 IR 2737; filed Mar 26, 1993, 5:00 p.m.: 16 IR 1954; readopted filed Jul 10, 2001, 2:59 p.m.: 24 IR 4238; filed Aug 8, 2006, 11:01 a.m.: 20060906-IR-852050325FRA; filed Aug 30, 2012, 2:03 p.m.: 20120926-IR-852120164FRA)
CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS NOT ACCEPTABLE
The Board has determined that courses in the areas of:
- Practice Management
- Writing of articles for publication and teaching of courses are not acceptable for approval of continuing education hours.
APPROVAL CERTIFICATES
Upon approval by the Board, a certificate will be issued and emailed to the Sponsor
- Information Regarding Reciprocity
- Licensure by Reciprocity: The Board shall issue a license to an applicant if the applicant satisfies the following conditions:
- Holds a current license from another state or jurisdiction; and
- that state's or jurisdiction's requirements for a license are substantially equivalent to or exceed the requirements for a license of the Committee; or
- when the person was licensed or certified by another state:
- there were minimum education requirements in the other state or jurisdiction;
- if there were applicable work experience and clinical supervision requirements in effect, the person met those requirements to be licensed in that state; and
- if required by the other state or jurisdiction, the person previously passed an examination required for the license or certification.
- Has not committed any act in any state or jurisdiction that would have constituted grounds for refusal, suspension, or revocation of a license, certificate, registration, or permit to practice that occupation in Indiana at the time the act was committed.
- Does not have a complaint or an investigation pending before the regulating agency in another state or jurisdiction that relates to unprofessional conduct.
- Is in good standing and has not been disciplined by the agency that has authority to issue the license or certification.
- If a law regulating the applicant's occupation requires the Committee to administer an examination on the relevant laws of Indiana, the Committee may require the applicant to take and pass an examination specific to the laws of Indiana.
- Pays any fees required by the Committee for which the applicant is seeking licensure.
- Holds a current license from another state or jurisdiction; and
- Licensure by Reciprocity: The Board shall issue a license to an applicant if the applicant satisfies the following conditions:
Renewal Instructions
- Renewal Information
- Renew Online!
- Optometry licenses and Optometric Legend Drug certificates expire on April 1 of even-numbered years.
- Renewal fees can be determined by reviewing our fee schedule listed at the bottom of this page.
- Optometrists are required to complete continuing education in order to renew. For more information regarding CE requirements, please go to the next section.
Renewal notices are sent approximately ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date. License holders with valid email addresses on file will be emailed the renewal notice. Those who do not have valid email addresses on file will be mailed the license renewal notice; this notice is mailed to the address of record with the board. The board has no way of knowing whether or not a notice reaches its destination; therefore, when a notice has been emailed to a valid email address or mailed, the duty of the board has been performed.
Inactive Status
The board may classify a license as inactive if the board receives written notification from a licensee that the licensee will not maintain an office or practice optometry in Indiana. The renewal fee for an inactive license is ($84.00). The holder of an inactive license is not required to fulfill continuing education requirements set by the board.
If a licensee renews his/her optometry license on inactive status they are not eligible to renew their optometric legend drug certificate.
- Activation
Activation of an Inactive license
The Board may issue a license to the holder of inactive license if the applicant:
- Submits the renewal form (see below)
- Payment of the activation fee (remaining balance from prior renewal): $50.00
- Submits copies of certificates of continuing education required by the board for each year, or portion of a year during which the applicant's license has been classified as inactive
- Reinstatement
Expired less than 3 years
Licenses that are expired less than 3 years may renew online using mylicense.in.gov and will incur the late fee.
Expired Three (3) Years or more
If your Optometrist license has been expired for three or more years, you must reinstate your license to practice. Please submit your reinstatement online with the additional documentation:
- Reinstate Online!
- Payment of the current renewal fee ($134) and current initial application fee ($200). Total reinstatement fee: $334.
- Documentation to Upload:
- Copies of certificate of completion for continuing education fulfilling requirements since your license has expired
- Letter of work history or resume detailing any work since your license has expired
- Verification of any other state license held
- Any other remediation and/or training as deemed by the board after a personal appearance
- At the time of the personal appearance, the Board will determine whether remediation and/or additional training is required based upon the time the license has been expired. This may include retaking the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and/or the Law Examination administered by the Board.
If your Legend Drug Certificate has been expired for three or more years, you must reinstate your license to practice. Please submit your reinstatement online with the additional documentation:
- Reinstate Online!
- Payment of the current renewal fee ($20) and current initial application fee ($20). Total reinstatement fee: $40.
- Documentation to Upload:
- Copies of certificate of completion for continuing education fulfilling requirements since your license has expired
If your CSR-Optometrist -Tramadol Only has been expired for three or omre years, you msut reinstate your license to practice.
- Reinstate Online!
- Payment of the current renewal fee ($60) and current initial application fee ($60). Total reinstatement fee: $120.
- Documentation to Upload:
- Copies of certificate of completion in two hours of continuing education in opioid abuse and prescribing to obtain or renew the registration. The two hours must be obtained within the previous two years prior to applying for or renewing a registration.
- Continuing Education Optometrists are required to have completed twenty (20) hours of continuing education for their optometry license and twenty (20) hours of continuing education if they hold an optometric legend drug certificate acquired before April 1, 2024.Continuing education is not required for the year in which the initial license was issued.Effective for the license period ending April 1, 2024 and every license period thereafter, optometrists are required, as part of the twenty (20) hour requirement, to complete two (2) hours of continuing education in any of the following areas:1. Medical charting
2. Billing and coding
3.Healthcare compliance; orCourses which are approved by the board or the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) in the area of jurisprudence and medical recordkeeping will be accepted and are not considered practice management courses.
Completion of Continuing Education
All continuing education completed for the April 1, 2024 renewal period must be completed between the dates of April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2024. Any continuing education completed before or after the renewal date will not be acceptable for this renewal period.
Approved Continuing Education Programs
Continuing education means an orderly process of instruction that is approved by an approved organization or the board that is designed to directly enhance the practitioner's knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the practitioner's profession or occupation and falls under an "Approved Organization" it is no longer necessary to submit an application for continuing education approval by the Indiana Optometry Board. An "Approved Organization" refers to the following:
- United States Department of Education.
- Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
- Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
- Federal, state, and local government agencies.
- A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- A national organization of practitioners whose members practicing in Indiana are subject to regulation by a board or agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or IC 15.
- A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of any organization listed in subdivisions (1) and (7).
- An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
- Any other organization or individual approved by the Board.
Sponsors with automatic approval
- The Indiana Optometric Association and its affiliates.
- The American Optometric Association (AOA).
- The Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE).
- The American Academy of Optometry and its affiliate organizations.
- National or regional organization accredited as a provider of ophthalmic continuing medical education (CME) by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
- Other state optometric associations and their affiliate local societies.
- Regional optometric associations.
- Postgraduate courses offered at any accredited school of optometry.
- Completion of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or basic life support (BLS) approved by the American Heart Association, American Red Cross or provider approved by the Board will be granted up to two (2) hours of continuing education credit per renewal period.
Self-Study Continuing Education
Self-study continuing education for an optometry license and optometric legend drug certificate renewal shall be limited to a total of eight (8) hours biennially. In order to be accepted as continuing education for an optometry license and optometric legend drug certificate renewal, self-study methods of presentation must include a written examination or post evaluation.
Self-study includes the following:
- Journals and books
- Audiotapes
- Films and videotapes
- Internet on-line
- Closed circuit television
- Satellite broadcasts
- Correspondence courses
- CD-ROM
- DVD
- Teleconferencing
- Videoconferencing
- Distance learning
CE Programs Not Acceptable for Renewal
- Practice management courses, except as described above.
- The writing of articles for publication.
Continuing Education for Speakers
An optometrist who acts as a speaker, lecturer, or other presenter may be awarded one (1) hour of continuing education credit for each hour of the continuing education course taught. No more than four (4) hours per renewal period will be awarded. The presentation is eligible for credit only once regardless of the number of times it is presented and the optometrist must maintain a record for the time, place, and date of the presentation. The presentation must be approved by the board or sponsored by an approved organization.
Continuing Education Audits and Certificate Retention
A licensee is not required to submit copies of their continuing education certificates at the time of renewal. By renewing online or signing the renewal application you swear or affirm under the penalties of perjury that you have completed the continuing education requirement. A practitioner shall retain copies of continuing education certificates for three (3) years from the end of the licensing period. After the renewal, the Board shall randomly audit for compliance more that one percent (1%) but less than ten percent (10%) of the practitioner required to take continuing education courses. At that time they will be require to submit copies of their continuing education certificates. If the licensee does not comply with the audit the Board will proceed with action as specified IC 25-1-4-5 and IC 25-1-4-6.
Continuing Education Audit Tracking Worksheet
Continuing education certificates must contain the following information:
- The name of the participant
- The name of the sponsoring organization
- The title of the program
- The date of the program
- The location of the program
- The number of continuing education hours awarded.
- Documents
- Reinstatement Form
- Optometry Activation Form: To activate an Inactive License with a current expiration date.
Exams & Testing
- Exam Information & Score Reports
Please contact the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBOE) at the address/phone number/web site listed below for examination information and score reports.
National Board of Examiners in Optometry
200 S. College Street #1920
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Telephone: (704) 332-9565
Toll Free: (800) 969-3926
Fax: (704) 332-9568
Website: https://www.optometry.org/
E-Mail: nbeo@optometry.org
Fee Schedule
Fee to Indiana University
Based upon IC 25-24-2-3, in addition to the biennial licensure fee, each licensed optometrist shall pay, at the time of payment of the biennial licensure fee each even-numbered year, an additional fee of thirty-four dollars ($34). The additional fee is paid to Indiana University to be used for the advancement of optometrical research and the maintenance and support of the department in which the science of optometry is taught at the university.
- Optometry Applications/Renewals
Optometry Application/Renewal Fee Fee to IU Penalty Total Licensure by Endorsement $200 NA NA $200 Licensure by Examination $200 NA NA $200 License Renewal - 4/1 of even-numbered years $100 $34 NA $134 Late Renewal $100 $34 $50 $184 Inactive License Renewal $50 $34 NA $84 Reinstatement of Inactive License $50 NA NA $50 Issuance of an Optometric Legend Drug Certificate $20 NA NA $20 Renewal of an Optometric Legend Drug Certificate $20 NA NA $20