Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
There is the Optometry Fund in the State Treasury. Unless otherwise provided, all money collected under the authority of this chapter shall be paid into this fund. The board shall not maintain a reserve balance in the fund that is greater than six months of the appropriated operating expenses of the board in any fiscal year.
(Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1275, Sec. 26. Effective January 1, 1995.)
Administrative fines collected pursuant to Section 3095 shall be deposited in the Optometry Fund. It is the legislative intent that moneys collected as fines and deposited in the fund be used by the board primarily for enforcement purposes.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 39. Effective January 1, 2006.)
A license issued under this chapter expires at midnight on the last day of the licenseholder’s birth month following its original issuance and thereafter at midnight on the last day of the licenseholder’s birth month every two years if not renewed. To renew an unexpired license, the licenseholder shall apply for renewal on a form prescribed by the board and pay the renewal fee prescribed by this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 40. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Except as otherwise provided by Section 114, an expired license may be renewed at any time within three years after its expiration, and a retired license issued for less than three years may be reactivated to active status, by filing an application for renewal or reactivation on a form prescribed by the board, paying all accrued and unpaid renewal fees or reactivation fees determined by the board, paying any delinquency fees prescribed by the board, and submitting proof of completion of the required number of hours of continuing education for the last two years, as prescribed by the board pursuant to Section 3059. Renewal or reactivation to active status under this section shall be effective on the date on which all of those requirements are satisfied. If so renewed or reactivated to active status, the license shall continue as provided in Sections 3146 and 3147.5.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 359, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2013.)
A license that has been suspended is subject to expiration and shall be renewed as provided in this article, but renewal does not entitle the holder of a suspended license to engage in the practice of optometry, or in any other activity or conduct in violation of the order or judgment by which the license was suspended.
A license that has been revoked is subject to expiration, but it may not be renewed. If a revoked license is reinstated after it has expired, a reinstatement fee of 150 percent of the renewal fee shall be assessed.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 42. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Except as otherwise provided by Section 114, a license that is not renewed within three years after its expiration may be restored, and a retired license issued for more than three years may be reactivated to active status, if no fact, circumstance, or condition exists that, if the license were restored, would justify its revocation or suspension, provided all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The holder of the expired license or retired license is not subject to denial of a license under Section 480.
(b) The holder of the expired license or retired license applies in writing for its restoration or reactivation on a form prescribed by the board.
(c) The holder of the expired license or retired license pays the fee or fees as would be required of him or her if he or she were then applying for a license for the first time.
(d) The holder of the expired license or retired license satisfactorily passes both of the following examinations:
(1) The National Board of Examiners in Optometry’s Clinical Skills examination or other clinical examination approved by the board.
(2) The board’s jurisprudence examination.
(e) After taking and satisfactorily passing the examinations identified in subdivision (d), the holder of the expired license or retired license pays a restoration fee equal to the sum of the license renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date for licenses or a reactivation fee determined by the board, and any delinquency fees prescribed by the board.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 359, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2013.)
The provisions of Section 3147.6 shall not apply to a person holding a license that has not been renewed within three years of expiration, if the person provides satisfactory proof that he or she holds an active license from another state and meets all of the following conditions:
(a) Is not subject to denial of a license under Section 480.
(b) Applies in writing for restoration of the license on a form prescribed by the board.
(c) Pays all accrued and unpaid renewal fees and any delinquency fees prescribed by the board.
(d) Submits proof of completion of the required number of hours of continuing education for the last two years.
(e) Takes and satisfactorily passes the board’s jurisprudence examination.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 653, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 2011.)
From each fee for the renewal of a license for the biennial renewal of a license, there shall be paid the sum of sixteen dollars ($16) by the Director of Consumer Affairs to the University of California.
This sum shall be used at and by the University of California solely for the advancement of optometrical research and the maintenance and support of the department at the university in which the science of optometry is taught.
The balance of each renewal fee shall be paid into the Optometry Fund.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 45. Effective January 1, 2006.)
The department may make all necessary disbursements to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 46. Effective January 1, 2006.)
(a) The board shall issue, upon application and payment of the fee described in Section 3152, a retired license to an optometrist who holds a license that is current and active.
(b) A licensee who has been issued a retired license is exempt from continuing education requirements pursuant to Section 3059. The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license.
(c) The holder of a retired license shall not engage in the practice of optometry.
(d) An optometrist holding a retired license shall only be permitted to use the titles “retired optometrist” or “optometrist, retired.”
(e) The holder of a retired license issued for less than three years may reactivate the license to active status if he or she meets the requirements of Section 3147.
(f) The holder of a retired license issued for more than three years may reactivate the license to active status if he or she satisfies the requirements in Section 3147.6.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 359, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2013.)
(a) The board shall issue, upon application and payment of the fee described in Section 3152, a license with retired volunteer service designation to an optometrist who holds a retired license or a license that is current and active.
(b) The applicant shall certify on the application that he or she has completed the required number of continuing education hours pursuant to Section 3059.
(c) The applicant shall certify on the application that the sole purpose of the license with retired volunteer service designation is to provide voluntary, unpaid optometric services at health fairs, vision screenings, and public service eye programs.
(d) The holder of the retired license with volunteer service designation shall submit a biennial renewal application, with a fee fixed by this chapter and certify on each renewal that the required number of continuing education hours pursuant to Section 3059 were completed, and certify that the sole purpose of the retired license with volunteer service designation is to provide voluntary, unpaid services as described in subdivision (c).
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 359, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2013.)
The amounts of fees and penalties prescribed by this chapter shall be established by the board in amounts not greater than those specified in the following schedule:
(a) The fee for applicants applying for a license shall not exceed two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275).
(b) The fee for renewal of an optometric license shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500).
(c) The annual fee for the renewal of a branch office license shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75).
(d) The fee for a branch office license shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75).
(e) The penalty for failure to pay the annual fee for renewal of a branch office license shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).
(f) The fee for issuance of a license or upon change of name authorized by law of a person holding a license under this chapter shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).
(g) The delinquency fee for renewal of an optometric license shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(h) The application fee for a certificate to perform lacrimal irrigation and dilation shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(i) The application fee for a certificate to treat glaucoma shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(j) The fee for approval of a continuing education course shall not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
(k) The fee for issuance of a statement of licensure shall not exceed forty dollars ($40).
(l) The fee for biennial renewal of a statement of licensure shall not exceed forty dollars ($40).
(m) The delinquency fee for renewal of a statement of licensure shall not exceed twenty dollars ($20).
(n) The application fee for a fictitious name permit shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(o) The renewal fee for a fictitious name permit shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(p) The delinquency fee for renewal of a fictitious name permit shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).
(q) The fee for a retired license shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25).
(r) The fee for a retired license with volunteer designation shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(s) The biennial renewal fee for a retired license with volunteer designation shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50).
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 359, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2013.)
The board may require each applicant for a certificate to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, pursuant to Section 3041.3, to pay an application fee, and may require each licenseholder to pay a renewal fee. The application fee and the renewal fee shall not exceed the actual costs to the board of the reviewing and processing of the application for a license or renewal of a license, monitoring the practice by licenseholders, and enforcing the provisions of law governing the use of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, the diagnosis and treatment of certain conditions, and the performance of certain procedures by persons certified to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 393, Sec. 48. Effective January 1, 2006.)
