Becoming Board Certified

To become a Board Certified Optician in Kentucky, complete the following requirements:

Licensed Apprentice

An applicant who holds a valid apprentice ophthalmic dispenser license will:

• Take within 30 months and pass within 36 months of receipt of the apprentice license: 
  • The American Board of Opticians (ABO) Basic Examination; and 
  • The National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE) Basic Examination.
• Take and pass within 60 months of receipt of the apprentice license, a Board approved
  Practical Examination; and,
• Submit a completed and signed Application for Ophthalmic Dispenser License along with an application fee.

Out of State Licensed Optician

An applicant who is applying for licensure based on credentials and experience will:

• Have an active license as a dispensing optician issued by any state or territory of the United States or
  the District of Columbia that has standards at least as stringent as those required by KRS 326.040;
  OR
• Have an active certification as a dispensing optician under the ABO and the NCLE, and at least two (2)
  years of experience as a dispensing optician, as verified under oath by both the applicant and by a sponsor
  with personal knowledge of the applicant’s work history.  The verifying sponsor must be licensed either as an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, or an optician.
• Successfully pass a Board approved Practical Examination; and,
• Submit a completed and signed Application for Ophthalmic Dispenser License along with an application fee.