Virginia Law

Part II. Entry Requirements

18VAC80-30-20. Qualifications of applicant.

An applicant for a license must furnish satisfactory evidence on an application provided by the board establishing that:

1. The applicant is at least 18 years of age;

2. The applicant is a graduate of an accredited high school, has completed the equivalent of grammar school and a four-year high school course, or is a holder of a certificate of general educational development;

3. The applicant is in good standing as a licensed optician in every jurisdiction where licensed. The applicant must disclose to the board at the time of application for licensure any disciplinary action taken in Virginia and all other jurisdictions in connection with the applicant's practice as an optician. This includes monetary penalties, fines, suspensions, revocations, surrender of a license in connection with a disciplinary action, or voluntary termination of a license.

Upon review of the applicant's prior disciplinary action, the board, in its discretion, may deny licensure to any applicant who the board deems unfit or unsuited to engage in opticianry. The board will decide each case by taking into account the totality of the circumstances. Any plea of nolo contendere or comparable plea will be considered a disciplinary action for the purposes of this section. The applicant must provide a certified copy of a final order, decree, or case decision by a court, regulatory agency, or board with the lawful authority to issue such order, decree, or case decision, and such copy will be admissible as prima facie evidence of such disciplinary action;

4. In accordance with § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia, each applicant must disclose the following information regarding criminal convictions in Virginia and all other jurisdictions:

a. Misdemeanor convictions involving sexual offense or physical injury that occurred within three years of the date of application; and

b. Felony convictions involving sexual offense, physical injury, drug distribution, or felony convictions involving the profession of opticianry.

The record of a conviction authenticated in such form as to be admissible in evidence under the laws of the jurisdiction where convicted is admissible as prima facie evidence of such conviction or guilt. The board has the authority to determine, based upon all the information available, including the applicant's record of prior convictions, if the applicant is unfit or unsuited to engage in the profession of opticianry;

5. The applicant has successfully completed one of the following education requirements:

a. A board-approved two-year course in a school of opticianry, including the study of topics essential to qualify for practicing as an optician; or

b. A two-year apprenticeship, including all required related technical instruction, while registered in the apprenticeship program in accordance with the standards established by the state Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, Division of Registered Apprenticeship, and approved by the board;

6. The applicant has disclosed the applicant's current mailing address and email address. A post office box may be provided as a secondary mailing address;

7. The nonresident applicant for a license has filed and maintained with the department an irrevocable consent for the director of the department to serve as service agent for all actions filed in any court in the Commonwealth; and

8. The applicant must certify, as part of the application, that the applicant has read and understands Chapter 15 (§ 54.1-1500 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and the regulations of the board.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-10 derived from VR505-01-1:1 § 1.1, eff. November 1, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 4, eff. December 29, 1997; Volume 15, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-20, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; Volume 35, Issue 12, eff. April 1, 2019; Volume 38, Issue 1, eff. October 14, 2021; Volume 38, Issue 4, eff. December 1, 2021; Errata, 38:6 VA.R. 752 November 8, 2021; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-30.  Licensure by endorsement.

A. Every applicant for Virginia licensure through endorsement who is currently licensed as an optician in good standing in another jurisdiction must provide information upon application establishing that the requirements and standards under which the license was issued are substantially equivalent to and not in conflict with the provisions of this chapter. The applicant must file the application for endorsement and pay a fee to the board.

B. The board, using the following standards, will issue a license to any person licensed in another state who:

1. Has met requirements equivalent to those listed in subdivisions A 1 through A 5 of 18VAC 80-30-20; and

2. Has passed a substantially equivalent examination.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-50 derived from VR505-01-1:1 § 1.5, eff. November 1, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 4, eff. December 29, 1997; Volume 15, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-30, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-40. (Repealed.)

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-53 derived from Virginia Register Volume 21, Issue 20, eff. August 1, 2005; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-40, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-50. Fees.

A. The fee for examination will be the appropriate contract charges to the board by an outside vendor. Examination service contracts will be established in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). The total examination fee will not exceed the cost of $1,000 to the applicant.

B. All application fees for licenses are nonrefundable and the date of receipt by the board or its agent is the date used to determine whether the fee is on time.

C. Application fees must be submitted with the application for licensure.

The following fees apply:

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-54 derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended, Virginia Register Volume 21, Issue 20, eff. August 1, 2005; Errata 21:23 VA.R. 3311 July 25, 2005; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-50, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-60. Examinations.

A. All examinations required for licensure must be approved by the board and administered by the board or its agents or employees acting on behalf of the board.

B. The board will schedule an examination to be held at least twice each calendar year.

C. The applicant must follow all rules established by the board with regard to conduct at an examination. Such rules include any written instructions communicated prior to the examination date and any instructions communicated at the site, either written or oral, on the date of the examination. Failure to comply with all rules established by the board with regard to conduct at an examination will be grounds for denial of application.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-55 derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-60, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-70. Content of optician examination and reexamination.

A. Applicants for licensure must pass a written examination and a practical examination approved by the board. An applicant must pass the written and practical examination within two years of the initial test date. After two years, the applicant must file a new application and pay the required fee. Any applicant who fails the written or practical examination will be required to be reexamined on the failed examination and pay the reexamination fee.

B. The optician examination given by the board will include the following topics:

1. Ophthalmic materials;

2. Ophthalmic optics and equipment;

3. Ophthalmic spectacle lens grinding;

4. Prescription interpretation;

5. Theory of light;

6. Finishing, fitting, and adjusting of eyeglasses and frames;

7. Ethics of relationship in respect to patient and physician or optometrist;

8. Anatomy and physiology; and

9. Applicable laws and regulations.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-56 derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-70, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-80. Endorsement to fit contact lenses.

The board will administer a contact lens examination to fit contact lenses. The "Contact Lens" endorsement will be mandatory for licensed opticians to fit contact lenses as set out in §§ 54.1-1508 and 54.1-1509 of the Code of Virginia, and the contact lens endorsement will not be issued unless the individual's license is in good standing.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-60 derived from VR505-01-1:1 § 1.6, eff. November 1, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 15, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-80, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.

18VAC80-30-90. Content of contact lens endorsement examination and reexamination.

A. The contact lens endorsement examination administered by the board will include the following topics:

1. Rigid lens verification;

2. Lens identification;

3. Keratometry;

4. Slit lamp;

5. Slides (fitting patterns, edge patterns, quality stains); and

6. Insertion and removal.

B. An applicant must pass the written and practical examination approved by the board within two years of the initial test date. After two years, the applicant must file a new application and pay the required fee.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 18VAC100-20-65 derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2001; amended and renumbered as 18VAC80-30-90, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 23, eff. August 15, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 1, 2026.