18VAC105-20-60: Renewal of licensure; reinstatement

A. Every person authorized by the board to practice optometry shall, on or before March 31 of each year, submit a completed renewal form and pay the prescribed annual licensure fee.

B. It shall be the duty and responsibility of each licensee to ensure that the board has the licensee's current address of record and the public address, if different from the address of record. All changes of address or name shall be furnished to the board within 30 days after the change occurs. All notices required by law or by these rules and regulations are to be deemed to be validly tendered when mailed to the address of record given and shall not relieve the licensee of the obligation to comply.

C. The license of any person who does not complete the renewal form and submit the renewal fee for a licensure period may be renewed for up to one year by paying the prescribed renewal fee and late fee, provided the requirements of 18VAC105-20-70 have been met. After the renewal deadline, a license that has not been renewed is lapsed. Practicing optometry in Virginia with a lapsed license may subject the licensee to disciplinary action.

D. An optometrist whose license has been lapsed for more than one year and who wishes to resume practice in Virginia shall apply for reinstatement. The executive director may grant reinstatement, provided that:

1. a. The applicant has a current, unrestricted license in another United States jurisdiction and has been engaged in active clinical practice within the 12 months immediately preceding application for reinstatement; or

b. The applicant has satisfied current requirements for continuing education as specified in 18VAC105-20-70 for the period in which the license has been lapsed, not to exceed two years; and

2. The applicant has paid the prescribed reinstatement application fee.