Section 12 AAC 48.011 - License by examination(a) An applicant for a license by examination to practice optometry, with the prescriptive authority as described in AS 08.72.272, must submit or ensure the submission of (1) a completed and notarized application on a form provided by the department;(2) documentation showing that the applicant has passed, not earlier than the four years immediately preceding the date of application, all parts of the examinations required in 12 AAC 48.015(a)(1) and (2) sent directly to the department from the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO); if the applicant ha graduated in accordance with (3) of this subsection two years or more before the date of the application, the applicant must provide verification of the completion of 36 hours of approved continuing education taken not earlier than the two years immediately preceding the date of application, in ocular pathology or pharmacology that meets the requirements of 12 AAC 48.210(b);(3) college transcripts verifying graduation from a recognized school or college of optometry, sent directly to the department from the institution;(4) if the applicant has been licensed in another jurisdiction, verification of licensure, including the disposition on any disciplinary action taken or pending against the applicant, from each licensing jurisdiction in which the applicant holds or has ever held an optometry license;(5) the applicable fees required by 12 AAC 02.300;(6) the completed Alaska State Optometry Law Examination required under 12 AAC 48.015; and(8) references from three individuals not related to the applicant by blood or marriage attesting to the applicant's good moral character and capacity to competently and safely practice optometry; the reference must be on a form provided by the department, signed before a notary, and sent directly to the department by the individual providing the reference; to be eligible to provide a reference under this paragraph, the individual must be one of the following: (A) an optometrist currently licensed in this state or another state or territory of the United States or in a province of Canada;(B) an instructor or official from the applicant's school of optometry;(C) a supervisor of the applicant through applicant's employment in optometry or in a related field.(9) if the applicant holds a valid federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration number, verification that the applicant has compiled with the requirement for education in pain management and opioid use and addiction under AS 08.72.181(d)(b) The board will not review an application until the fees required by 12 AAC 02.300(1) and (2) and documents required in (a)(1) - (4), (7), and (8) of this section have been received by the department.(c) The board may request additional information from a licensing jurisdiction and other applicable sources if an applicant's license history received under (a)(4) of this section shows disciplinary action that the board determines needs further review.(d) The board will issue a license by examination to practice optometry, with prescriptive authority described in AS 08.72.272, to an applicant who meets the requirements of AS 08.72 and this chapter.Eff. 2/26/89, Register 109; am 3/20/93, Register 125; am 4/14/95, Register 134; am 10/11/95, Register 136; am 4/24/97, Register 142; am 7/20/97, Register 143; am 11/2/2002, Register 164; am 9/17/2003, Register 167; am 4/11/2008, Register 186; am 10/16/2011, Register 200; am 12/2/2012, Register 204; am 11/29/2017, Register 224, January 2018; am 2/21/2019, Register 229, April 2019; am 11/15/2023, Register 248, January 2024Information regarding examinations by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry described in 12 AAC 48.011 may be obtained from the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, 200 South College, Ste. 1920, Charlotte, N.C. 28202, phone (704) 332-9565.
Authority: AS 08.72 .050
AS 08.72.110
AS 08.72.140
AS 08.72.150
AS 08.72.160
AS 08.72.170
AS 08.72.272