Optometry Faculty Certificate


Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Initial Licensing Requirements, Process, Fees, Statutes and Administrative Rules for a Optometry Faculty Certificate.

The requirements for an Optometry Faculty Certificate are as follows. Applicants must:

  1. Be at least 21 years of age.
  2. Have graduated from a board-approved school or college of optometry which is accredited by a regional or professional accrediting organization that is recognized and approved by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.
  3. Hold a valid current license to practice optometry in another jurisdiction of the United States.
  4. Have been offered and accepted a full-time faculty appointment to teach in a program of optometry at a Florida-based College of Optometry.
  5. Have an appointment letter from the dean of the college showing acceptance of the offer of the full-time faculty appointment to teach at the Florida-based College of Optometry.
  6. Have an appointment letter from the dean of the college showing acceptance of the offer of the full-time faculty appointment to teach at the Florida-based College of Optometry.

Applicants with Health History

If a “Yes” response is provided to any of the questions in the health history section, provide the following documents directly to the board office:

A letter from a Licensed Health Care Practitioner, who is qualified by skill and training to address the condition identified, which explains the impact the condition may have on the ability to practice the profession with reasonable skill and safety. The letter must specify that the applicant is safe to practice the profession without restrictions or specifically indicate the restrictions that are necessary. Documentation provided must be dated within one year of the application date.

A written self-explanation, identifying the medical condition(s) or occurrence(s); and current status.

Applicants with Discipline History

Applicants with prior disciplinary actions are required to submit the following:

Board Actions – Certified copies of document(s) relative to any disciplinary action taken against any license. The documents must come from the agency that took the disciplinary action and must be certified by that agency.

Self-Explanation – A detailed description of the circumstances surrounding your disciplinary action and a thorough description of the rehabilitative changes in your lifestyle since the time of the disciplinary action which would enable you to avoid future occurrences. It would be helpful to include factors in your life, which you feel may have contributed to your disciplinary action, what you have learned about yourself since that time, and the changes you have made that support your rehabilitation.

Applicants with Criminal History

Applicants with prior criminal convictions are required to submit the following:

Final Dispositions/Arrest Records – Final disposition records for offenses can be obtained at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

Completion of Probation/Parole/Sanctions – Probation and financial sanction records for offenses can be obtained at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. Parole records for offenses can be obtained from the Department of Corrections or at the clerk of the court in the arresting jurisdiction. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

Self-Explanation – Applicants who have listed offenses on the application must submit a letter in their own words describing the circumstances of the offense. Include in your letter the date of the original offense, the charge, and the jurisdiction where it occurred.

Health Care Fraud; Disqualification for License, Certificate, or Registration

Effective July 1, 2012, Section 456.0635, Florida Statutes (F.S.), provides that health care boards or the department shall refuse to issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant:

  1. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under Chapter 409, F.S., (relating to social and economic assistance), Chapter 817, F.S., (relating to fraudulent practices), Chapter 893, F.S., (relating to drug abuse prevention and control) or a similar felony offense(s) in another state or jurisdiction unless the candidate or applicant has successfully completed a drug court program for that felony and provides proof that the plea has been withdrawn or the charges have been dismissed. Any such conviction or plea shall exclude the applicant or candidate from licensure, examination, certification, or registration, unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or plea ended:
    1. For the felonies of the first or second degree, more than 15 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    2. For the felonies of the third degree, more than 10 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    3. For the felonies of the third degree under section 893.13(6)(a), F.S., more than five years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
  2. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 (relating to controlled substances) or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396 (relating to public health, welfare, Medicare and Medicaid issues), unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the date of the application;
  3. Has been terminated for cause from the Florida Medicaid program pursuant to section 409.913, F.S., unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with the Florida Medicaid program for the most recent five years;
  4. Has been terminated for cause, pursuant to the appeals procedures established by the state or Federal Government, from any other state Medicaid program, unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with a state Medicaid program for the most recent five years and the termination occurred at least 20 years before the date of the application;
  5. Is currently listed on the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities.

Submit completed application and fees to the board office. Select the “Apply Online” button above.

If you prefer to apply using the paper application, please download, print and complete the paper application and submit along with your fees to the address listed below:

Florida Board of Optometry
P. O. Box 6330
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6330

Within 7-14 days of receipt of your application, the board office will notify you of the status of your application and any remaining required documents that needs to be submitted.

Once you have submitted your application you can check the status online. Select “Status” from the menu on the top right hand side of this page.

The following documents are required in order to complete your application:

  1. Have official final transcripts mailed directly from your college or university to the board office at the address provided below:
    Florida Board of Optometry
    4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin # C 07
    Tallahassee, FL 32399-3257
  2. Contact the state licensing office in each state in which you currently hold or have ever held a license and request licensure verification to be sent directly to the board office.
  3. Contact the dean of the college requesting that they submit an appointment letter indicating that you’ve accepted an offer of a full-time faculty appointment to teach at the Florida-based College of Optometry.
  4. If you responded “yes” to any of the Health History questions on the application, submit a letter to the board office providing the relevant dates and circumstances of your treatment and/or addiction and include the names and addresses of the medical practitioners or hospitals that performed your treatment.
  5. If you responded “yes” to any of the Discipline History questions on the application, contact the state board where the discipline occurred to request that certified copies of the board order and any other documents relative to the disciplinary action be submitted directly to the board office.
    You must also submit a letter in your own words describing the circumstances of the offense. Your letter must include the date of the original offense, the charge and the jurisdiction where it occurred.
  6. If you responded “yes” to any of the Criminal History questions on the application, contact the clerk of courts in the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred and request that a certified copy of your final/official court disposition be mailed directly to the board office. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

If applicable, request for the following documentation to be sent directly to the board office: a certified copy of your completion of probation and documentation showing that you have paid all fines. If the records are not available, you must have a letter on court letterhead sent from the clerk of the court attesting to their unavailability.

You must also submit a letter in your own words describing the circumstances of the offense. Your letter must include the date of the original offense, the charge and the jurisdiction where it occurred.

Note: All applications with Criminal History, Discipline or Health History will be presented to the board for review. Board staff will notify you of the date that your application will be presented in the event you would like to attend.

Upon receipt of all required documentation, completed applications are presented to the board chair for review and approval.

Make certified check or money order payable to the Florida Department of Health

Application fee – $100.00 (non-refundable)
Licensure fee – $100.00
Unlicensed Activity fee – $5.00

TOTAL FEE – $205.00

Make certified checks or money orders payable to: “Department of Health” (DOH); or pay by credit card when applying online.

Click on Chapter or Section Number to View

Florida Statutes

Chapter 456: Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions
Chapter 463: Optometry Practice Act
Section 463.0057: Optometric faculty certificate
Chapter 120: Administrative Procedure Act
Chapter 119: Public Records
Chapter 408: Health Care Administration
Chapter 112: Public Officers and Employees: General Provisions

Florida Administrative Code

Title 64B13: Board of Optometry