Becoming a Florida Licensed Optician

If you have earned an Associate’s degree in Opticianry, your next step is to request that an official transcript be sent from the accredited institution where you received your degree directly to the Board office, or it will not be considered official. The transcript must show that the degree was awarded. 

More on Florida Opticianry Programs

Upon the completion of the three-year Florida apprenticeship program, you will need to provide your apprentice (DA) number or a copy of your apprenticeship completion letter along with your completed application. (3-5 year program)

Or visit the 

SB 1600, Mobile Endorsement was signed into law with an effective date of July 1, 2024. This legislation establishes a new universal process for licensure by endorsement for health care professions regulated by the Florida Department of Health’s (the Department’s) Division of Medical Quality Assurance. To qualify, the health care practitioner must meet specific criteria, including various testing, training, and experience qualifications for their profession. The bill also repeals existing licensure by endorsement statutes from various individual practice acts.

To be licensed as an optician in Florida through the MOBILE Endorsement pathway you must meet the following requirements in section 456.0145(2)(a), Florida Statutes:

• Must hold an active, unencumbered license issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States in a profession with a similar scope of practice, determined by the board or the department, as applicable.
• Must have obtained a passing score on a national licensure examination or hold a national certification recognized by the Board;
• Must have actively practiced the profession for at least three years during the four-year period immediately preceding the date of submission of this application.
• Must not have ever been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the applicant successfully appealed to have the report removed.
• Must not be the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in a jurisdiction in which he or she holds a license or by the United States Department of Defense for reason related to the practice of the profession for which the applicant is applying.
• Must not have had disciplinary action taken in the five years immediately preceding the date of submission of the application.

Pursuant to section 456.0145(2)(c), Florida Statutes, a person is ineligible for endorsement if they:

• Have a complaint, an allegation, or an investigation pending before a licensing entity in another state, the District of Columbia, or a possession or territory of the United States;
• Have been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, any felony or misdemeanor related to the practice of a health care profession;
• Have had a health care provider license revoked or suspended by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States, or have voluntarily surrendered any such license in lieu of having disciplinary action taken against the license; or
• Has been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the applicant has successfully appealed to have his or her name removed from the data bank.

For information visit the 

Florida Board of Opticianry Website