Licensure

The North Carolina State Board of Opticians regulations state that in order to become eligible to take the examination for Dispensing Optician in the State of North Carolina, the applicant must be a high school graduate or the equivalent, and

• Successfully complete a two-year educational program in opticianry or ophthalmic dispensing at a program accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation; or
• Complete a two and one-half year apprenticeship while registered with the Board under the direct supervision of a licensed Dispensing Optician, an Optometrist, or an Ophthalmologist, and meeting the requirements of the Board.

As part of the apprenticeship experience, the apprentice must complete one of the following:

• A certificate program offered by an accredited Opticianry program, or
• The Career Progression Program offered by the National Academy of Opticianry (NAO), or
• An educational program offered by an optical place of business and approved by the North Carolina State Board of Opticians (currently no program of this nature is approved).

At the completion of the two-year educational program or the two and one-half year apprenticeship, the applicant must:

• Successfully sit for the four state board examinations required (ABO, NCLE, ABOP, NCLEP); and
• Complete a six-month internship while registered with the Board under the direct supervision of a licensed dispensing optician, an optometrist, or an ophthalmologist, and meeting the requirements of the Board.

The full text of the regulations can be obtained by contacting:

Sue M. Hodgin, Director
N.C. State Board of Opticians, Medical Society Building
P.O. Box 25336
Raleigh, N.C. 27611-5336
919-420-1390

More information about the state board examination can be found at the NC State Board of Opticians website.