Opticians

What is renewal?

Registrants must renew their licensure annually in order to remain in good standing with CHCPBC. During the annual renewal period, registrants are asked to review their personal information on file, update any out-of-date documentation, and pay their licensing fees for the coming year.

When does renewal happen?

Opticianry licences expire on March 31 each year. The same expiration date applies to all registrants, regardless of initial registration date.

Renewal will open February 28, 2025 in the portal. A registrant may complete the renewal process any time within the four-week renewal period.

How much does renewal cost?

Opticianry fees can be found in the Opticianry Fee Schedule (PDF) of the CHCPBC Bylaws. Please note that fees may be periodically reviewed and updated. The amount due during renewal is the annual licensing fee.

What are the requirements for renewal?

Each registrant must submit an online renewal application and pay the applicable fees before the March 31 deadline. Renewal of registration and certification is done on the Registrant Portal. (The RENEWAL tab is only accessible to registrants during the annual renewal period.) CHCPBC’s Renewal Guidebook for Opticians explains the steps to complete the process. 

A registrant can only renew their licence if their Continuing Competency Program is up to date.

What happens after March 31?

An optician who has not completed their renewal by the March 31 deadline may be subject to late renewal fees and/or cancellation of licensure.

What are the consequences of cancellation?

A cancelled registrant is considered unlicensed. These individuals cannot use protected titles (“optician,” “contact lens fitter,” or any title derived thereof) or perform contact lens fittings or independent automated refractions in BC. Their names no longer appear on CHCPBC’s Public Register, and they are not permitted to dispay a certificate of registration in their workplace.

A reinstatement fee applies to any cancelled individual wishing to return to licensure. Additional assessments may be required to ensure their competency at the time of reinstatement.

For more information about renewal, read out renewal FAQ.

Why?

The CHCPBC Bylaws that have been drafted to comply with the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) and will come into effect on April 1, 2026 remove the Non-Practising registration class. CHCPBC has just under 400 registrants in this class across eight of the nine professions we regulate.

This change is not required by the HPOA, but the Non-Practising class no longer serves its intended purpose. For many colleges this class allowed registrants to stay in touch with their college while they were temporarily away from practice: they could receive newsletters, which were sent by mail in those days, and other communications. The pathway back to full registration may also have been simpler in those days. Newsletters, and much more information, are now available on the College website. For many years, the pathway to return to full registration from Non-Practising has been virtually the same as returning from “Former” (cancelled). In addition, removing the Non-Practising registration class provides a clearer message to the public that an individual is either licensed to practice or they are not.

When?

The class will be discontinued when the HPOA comes into effect on April 1, 2026. Because this coincides with the first day of the new registration year, Non-Practising registrants will not be able to renew as non-practising licensees during renewal in February/March 2026.

What are my options?

If you are currently a Non-Practising registrant, you have 3 options:

Option 1: Do nothing, and your registration will expire automatically on April 1, 2026. You may return to practice in BC at a later date by meeting the requirements in place at that time. Please refer to the draft HPOA Bylaws for Licensure, section 6-31 (PDF).

Option 2: Cancel your registration during renewal. You may return to practice in BC at a later date by meeting the requirements in place at that time. Please refer to the draft HPOA Bylaws for Licensure, section 6-31 (PDF).

• During the renewal period you will have the option to cancel your registration in the registrant portal.

Option 3 Apply for reinstatement. There are 2 possible scenarios:

a. If you have been away from practice for less than 3 years

Steps and requirements to apply for reinstatement to full registration

• Submit a Status Change application via your online portal.
• Email a copy of a valid insurance certificate to registration@chcpbc.org.
• Authorize and pay for a Criminal Record Check (CRC) (Only if it has expired).

Timeline

5–10 business days after the reinstatement application is submitted.

b. If you have been away from practice for 3 years or more:

Steps and requirements to apply for reinstatement to full registration

• Email registration@chcpbc.org to confirm that you would like to reinstate your licence.
• We will forward your information to NACOR (National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators).
• Complete the Competency Gap Analysis (CGA) administered by NACOR.
• PLAR Resource Guide – for more detailed information on the CGA/PLAR process.

Timeline

• If no gaps are identified in the CGA: 5–10 business days after reinstatement application is submitted.
• If gaps are identified: 3 months – 1 year (Depending on requirements).

Cost

• Eyeglasses CGA 1: $350 + tax
• Eyeglasses CGA 2: $350 + tax
• Contact Lens CGA: 1 section = $350 + tax
• Bridging modules (if required): $100 + tax per module assigned
• Plus applicable registration fee:

Reinstatement is the process of returning to practice following the cancellation of licensure.

Cancellation occurs when a registrant fails to maintain the requirements of registration (e.g., by failing to renew their licence during the annual renewal period, or by failing to complete their Continuing Competency Program by their cycle end date).

Within three years of the date of cancellation, a former registrant may apply for reinstatement by:

• Submitting a reinstatement application
• Paying the applicable fees (including a reinstatement fee and the licensing fee for the current year)
• Submitting to a new criminal record check, if their previous check has expired
• Completing any outstanding continuing education requirements

If more than three years have passed since the date of cancellation, a former registrant must go through an additional assessment process to determine whether their skills and knowledge still meet the entry-to-practice standards for BC opticians. The assessment is administered by NACOR and can be completed online with virtual supervision. The cost of the assessment depends on which assessments the applicant will need to take. Fees are collected by NACOR.  

The results of the assessment will be used to determine the appropriate next steps for the applicant’s return to practice. They may be eligible to return to practice immediately, or they may need to complete additional coursework to address competency gaps identified in the assessment process. 

Once the assessment process (including any applicable coursework) is complete, the former registrant may apply for reinstatement by: 

• Submitting a reinstatement application 
• Paying the applicable fees (including a reinstatement fee and the licensing fee for the current year) 
• Submitting to a new criminal record check, if their previous check has expired 

Thinking of going non-practicing? Upgrading your licence? To change the status of your CHCPBC opticianry licence, you’ll have to log in to your online profile and navigate to the CHANGE STATUS tab. Here, you’ll be able to: 

• Change your status from practicing to non-practicing, and vice versa 
• Add contact lens fitting to your licence (upon completion of the applicable education and exams) 
• Add a certification to conduct independent automated refractions (upon completion of the applicable education and exams) 

Updating your information:

Moved? Changed phone numbers? Got a new job? It is important that COBC have your most up to date contact information, including your preferred email address, to ensure you do not miss updates sent by the College via email or mail.

In order to update your personal and/or business information, you’ll have to log in to your online profile and navigate to the MY PROFILE tab. Here, you’ll be able to:

• Change your contact information
• Update personal details, like pronouns and preferred name
• Add a new business address and/or delete an old one
• Set your preferences related to volunteering, information sharing, and where you’d like to be contacted

Moved? Changed phone numbers? Got a new job? It is important that CHCPBC have your most up to date contact information, including your preferred email address, to ensure you do not miss updates sent by the College via email or mail. 

In order to update your personal and/or business information, you’ll have to log in to your online profile and navigate to the MY PROFILE tab. Here, you’ll be able to:

• Change your contact information
• Update personal details, like pronouns and preferred name
• Add a new business address and/or delete an old one
• Set your preferences related to volunteering, information sharing, and where you’d like to be contacted