Renewal

As a Registered Optician in Ontario, each year you are required to renew your Certificate of Registration on or before January 15.

The renewal portal opens October 31st. Renewing as soon as you receive the notice allows you to:

• Check the renewal off your to-do list.
• Receive your renewal decal promptly.
• Resolve any potential issues that may arise as part of the renewal.

Not planning on renewing?

We have made it easy for you to notify the College of your decision. Just login to the online portal, select the reason for not renewing, acknowledge the declaration, and the information will be forwarded directly to us.

Important changes that may impact your registration 

Under the new Registration Regulation that came into force on July 1, 2024, opticians will no longer be permitted to maintain their suspended status indefinitely and will have their certificate of registration revoked after three consecutive years of suspension. Revocation means you will no longer be registered with the College in any way and the public register will display your status as “revoked”. 

Once revoked, you cannot reinstate your certificate of registration; to return to practice, you will be required to re-apply to the College as a new optician and meet the registration requirements in place at that time, including rewriting the licensing examinations. 

Plan ahead to make sure you select the path that is right for you

Several options are available to help you avoid revocation of your certificate: you may choose to reinstate your registration, transfer into the Inactive Class, or resign your certificate of registration.

Currency of Practice Requirement

Effective July 1, 2024, Registered Opticians must demonstrate, on an ongoing basis, that their skills and knowledge are “current”, e.g. up to date, based on recent practice experience. You will be required to declare your practice hours every year at annual renewal. Those who have engaged in at least 500 practice hours within the previous three-year period will be considered current.

If you have not practised for at least 500 hours within the previous three years, you will have the option of completing a refresher program. Alternatively, you may opt to change your registration status to inactive or resign your certificate of registration. Detailed information about the currency requirements may be found here.

Renewing Your Certificate using the Registrant Portal

Renewal Process

Please ensure you have the items listed below ready when you begin the renewal process:

Passport-sized photo

To meet our requirements, please use a passport photo that:

• was taken within the last 6 months
• is high quality (i.e., is clear, sharp, and in focus)  
• has no shadow, glare or flash reflections
• is taken against a plain white background
• shows your face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera, not tilted in any direction

If your photograph needs to be updated, you will see a message on the main page of your registrant portal prompting you to upload a new photo. To watch an instructional video on how to upload a photo, please click here. If you prefer to submit a hard-copy photo, it must contain your signature on the back.

Employment Eligibility

If your employment eligibility status has changed or expired, you must update your information with the College and provide current and valid documentation. Please review the employment eligibility requirements for the list of acceptable documents.

Insurance

You are required to provide proof of your Professional Liability Insurance to the College as part of your renewal. To ensure your renewal can be approved right away, please have a copy of your insurance certificate available for upload.

Renewal Deadline

The College is mandated to send suspension notices to all registrants who have not renewed by January 15th.

To avoid late fees, to confirm there are no outstanding requirements, and to ensure you are eligible to practice for the upcoming year, please renew prior to January 15th. 

Renewal Outcomes

Not Renewing

If you have decided to not renew your Certificate of Registration, please notify the College of your decision. You will receive an acknowledgement email from the College. Your status on the public register will be changed to "Not Entitled to Practice".

Outstanding Requirements

If you complete your renewal but do not submit all required documents, or if the documents require review by the Registration department, you will receive an email notifying you that your renewal is on hold pending the submission and/or review of the outstanding requirements. If the outstanding requirements are not fulfilled by January 15th, your certificate will be deemed in default, putting your registration at risk of suspension.

Renewal Approved

If you meet all the requirements for approval, you will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours of the College receiving your renewal.  Your badge decal and/or badge will be mailed to you shortly following the approval.

Confirmation of Payment Receipt and Official Tax Receipt

Upon making payment, your tax receipt will be available for download at the Member Portal within 72 hours of receipt of payment. To access your receipt, please login to the Member Portal, select the Documents tab, and the year in which you made your payment.

Renewal Assistance

If you require any assistance with your renewal, please contact the Registration Team.

Phone: (416) 368-3616 ext. 200
Email: registration@collegeofopticians.ca