Code of Massachusetts Regulations 235 CMR - BOARD OF REGISTRATION OF DISPENSING OPTICIANS
Here’s a breakdown of the 235 CMR – Board of Registration of Dispensing Opticians in Massachusetts:
📘 1. Part 2.00 – Definitions & Licensure Requirements
§2.07 Full Licensure Requirements include:
Education + Apprenticeship Pathways:
Graduation from a 2‑year COA-accredited opticianry program, or
1 year of education plus 2,100 apprenticeship hours (≥18 months), or
4,200 hours of apprenticeship over at least 3 years (regulations.justia.com, sec.state.ma.us).
Examinations: Must pass the American Board of Opticianry exam and the Mass. practical exam; for applicants after June 1, 2007, also pass the NCLE Contact Lens Registry exam (regulations.justia.com).
Age & Character: Must be ≥18 years and of good moral character (regulations.justia.com).
Fees: Payment of all applicable application and licensure fees (regulations.justia.com).
📘 2. Part 3.00 – Continuing Education Requirements
§3.03 (in effect since June 1, 2006): Every dispensing optician must complete a minimum of 12 contact hours per license cycle:
6 hours on spectacle/eyeglass dispensing (with up to 1 hour of optometry-related law/regulations).
6 hours on contact lenses (with up to 1 hour for CPR training) (mass.gov).
Online/video-based coursework is allowable if comprehension is verified .
§3.04: Requires record-keeping of CE for two renewal cycles and timely submission to the Board upon request .
§3.05: Acceptable CE providers include:
Board-approved programs;
American Board of Opticianry (ABO);
National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE);
COA-accredited educational programs (mass.gov, sec.state.ma.us).
📘 3. Part 4.00 – Apprenticeship Rules
Section 4.00 details apprentice registration, supervision, responsibilities, and required hours aligned with §2.07.
📘 4. Part 5.00 – Standards & Professional Conduct
§5.04: Practitioners must conspicuously display their license and wear ID badges listing their name, license number, and employer while practicing (onetonline.org, regulations.justia.com).
§5.06: Businesses offering opticianry services must employ a licensed dispensing optician or apprentice under supervision, except for replacement contact lenses online (allowed under federal rules) (law.cornell.edu).
🔍 Summary Table
Part & Section
Key Topic
2.07
Education, apprenticeship, exams, fees, age/character
3.00
CE requirements: 12 hours/renewal, tracked and approved
4.00
Apprentice program details
5.00
Conduct standards: license display, ID, business supervision
✅ Next Steps or Resources
You can download official PDFs, like the complete 235 CMR 3.00 Continuing Education booklet from mass.gov.
For the full text of Part 2, 4, and 5, visit Mass. Secretary of State’s CMR bookstore or Cornell/LII.
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