320.250 Eligibility for license -- Examinations -- Applications for license

320.250 Eligibility for license -- Examinations -- Applications for license.

(1) Licenses to engage in the practice of optometry shall be issued only to those who

qualify under the provisions of KRS 320.260 or 320.270, or who successfully pass

examinations conducted or approved by the board at a time and place fixed by the

board. Each license certificate shall be signed by the president and secretary-

treasurer and authenticated by the seal of the board.

(2) The examinations may consist of written, clinical, or practical examinations and

shall relate to the skills needed for the practice of optometry in this Commonwealth

at the time of the examination and shall seek to determine the applicant's

preparedness to exercise these skills. The examining board may:

(a) Prepare, administer, and grade the examination;

(b) Accept the scores of the applicant from an examination prepared,

administered, and graded by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry or

any other organization approved by the board as qualified to administer the

examination; and

(c) Require passage of an examination on Kentucky optometric law.

(3) Any person seeking a license to practice optometry under the provisions of this

section shall submit an application to the board on forms furnished by the board.

The applicant shall show proof of the following:

(a) The applicant is not less than eighteen (18) years of age and is of good moral

character;

(b) The applicant is a graduate of a school or college of optometry that is

accredited by a regional or professional accreditation organization that is

recognized or approved by the council on postsecondary accreditation, or by

the United States Department of Education, and is in good standing, as

approved by the board. All applicants shall have transcript credit of at least six

(6) semester hours in a course or courses from a school or college as described

in this subsection in general and ocular pharmacology with particular

emphasis on diagnostic pharmaceutical agents applied topically to the eye and

six (6) semester hours in ocular pathology and therapy with emphasis on

utilization of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. All hours shall be from a

school or college as described in this subsection;

(c) All other information requested by the board as is set out on the application.

(4) The nonrefundable fee for each license application shall not exceed six hundred

dollars ($600).

(5) No application shall be considered by the board after one (1) year from the date in

which the board received the application has lapsed. After the lapse of the one (1)

year period, an applicant shall submit a new application and another nonrefundable

fee for further consideration by the board.