Texas Administrative Code
Title 22 - EXAMINING BOARDS
Part 14 - TEXAS OPTOMETRY BOARD
Chapter 271 - EXAMINATIONS
Section 271.2 - Applications for Licensure as Therapeutic Optometrist

(a) The applicant shall make application by providing to the Executive Director, on forms to be furnished by the Board, satisfactory evidence that the applicant has attended and graduated from a reputable school or college of optometry which meets with the requirements of the Board and such other information as the Board may deem necessary for the enforcement of the Act.

(b) The applicant shall report all felony and misdemeanor criminal convictions as outlined under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 53. Failure of an applicant to report every criminal conviction is deceit, dishonesty and misrepresentation in seeking admission to practice and authorizes the Board to take disciplinary action under §351.501 of the Act. An applicant is not required to report a Class C Misdemeanor traffic violation. The applicant shall furnish any document relating to the criminal conviction as requested by the Board. The applicant shall also provide a complete criminal history by submitting fingerprints to the authority authorized by the Department of Public Safety to take the fingerprints in the form required by that authority.

(c) In such application, the applicant shall state that the applicant will abide by the laws of this state regulating the practice of optometry and that all facts, statements and answers contained in the application are true and correct. Such application shall be signed (manually or digitally) and dated.

(d) Applicants shall submit a report of out-of-state disciplinary action prepared by an approved national databank.

(e) Any person furnishing false information in such application shall be denied the issuance of a license, or if the applicant has been licensed before it is made known to the Board of the falseness of such information, such license shall be subject to suspension, revocation, or cancellation in accordance with §351.501 of the Act.

(f) Applications must contain a certified optometry school transcript, which shall show the total number of hours of attendance, the subjects studied, the grades or marks given, and the date of graduation of the applicant. The optometry school transcript must show proof of the required education as set forth in §271.11 of this chapter (related to Required Education for Therapeutic Licensure). Applicants must also submit a copy of the transcript from any undergraduate school attended which shall show the total number of hours of attendance, the subjects studied, the grades or marks given, and the date of graduation of the applicant.

(g) The Board may require other documentation not specified by this section be submitted with the application. All required documents must be received within one year of application; otherwise, the applicant must reapply and pay the application fee. A person may apply for licensure prior to graduation from a reputable school or college of optometry.

(h) The application must be accompanied by a fee as set forth in § 273.4 of this title (relating to Fees (Not Refundable)).

(i) If applicable, the applicant must furnish a certificate of good standing from any jurisdiction where licensed or previously licensed. The certificate must establish that:

(j) If the certificate of good standing does not establish the items in subsection (i) of this section, the applicant will be required to submit additional information for further Board review.