(a)

1. (1) Before any person shall be permitted to take the entrance examination prescribed by law, he or she shall submit a written application to the Secretary-Treasurer of the State Board of Optometry setting forth:

   1. (A) His or her name, address, and date of birth; and
   2. (B) A detailed history of his or her educational qualifications showing the:

(i) Name and location of school; and

1. (ii) Length of time that the applicant attended school.
2. (2) He or she shall also state in such application whether he or she has engaged in the practice of optometry elsewhere.
3. (3) To be eligible to take the examination an applicant must be a graduate of a college of optometry approved and accredited by the State Board of Optometry.

(b) Such application shall contain the names of at least three (3) persons, not related to the applicant, as character references with whom the applicant has been associated in the past five (5) years.

1. (c) In making such application the applicant shall state that he or she is willing to abide by the laws of this state regulating the practice of optometry and shall abide by the rules adopted by the board.

   1. (d) Such application shall be subscribed by the applicant and sworn to by him or her before any officer, qualified under the laws of this state, to administer oaths.

(f)

1. (1) The examination will be administered no less than twice a year.
2. (2) The application for examination shall be accompanied by a fee of four hundred dollars ($400).

3. (3) The application and the fee must be received by the board office prior to:

   1. (A) 12:00 midnight on June 1 for the mid-year exam; and
   2. (B) 12:00 midnight on January 1 for the first quarter exam of the year.
4. (4) Applications received after these deadlines will not be accepted.

(h) All examinations will be given in English.

1. (i)

2. (1) Pursuant to Acts 2019, No. 990, an individual may petition for a prelicensure determination of:

   1. (A) Whether the individual’s criminal record will disqualify the individual from licensure; and
   2. (B) Whether a waiver may be obtained.
3. (2) The individual must obtain the prelicensure criminal background check petition form from the board.
4. (3) The board will respond with a decision in writing to a completed petition within a reasonable time.
5. (4) The board’s response will state the reason or reasons for the decision.
6. (5) All decisions of the board in response to the petition will be determined by the information provided by the individual.
7. (6) Any decision made by the board in response to a prelicensure criminal background check petition is not subject to appeal.
8. (7) The board will retain a copy of the petition and response and it will be reviewed during the formal application process.