When to Apply by Reciprocity

File this application for licensure by reciprocity if you

• hold a current optometry license in another jurisdiction (state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia), and
• have practiced at least five years in any single jurisdiction where you hold a current license.

If you do not meet both of these criteria, you must complete a six-month internship before you can be licensed as a Therapeutic Optometrist. To request the Board’s pre-approval of a six-month internship, file the Application for Licensure as a Therapeutic Optometrist by Internship.

When you file the Application for Licensure as a Therapeutic Optometrist by Reciprocity , the Board will determine whether any jurisdiction where you hold a current license and where you have practiced at least five years has licensure standards that are at least equal to Delaware's standards. Since Delaware issues only Therapeutic Optometrist licenses, t he Board will evaluate both the basic licensure standards and standards of therapeutic practice of each jurisdiction. It is possible that the basic licensure standards are equivalent to those of Delaware, but the standards of therapeutic practice are not. If the Board determines that none of the jurisdictions has equivalent basic and therapeutic standards, you must re-apply by internship because you cannot be licensed by reciprocity.

Requirements for All Applicants

The following are required to apply by reciprocity. Auxiliary forms mentioned are included with the application.

• Submit completed, signed and notarized Application for Licensure as a Therapeutic Optometrist by Reciprocity to the Board office.

• Enclose processing fee by check or money order made payable to “State of Delaware.”

• Arrange for the Board office to receive an official transcript from the college(s) of optometry where you received a degree, sent directly from the college to the Board office. The transcript must show that you have received a degree of "Doctor of Optometry" from a legally incorporated and accredited optometric college or school accredited by the American Optometric Association.

• If you passed the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) examination before 2007, arrange for the Board office to receive an official report of your passing scores on Parts I - III and TMOD, sent directly from NBEO to the Board office.
• If you passed the NBEO in 2007 or later, the Board office generally will have already received your score report from NBEO. If it does not have your scores, the Board office will notify you to request a score report.
• For information about the exam and requesting score reports, see the NBEO website at www.optometry.org

• Submit a copy of front and back of your current cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification for adults and children.

• If you have ever held a license in another jurisdiction (state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia), arrange for the Board office to receive verification of licensure from each jurisdiction where you have ever held a license, sent directly from the jurisdiction to the Board office.

• Submit copies of the current optometry license law and rules and regulations from each jurisdiction where you hold a current license and where you have practiced at least five years. The Board will compare Delaware’s basic licensure standards and standards of therapeutic practice to those of each jurisdiction.

• Request a self-query from the National Practitioner and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Banks (NPDB/HIPDB) website at www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov. The self-query report will be mailed to your address. When you receive the report, mail (do not fax) the originalreport to the Board office.

• Arrange for the Board office to receive verification of your practice in any jurisdiction where you hold a current license andyou have practiced at least five years.
• The verification letters must come from persons in a position to know your practice history, such as employer, colleague or accountant. They must be sent directly from the person to the Board office.
• Since you will not know at the time you file this application which jurisdictions where you hold a current license, if any, have licensure standards equivalent to those of Delaware, it is preferable to obtain this documentation of your practice in each jurisdiction where you hold a current license and you have practiced five years.

• If you have never been issued a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), submit a Request for Exemption from Social Security Number Requirement.