Submitting Required Registration Documents

The Registration Committee has established the following policy for general registration applications:

• An application may remain open with the College for a maximum of 24 months, provided the Ontario Optometric Jurisprudence Exam is successfully completed within 12 months of the application date.
• Applicants may have only one active registration application open with the College at any time.

Submitting Documents

Some steps in the application process can happen simultaneously or may precede others depending on time of year and exam schedules. For example, you can submit your notarized optometry diploma prior to or after challenging the approved entry-to-practice exam. You can submit many of the required documents as they become available.

Some documents submitted with your application must be notarized before they are accepted by the College. Be sure to check the checklist carefully to confirm which items must be notarized before submission. A notarized copy is a photocopy of the original document that has been:

• Reviewed by a Notary Public
• Stamped with the notary’s official seal
• Signed and dated by the notary

No.	Registration Document	Submitting the Document
1	Application Form and Fee	Complete the online application form.  Answer all questions and be sure to complete the declaration and payment.
2	Diploma(s)/Degree(s) and Transcripts	Upload notarized copies of your diploma(s)/degree(s) as soon as they are available or arrange for your educational institution to send the College an official transcript following graduation.
3	Ontario Optometric Jurisprudence Exam Results	Only the College of Optometrists of Ontario administers the Ontario Optometric Jurisprudence Exam. Following the Jurisprudence Exam sitting, the College will notify you of your results on a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ basis and will include a copy with your application for registration. You must successfully complete this exam within one year of applying for registration otherwise you will be required to submit a new application form and application fee.
4	Entry-to-Practice exams	OEBC/CACO written exam and OSCE or NBEO Exam (Part I, II, and III all need to be successfully challenged after January 18, 2019, and one part has been registered for by March 7, 2025) Following the exam sitting, exam results are sent directly to each applicant by the respective examining board. It is your responsibility to arrange to have the official results submitted to the College. If you successfully completed the exam before applying for registration in Ontario, you must submit a notarized copy of your results.
5	CPIC Vulnerable Sector (VS) Check and equivalent VSC (if required)	An official CPIC Vulnerable Sector (VS) check must be sent to the College and must be dated no more than six months before your Certificate of Registration is issued and activated. Applicants need to also submit an equivalent VSC from the jurisdiction(s) in which they are licensed.
6	Certificate of Standing (if required)	If you are/were licensed in another jurisdiction(s) or belong/belonged to another profession, a Certificate of Standing must be sent to the College directly from the issuing regulatory authority and must be dated no more than six months before your Certificate of Registration is issued. The Certificate of Standing(s) form must outline your current status in the jurisdiction(s) you are licensed in. If you are unable to obtain the required documentation, contact Registration discuss alternative documentation.
7	Proof of Canadian citizenship	If the applicant is a Canadian citizen, proof of Canadian residency in the form of a notarized copy of the applicant’s birth certificate or the applicant’s passport page containing the applicant’s identification information. If the applicant is not a Canadian citizen: permanent residency or authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in the practice of optometry Submit a notarized copy of your document. In order for your Certificate of Registration to be issued and activated, this document must be valid. Please note that the notarized passport photo requirement must be a recent photo taken within the last six months. This should be a separate, notarized photo (not the photo from your actual passport).