Optician Renewal FAQ

Renewal Inquiries

When is my renewal due?

As a Registered Optician, you are required to renew your Certificate of Registration on or before December 31st on an annual basis.

As a Student or Intern Optician, you are required to renew your Certificate of Registration on or before September 1st on an annual basis.

For specific information regarding your renewal, please visit either Registered Optician Renewal or Student and Intern Renewal

 

What is the renewal process comprised of?

The renewal process requires you to review and update your existing information and provide new conduct and insurance information. In addition, if your identification photograph is older than five years, you will be required to upload a new photograph.

If you feel there is an error in the information in a section you cannot edit, please contact the College at registration@collegeofopticians.ca and we will make the necessary changes.  Please note that name changes require current, valid documentation.

 

Can I receive a paper copy of my renewal?

In an effort to expedite your renewal and ensure you receive your decals and/or badge in a timely manner, we have moved the renewal into an entirely paperless environment. As such, there are no paper copies of the renewal available. If you require assistance, please contact us at registration@collegeofopticians.ca or (416) 368-3616 ext. 200.

I haven’t received a renewal notice, how do I renew?

Please review the Terms and Conditions on the Member Portal.

Please visit the student and intern section of the Member Portal.

Please note that all renewal notices are sent via email. There could be a few reasons as to why you did not receive your renewal notice:

  • The renewal notice was redirected to your junk or spam folder.
  • Your email address is not updated with the College.
  • You are not eligible for renewal.

If the renewal notice has been redirected into your junk or spam folder, please mark all emails from the College as “safe” to ensure you receive important notices in a timely manner in the future.

Please make sure the College has your most up-to-date email address. If your email address has changed, please notify the College of your new email address at registration@collegeofopticians.ca.

 

I have forgotten my password, how can I login?

Please select “forgot password” and follow the prompts. Your Username is your three or four digit registration number. You will receive an email to reset your password and login to the renewal portal.

If you do not renew on or before the renewal deadline, a late fee will apply.

 

I selected “I don’t know my password” and followed the prompts, but I never received the email. How do I sign in?

There could be a couple of reasons as to why you did not receive your updated password:

  • It has either been redirected to your junk or spam folder; or,
  • Your email address is not updated with the College.

If the email has been redirected to your junk or spam folder, please ensure to mark all emails from the College as “safe” to ensure you receive important notices in a timely manner in the future.

Please make sure the College has your most up-to-date email address. If your email address has changed, please notify the College of your new email address at registration@collegeofopticians.ca.

If your email address is updated with the College and the email does not appear in the inbox, junk or spam folders, please contact the College at (416) 368-3616 ext. 200 for assistance.

 

Can I pay for my renewal over the phone?

For privacy and confidentiality reasons, the College cannot accept credit card information over the phone. When you pay online, all confidential information is removed as soon as the credit card is processed. To ensure the safety of your information, please make the renewal payment online.

 

How will I know my renewal has been approved?

If you meet all the requirements for approval, you will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours of receipt of your renewal.   Your badge decal and/or badge will be mailed to you shortly following the approval.

 

How will I know my renewal has not been approved?

If you complete your online renewal but do not submit all required documents, or the documents require review by the Registration department, you will receive an email notifying you that your renewal is on hold pending the submission and/or review of the outstanding requirements.

 

I decided not to renew, what do I do now?

We have made it easy for you to notify the College of your decision. Just login to the online portal, select the reason for not renewing, acknowledge the declaration, and the information will be forwarded directly to us. You will then receive an email from the College acknowledging your decision and notifying you of your options should you choose to practice as an optician in Ontario in the future.

 

I am going on parental leave, do I need to renew?

If you are on leave and will not be practising the profession in the upcoming calendar year, you may choose not to renew your certificate of registration. 

By not renewing, you will receive notice that your certificate of registration will be “administratively” suspended, which means that the suspension is for non-payment of fees. Your status in the public register will be updated to “Not entitled to practice” and a notation will be made of your suspension. If you wish, the notation “Parental Leave” can be added next to the reference to your suspension. To select this option, please log into the renewal portal, select “not renewing”, and follow the instructions.

Please note that if you plan to practise at any point during the calendar year, you will need to reinstate your certificate of registration by completing an application for reinstatement and paying the full annual fee as well as a reinstatement fee. Therefore, if you plan to practise at any point during the upcoming calendar year, you may wish to renew your certificate of registration to avoid incurring an additional reinstatement fee.

 

I paid and received a confirmation of payment receipt. Is this my tax receipt, and, if not, how can I get an official tax receipt?

Your confirmation of payment receipt is emailed to you once your credit card is charged. The purpose of the receipt is to allow you peace of mind that your card was charged the appropriate amount. The confirmation of payment receipt is not an official tax receipt. To obtain an official tax receipt, please select “Print Your Tax Receipt” on the Registered Optician Renewal page, log in using your renewal login information, and print or save your official receipt. Please note you will not be able to access your official tax receipt until your renewal is approved by the College.

Information Update Inquiries

I changed my legal name. Do I need to update my name with the College, and what information should I provide?

If you have legally changed your name, you are required to update your information with the College and request a replacement of your Certificate of Registration, badge, and Contact Lens Mentor Certificate (if applicable). Please contact the College at registration@collegeofopticians.ca and provide the following information:

  • Your registration number.
  • The name you are currently registered under.
  • Your new legal name.
  • Documents in support of your legal name change (such as a court certificate or a marriage certificate).
  • A complete Payment Authorization Form. Please review the College fees for the amount you would need to authorize your credit card for.

 

I intend to practice in the upcoming year, what are my Professional Liability Insurance requirements?

In order to practice as a Registered Optician, you are required to have Professional Liability Insurance in the amount of no less than $1,000,000.  In order for the insurance to be accepted, you must be listed on the policy. Should you choose not to have Professional Liability Insurance, you may hold Malpractice Insurance in the amount of no less than $1,000,000.

Please note that the renewal portal will ask for:

  • The insurance company name.
  • Your policy number.
  • The amount you are insured for.
  • Proof of insurance.

 

I do not intend to practice in the upcoming year but don’t want to have my registration suspended, what should I do?

If you do not intend to practice in the coming year, but wish to maintain your licence, you can do one of two things:

Maintain your Professional Liability Insurance
You can maintain your Professional Liability Insurance even if you are not currently practicing. In doing so, you are able to return to practice without notifying the College, provided your practice location is up to date.

Choose to undertake not to practice 
If you renew your Certificate of Registration but do not have Professional Liability Insurance, your status on the public register will reflect that you are “Not entitled to practice”.  You are not authorized to practice Opticianry until proof of your Professional Liability Insurance is submitted to the College.

 

How will I know if my photograph requires updating, and what are the requirements?

If your photograph needs to be updated, you will see a message on the main page of your registrant portal prompting you to upload a new photo. To meet our requirements, please use a passport photo that:

  • was taken within the last 6 months
  • is high quality (i.e., is clear, sharp, and in focus)  
  • has no shadow, glare or flash reflections
  • is taken against a plain white background
  • shows your face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera, not tilted in any direction

To watch an instructional video on how to upload a photo, please click here. If you prefer to submit a hard-copy photo, it must contain your signature on the back.

My immigration status has changed. How do I update my information?

You can update your immigration status on the renewal portal under the General tab. Please note you will be required to upload proof of your immigration status in order to avoid having your renewal placed on hold.

The following are examples of acceptable proof of your immigration status:

  • Canadian Passport.
  • Permanent Resident Card.
  • Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
  • Record of Landing.
  • Work Authorization or Work Permit.
  • Study Authorization or Study Permit (please note this is only acceptable when provided with proof of enrollment in an educational institution).
  • Other official government-issued document verifying your immigration status.

 

What types of files can I upload?

The acceptable file formats are .pdf, .jpeg, .doc, .docx.

 

What is the maximum file size I can upload?

The maximum upload file size is 980 kilobytes.


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