§ 90-118.5. Licensing practitioners of other states.
§ 90‑118.5. Licensing practitioners of other states.
(a) If an applicant for licensure is already licensed in anotherstate in optometry, the North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometryshall issue a license to practice optometry to the applicant withoutexamination other than a clinical practicum examination upon evidence that:
(1) The applicant is currently an active, competent practitionerin good standing, and
(2) The applicant has practiced at least three out of the fiveyears immediately preceding his or her application, and
(3) The applicant currently holds a valid license in anotherstate, and
(4) No disciplinary proceeding or unresolved complaint ispending anywhere at the time a license is to be issued by this State, and
(5) The licensure requirements in the other state areequivalent to or higher than those required by this State.
(b) Application for license to be issued under the provisions ofthis section shall be accompanied by a certificate from the optometry board orlike board of the state from which said applicant removed, certifying that theapplicant is the legal holder of a license to practice optometry in that state,and for a period of at least three out of five years immediately preceding theapplication has engaged in the practice of optometry; is of good moralcharacter and that during the period of his practice no charges have been filedwith said board against the applicant for the violation of the criminal lawsof the state or the United States, or for the violation of the ethics of the profession of optometry.
(c) Application for a license under this section shall be madeto the North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry within six monthsof the date of the issuance of the certificate hereinbefore required, and saidcertificate shall be accompanied by the diploma or other evidence of thegraduation from an accredited, recognized and approved optometry college,school or optometry department of a college or university.
(d) Any license issued upon the application of any optometristfrom any other state or territory shall be subject to all of the provisions ofthis Article with reference to the license issued by the North Carolina StateBoard of Examiners in Optometry upon examination of applicants and the rights andprivileges to practice the profession of optometry under any license so issuedshall be subject to the same duties, obligations, restrictions and theconditions as imposed by this Article on optometrists originally examined bythe North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry. (1973, c. 800, s. 12; 1981, c. 496, ss. 6, 7.)