1:30min
By Rhiannon Riches
Assistant Editor
The Optometry Board of Australia will soon be sending registration renewal reminders to registrants. Optometrists are due to renew their general or non-practising registration with the OBA by 30 November 2015.
The registration fee for 2015-2016 has been lowered to $325, $40 less than in the previous year.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has announced that the OBA was one of six health profession boards to reduce practitioner registration fees for 2015-2016.
The new fee will apply from 9 September 2015 and for most practitioners will cover the registration period of 1 December 2015 to 30 November 2016.
Newly-appointed OBA chairman Ian Bluntish said in a statement that the OBA was pleased to be able to lower the fee for the third year in a row and still fulfil its regulatory obligations.
‘We will continue to monitor the costs of regulating the profession in the National Scheme, and with each year of regulation a more accurate picture is forming of the costs to do so, while also protecting the public.
‘The National Scheme has provided a range of opportunities and we continue to review our approaches in the interests of nationally consistent and cost-effective regulation,’ Mr Bluntish said.
For information on registration fees, visit www.ahpra.gov.au.
Registration fees
2015-2016 $325
2014-2015 $365
2013-2014 $395
2012-2013 $415
The quickest and easiest way to renew registration is online.
The OBA urges all optometrists to ensure their contact details, including email address and mobile phone number, are current. Registrants can update their contact information by logging in to www.ahpra.gov.au. Registrants will need their user ID and secure password, and to follow the prompts.