Non Practising Registration

This type of registration may be suitable for optometrists who:

• have retired completely from practice
• are not practising temporarily (for example, on maternity or paternity leave) or
• who are not practising in Australia but are practising overseas.

The Board’s definition of ’practice‘ is:

Any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a health practitioner in their profession. For the purposes of this registration standard, practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes using professional knowledge in a direct non-clinical relationship with clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles, and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession.

This definition is contained in the Board’s professional indemnity insurance arrangements registration standard and recency of practice registration standard (see Registration Standards section).

Optometrists with non-practising registration cannot undertake any practice as defined above whether they are being remunerated or not.

There is a reduced fee for non-practising registration.

The Board’s professional indemnity insurance arrangements registration standard and continuing professional development registration standard do not apply to optometrists holding non-practising registration. However, the Board advises all optometrists considering moving to non-practising registration to consider their circumstances and the requirements for applying for general registration again in the future.

The requirements are outlined in the form ‘application for general registration as an optometrist (for current non-practising registrants)’ available from the forms section.