Annual Practising Certificates

Information for optometrists and dispensing opticians

Information for optometrists

APC Application form for Optometrists (TPA)

Random Self Audit form for Optometrists (sent to 20% of practitioners)

APC Application Form with DPA Supervision Requirement

Change of Scope Application Form (for TPA endorsement) Please note, all applications for Change of Scope must be accompanied by an official academic transcript from the University of Auckland. Applicants must request this directly from the University.

Information for dispensing opticians

APC Application form for Dispensing Opticians

Random Self Audit form for Dispensing Opticians (sent to 20% of practitioners)

Frequently asked questions for Dispensing Opticians self audits

(You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the PDF files; it's available to download for free. It may take a while to download.)

Before you apply for your APC you are advised to read the following information.

Every practitioner who wishes to renew or reapply for an annual practising certificate must apply to the Registrar. No person may claim to be practising as a health practitioner of a particular kind or do anything to suggest that they are practising unless the practitioner holds a current practising certificate with a scope of practice which indicates that the practitioner is of that kind.

The fee for an APC from 1 April 2008 is NZ$560.00 for dispensing opticians, $650.00 for optometrists and $700.00 for optometrists (TPA) (including GST). Please use the Payment Form that is part of the application form. Payment can be made by personal cheque, or bank cheque made out to the Board, or by MasterCard or VISA. Ensure payment is sent with the original remittance advice. Please do not fax payment details.

Some employers organise the payment of APC for practitioners. If this is the case the practitioner needs to make sure that this is carried out in a timely way, noting that the practitioner is responsible for ensuring they have a current APC.

Please include current address details, noting your legal responsibilities to notify the Registrar of any change of address or change of name.

Receipts for payments are sent with the APC.

The standard APC year is 1 April until 31 March. You are legally required to hold a current APC by 1 April. If you apply for an APC after 1 April, you will need to pay an additional $100.00 for your APC. The APC may be issued for a period less than one year. Your scope of practice will be endorsed on the APC. Detailed information about the scope of practice is to be found in this website.

Once a practitioner has submitted an application including the required fee, the practitioner is regarded as holding that APC from the date when the authority receives the application until the date it is issued or the date the practitioner is notified by the Registrar that it will not be issued. Please note in your diary when you posted your APC application. Should your APC be lost, the Board will not issue a new copy as it is an original document. However the Board will provide a letter verifying that you hold an APC.

The Registrar will issue an APC if the Registrar believes that there are no reasons to refer the application to the authority under section 27 (1). He/she may decline to issue an annual practising certificate if satisfied that any information included in the application is false or misleading.

There are a number of grounds set out in the HPCA Act that may lead to the APC being referred to the Board for consideration namely:

The applicant

- has failed to maintain the required standard of competence

- has failed to fulfil or comply with a condition included in the applicants scope of practice

- has not satisfactorily completed the requirements of any competence programme that the applicant has been ordered by the board to complete

- has not held an APC within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of the application

- is unable to perform professional functions because of some mental or physical condition

- has not within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of application lawfully practised his or her profession

The Registrar may also decline to issue an APC if costs or expenses are owing from a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.

If an APC is declined the Board may issue an interim practising certificate for a period of up to 12 months and with any conditions the Board specifies.

Practitioners will be given an opportunity to make written and oral submissions prior to any decision being made to decline an annual practising certificate application, or to include or vary conditions in the health practitioners scope of practice.

If the Board declines an application for an APC, it may authorise the issue of an interim practising certificate pending fullfillment of the conditions imposed.