The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (ODOB) recently sought feedback on its proposed changes to its fee structure for the practising year beginning 1 April 2026.

The consultation document outlined updated application fees for registration, re-registration and restoration to the register. While some fees are increasing to reflect actual administrative costs, the majority of Annual Practising Certificate fees will remain unchanged, said the board. It also proposed to apply the current $479 registration fee to re-registration applications where a new application is required after cancellation.

As a self-funded regulatory authority under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, the ODOB said the changes are necessary to ensure financial sustainability while continuing to meet statutory functions. A focus of the revised structure is to improve fairness, reduce cross-subsidisation between professions and maintain reserves for operational and disciplinary matters, it said.

Feedback from practitioners, stakeholders and the public closed on 28 August and final decisions will be published before the end of 2025, ahead of the 2026 APC renewal period.