Registration fees 2026-27
These are the registration fees we have set for the 2026–27 registration year.
Different fees apply depending on the type of application made.
The registration year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 for fully qualified registrants and businesses, and from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027 for students.
Annual renewal fees
Registrants must pay the following annual renewal fees to remain on the register:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal of registration for optometrists, dispensing opticians and bodies corporate | £425 |
| Low-income annual renewal fee for optometrists and dispensing opticians | £290 |
| Annual renewal for student optometrists and student dispensing opticians | £30 |
Low-income earners are defined as a fully qualified registrant whose estimated total individual income is less than £16,000 for the 1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027 year.
Renewal fee when joining, transferring or restoring during the year
For those who join the register, transfer between registers, or restore their registration during the year, the renewal fee is charged pro rata.
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal fee calculated from the date of entry to the register of optometrists, dispensing opticians or bodies corporate | £106.25 per quarter or part of a quarter |
Transfer of registration
The following fees must be paid to transfer between registers:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Transfer between fully qualified (optometrists and dispensing opticians) registers during the registration year | £45 |
| Transfer from the student register to the fully qualified register after completing a GOC-accredited route to registration | £45 |
Restoration of registration
The following fees must be paid to restore to the register:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial application to restore to the optometrist, dispensing optician or body corporate registers (including low-income earners) | £80 |
| Restoration to the student optometrist or student dispensing optician register following removal or erasure. Students restoring registration do not pay an annual renewal fee in the year they apply for restoration. | £30 |
Certificates of current professional status
The following fee must be paid to obtain a certificate of current professional status:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of current professional status | £30 |
Registration applications
The following application fees must be paid to join the register:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial application for registration as an optometrist, dispensing optician or body corporate (including low-income earners) | £80 |
| Application for registration as a student optometrist or student dispensing optician. Note, students applying for registration do not pay an annual renewal fee in the year they apply. | £30 |
| Application to add a specialty to the optometrist or dispensing optician register | £45 |
Applications for assessment of overseas qualifications
These fees apply to applicants who qualified outside the UK and wish to join the register:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scrutiny fee for processing documentation for those who wish to join either the register of optometrists or dispensing opticians | £130 |
| Equivalency assessment of qualifications and experience for those who wish to join either the register of optometrists or dispensing opticians | £455 |
| Interview fee for non-EEA applicants | £205 |
A separate fee is then charged for each register applied to.
Full rules
Read Registration Fee Rules 2026-27 to see the rules in full.