ABDO - Membership

Membership fees and how to pay

ABDO offers affordable membership for dispensing opticians, optometrists, student dispensing opticians and optical assistants.

ABDO welcomes dispensing opticians, optometrists, students and others working in optics as members.

If you are based in the UK you can pay by monthly direct debit making it even more affordable.

Remember that you may be able to claim your professional membership fees against tax, and make the most of the ABDO member benefits to save even more.

 

Membership fees

    • Full: fully qualified dispensing optician (DO) residing in the UK: £345.00 annually / £34.50 per month by direct debit*
    • European Qualified: qualified dispensing optician, from a European country, on the GOC register (not qualified as FBDO) residing in the UK: £345.00 annually / £34.50 per month by direct debit*
    • Reduced Full: optometry student or pre-reg optometrist, DO employed in optics but not dispensing. working less than 125 days per annum (approx. 2½ days per week), and other special circumstances, only as agreed with ABDO Membership Services: £258.00 annually / £25.80 per month by direct debit*
    • Associate: optometrist, DO not employed in optics for one year or more, professional with an interest in optics (not qualified as FBDO), unqualified dispenser not on a dispensing course, DO practicing in certain countries: £211.00 annually / £21.10 per month by direct debit*

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    • Maternity/Paternity/special circumstances: those on maternity or paternity leave, or those in other special circumstances as agreed with ABDO Membership Services: £62.00
    • Elder: Fully retired– state pension age: £31.00

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    • Full (overseas):  DO residing overseas (including Eire, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, UAE, NZ) £227.00
    • International Full:  DO residing overseas (Malaysia, African nations, India, Indonesia and Indian Ocean): £57.00

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    • Student (UK): unqualified student on day-release, college or ABDO College dispensing course: applying between 1 April and 30 November: £55.00, applying between 1 December and 31 March: £110.00
    • Student (overseas): Eire, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, UAE, NZ unqualified student on day-release, college or ABDO College dispensing course, residence overseas: applying between 1 April and 30 November: £55.00,  applying between 1 December and 31 March:£110.00
    • International Student (Malaysia, African nations, India, Indonesia and Indian Ocean):  student residing in any of the listed countries: £25.00

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    Professional indemnity insurance for Dispensing Opticians

    • Available to UK qualified dispensing opticians: £45.00

    Professional indemnity insurance for Contact lens Opticians

    • Available to UK qualified contact lens opticians: £55.00

    Professional indemnity insurance for Extended services (MECs)

    • Available to UK qualified Extended Services (MECs) opticians : £75.00

    To apply for ABDO Professional Indemnity Insurance visit your members dashboard.

    *Direct debits must be drawn from a UK bank. Direct debits are taken over 10 months from February to November.

     

More information about becoming a member

The membership year is January to December.

Renewal statements are sent at the beginning of December.

If you have joined during the year, your statement will show a pro rata credit against the following year’s subscription.

ABDO offers the convenience of a Direct Debit scheme, that enables you to spread your payments over the year (beginning February) with a choice of four payment days throughout the month.

If you prefer to pay by Direct Debit annually, a discount is available.

Please read the Direct Debit instruction on the payment form for full details.

If you are a rejoining member, an additional 10 per cent rejoining fee is usually also required.

Methods of payment

Online
To pay your membership online you will need to log into the Members’ area using your ABDO membership number and pin number. When you have done this you will be presented with a list of options, select ‘Annual Subscriptions’. You will then be able to pay your ABDO membership subscriptions for the current year. If you have any further problems, email
membership@abdo.org.uk.

Direct Debit
To set up a Direct Debit mandate, please use the Direct Debit scheme form, to download click here
.

By Post
If you wish to pay by post, please download the ‘Membership payment form’ by clicking here and pay your subscription by post, change your ‘Member Type’, or notify a change of address. Please forward the form to: Unit 2 Court Lodges, Godmersham Park, Godmersham, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7DT.