GOC retention opens for 2016/17

Dispensing opticians, optometrists and optical businesses can from today renew their annual General Optical Council (GOC) registration for the year beginning 1 April 2016. Applications must be submitted by 15 March together with the required fee. The retention fee for 2016/17 is £320.

Michelle Norman, GOC head of registration, said: “Retaining registration is a legal requirement for anyone carrying out restricted functions or using a protected title such as optometrist or dispensing optician. Those who fail to retain will be removed from our registers and will be unable to practise in the UK.

“I encourage registrants to apply for retention as soon as possible. The process is quick and simple via the MyGOC area of our website, and by applying in good time registrants will have peace of mind that they are registered for the next year.”

Practitioners with a total gross income of less than £12,000 per year are eligible for the GOC’s low income fee of £220. They must apply for the reduced fee by 1 February 2016 by completing the application form that is available on the GOC website before completing their retention application online.

Any practitioner who does not apply for retention by the 15 March 2016 deadline will face a £20 late application fee. Registrants who have still not renewed their registration by 31 March 2016, including payment of the late fee, may be removed from the registers after 1 April 2016.

Registrants can apply online from today by logging in to their MyGOC account at www.optical.org.