21 NCAC 42B .0202          BRANCH OFFICE

(a)  A branch office is any location, facility, or mobile facility, other than an optometrist's primary office location, in which the optometrist provides professional optometric services as provided in G.S. 90-114(1)-(3).

(b)  Before opening or beginning practice in a branch office, an optometrist shall obtain a branch license which shall be displayed in accordance with G.S. 90-118.2. The application for a branch office license must be made through the individual licensee's portal on the Board's website. The application requires the applicant furnish the following information:

(1)           office name;

(2)           phone number;

(3)           fax number;

(4)           date beginning practice at this location;

(5)           whether this location is exclusively or primarily a telemedicine office;

(6)           address, city, state, zip code, county; and

(c)  Each branch office shall comply with the requirements for maintaining medical equipment and record keeping in accordance with 21 NCAC 42E .0102(2) and 42E .0102(5).

Upon receipt of the completed branch office application and the fee required by G.S. 90-123, the Board, subject to G.S. 90-121.2, shall issue such branch office license. A branch office license is not transferable from one practice location to another, nor from one practitioner to another.

(d)  A branch office license shall be renewed annually.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90-114; 90‑117.5; 90‑118.2; 90-118.10; 90-118.11; 90-121.2; 90-123;

Eff. February 1, 1976;

Readopted Eff. May 30, 1978;

Amended Eff. April 1, 1993; June 1, 1989; September 30, 1981;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2024.