SECTION 140.277. Fees

(a) Schedule of fees. The fees are as follows:

(1) initial application and registration fee for a registration issued for two years--$100;

(2) initial dual application and registration fee for a registration issued for two years--$160;

(3) registration renewal fee;

(A) for a registration issued for two years--$100;

(B) for a retired optician registration issued for two years--$50;

(4) dual registration renewal fee;

(A) for a registration issued for two years--$160;

(B) for a retired optician registration issued for two years--$80;

(5) late registration fee--a fee that is one and one-half times the registration renewal fee if renewed within 90 days of expiration or a fee that is two times the registration renewal fee if renewed more than 90 days but less than one year after expiration;

(6) duplicate certificate fee--$20;

(7) examination fee--the then current fee assessed by the Department of State Health Services' (department's) designee for the examination; and

(8) criminal history evaluation letter fee--$50.

(b) Payment of fees. If paid by mail, all fees shall be submitted in the form of a personal check, certified check for guaranteed funds or a money order made payable to the Department of State Health Services. If submitted in person, cash may be accepted by the department's cashier.

(c) Nonrefundable fees. All fees submitted to the department are nonrefundable.

(d) For all applications and renewal applications, the department is authorized to collect fees to fund the Office of Patient Protection, Health Professions Council, as mandated by law.

(e) For all applications and renewal applications, the department is authorized to collect subscription and convenience fees, in amounts determined by the Texas Online Authority, to recover costs associated with application and renewal application processing through Texas Online.

Source Note: The provisions of this §140.277 adopted to be effective August 14, 2008, 33 TexReg 6394; amended to be effective November 4, 2010, 35 TexReg 9739