645—181.2 (154) Continuing education requirements.
	 181.2(1) The biennial continuing education compliance period shall extend for a two-year period beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30 of each even-numbered year.
	  a.   	 Requirements for nontherapeutic licensees. Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as an optometrist in this state and who is not therapeutically certified shall be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education approved by the board. Nontherapeutic licensees must comply with Iowa continuing education rules for license renewal and reinstatement by meeting the continuing education requirements in the state of practice.
	  b.   	 Requirements for therapeutic licensees. Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a therapeutic licensee in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of continuing education approved by the board.
	 181.2(2) Requirements of new licensees. Those persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses. Continuing education hours acquired anytime from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used. The new licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.
	 181.2(3) Hours of continuing education credit may be obtained by attending and participating in a continuing education activity. These hours must be in accordance with these rules.
	 181.2(4) No hours of continuing education shall be carried over into the next biennium except as stated for second renewal. A licensee whose license was reactivated during the current renewal compliance period may use continuing education earned during the compliance period for the first renewal following reactivation.
	 181.2(5) It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the cost of continuing education.