Membership TypEs
Active Full
100% dues
an optometrist who resides in the State of California and/or who practices or engages in other related optometric activities in California
Educator
50% dues
an optometrist who teaches or engages in other academic-related activities at an educational institution approved by the COA Board of Trustees and who does not otherwise engage in the practice of optometry for compensation more than 16 hours per week (for AOA classification, must be at an optometry school accredited or pre-accredited by ACOE)
Partial Practice
50% COA & society/60% AOA
an optometrist who works sixteen (16) hours or fewer per week for compensation in active optometric practice or related optometric activities
Government Service
50% COA & society/100% AOA
an optometrist who is employed by a governmental entity and who is not practicing optometry for compensation in any other setting
Retired
10% COA & society/$100 AOA
an optometrist who is at least fifty-five (55) years old on January 1 of any membership year and who is no longer receiving compensation for optometric-related activities
Life
Complimentary
a member who has retained and paid membership dues for 45 years (including student membership years)
Postgraduate
$0 COA & society/$35 AOA
an optometrist who is a resident or intern in a program accredited or pre-accredited by ACOE or is a full-time enrollee in a graduate program related to the practice of optometry
Student
Complimentary
an individual who is enrolled full-time in a school or college of optometry accredited or pre-accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education or by an accrediting body that the COA Board of Trustees determines to be equivalent