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General Dues Information

Full annual dues for 2022 (NHOA and AOA) are $1753.  If you are on the ascending dues scale, or if you are in partial practice status, your dues are reduced proportionally.  See below for details, or contact the NHOA office if you have questions about these options.  If you are in any special dues classification status, contact the office to find out your dues amount.

The NHOA Board recommends an additional voluntary contribution to the NHOA-PAC, the recommended amounts are $200 for the NHOA-PAC and  $100 for the AOA-PAC.

AOA requires dues to be collected and forwarded on at least a quarterly basis.  A member whose dues are not received by the NHOA in time to meet the AOA forwarding deadline (two weeks after the end of each quarter) will be dropped by AOA.  You must keep your dues paid at least through the previous quarter.  (The Treasurer is authorized to make individual arrangements with members to modify this timetable when circumstances warrant.)  AOA and NHOA do consider granting dues waivers in case of a member’s “economic misfortune or partial or total disability.”  These are handled on an individual basis by the Treasurer.  Contact the NHOA office for details.

Methods of Payment and Payment Plans

Around the beginning of 2022, please watch for a change in NHOA membership dues invoicing and paying. Around that time we will transition to AOA’s database platform for a number of activities, including dues invoices & payments.  Among the changes you should expect is that your invoice will come from AOA, and you’ll make your payments to AOA.

NHOA and AOA offer two methods of dues payment:  Credit Card and Check.  We prefer credit card payments because if you pay by credit card you will automatically meet the AOA requirements.   We currently accept Visa, American Express and MasterCard.  If you choose to pay by credit card, we can set up automatic monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual charges to the credit card you provide AOA.  

Ascending Dues Scale 

• The year you graduate from optometry school or complete a residency is  free
• The first year after that, dues (NHOA and AOA) are 10%
• The next year after that, dues are 20%
• The year after that, dues are 50%
• The year after that, dues are 75%
• From that point on, dues are 100%

Example:  If you graduated from optometry school or completed a residency in 2021:

• 2021 – free
• 2022 – 10% dues
• 2023 – 20% dues
• 2024 – 50% dues
• 2025 – 75% dues
• 2026 and beyond – full dues

Partial Practice Status

If you work (on average) 16 hours per week (2 days) or less in “compensated optometry-related activities” you are eligible for partial practice status with both NHOA and AOA (dues are 60% of full dues) .  You have the same payment options (credit card or check, annual, , semi-annual, quarterly or monthly payments) as those who pay full dues.  You must request partial practice status by contacting AOA.   You must re-certify every year.

“Compensated optometry related activities” include not only patient care, but also practice administration, teaching, or any other paid activity related to optometry.  If you are in doubt, contact us to discuss your status.

Associate, Student, Retired and Post-Graduate Member Status

• Student member dues are free.
• Associate member dues are $75 if you are licensed in NH, $25 if you are not.
• Post-graduate member are free, but you must pay the appropriate AOA dues ($35).
• Retired member dues continue to be $25, plus $100 for AOA if you have elected the “with benefits” category.  If you retire during the year (or plan to) please do not wait until after you have retired to contact the NHOA office and let us know!  We need to start processing your status change as soon as possible.

Awareness	Advocacy	Education	Membership
Fostering public awareness of Optometry as a primary health-care profession.	Acting as an advocate for optometric vision care in the political and regulatory processes.	Providing continuing education opportunities to maintain and enhance optometric competency.	Expanding our membership and increasing member participation in the Association and in the communities they serve.