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Being a member means THREE memberships in one!
Being a member means THREE memberships in one!
Membership in the California Optometric Association is tripartite; you also become a member of the American Optometric Association as well as a local society within your geographical location in California, all of which provides you with local, state and national representation.
New Grad Ascending Dues Scale
New Grad Ascending Dues Scale
Average dues amounts
Average dues amounts
Full-time OD:
Graduated in/before 2020 $185 per month
Graduated in 2021 $145 per month
Graduated in 2022 $105 per month
Graduated in 2023 $55 per month
Graduated in 2024 $35 per month
Graduate in 2025 FREE!
Full-time Educator/Faculty Member $110 per month
Partial Practice (16 hours or less per week ) $110 per month
Government Service/Military/Federal $140 per month
Postgraduate / Resident $35 per year
Optometry Student FREE!
Note: local society dues will vary/dues amounts do not include PAC contributions.
Where do your dues go?
Where do your dues go?
AOA - 44%
AOA - 44%
national advocacy + AOA members-only benefits
COA - 37%
COA - 37%
state advocacy + COA members-only benefits
Local society - 9%
Local society - 9%
networking and learning + community and connection
Legislative fund - 8%
Legislative fund - 8%
to protect and advance scope of practice
Public vision league - 2%
Public vision league - 2%
for important legal challenges
PACs
PACs
PAC contributions are completely voluntary and are not included in the "average" dues amounts listed above. COA uses a negative check-off policy, whereby members will see the suggested PAC contributions included with their dues, but can contact COA at any time to opt out of making these contributions.
The PACs were formed to allow individual optometrists to pool their resources in order to make a stronger impact on candidate campaigns - COA interviews candidates, educates potential elected officials about optometric issues and makes targeted contributions in support of pro-optometry candidates.
California Optometric Political Action Committee (Cal-OPAC)
Suggested contribution: $200/year
$16.66/month for full members, prorated in accordance with all membership scales and categories
Local Societies of the California Optometric Association (LSCOA-PAC)
Suggested contribution: $50/year
$4.16/month for full members, prorated in accordance with all membership scales and categories
To make a one-time PAC contribution, use this online form
To opt out of PAC contributions, members may contact the COA billing department at billing@coavision.org or (833) 206-0598
Membership categories
Membership categories
Full Member
Full Member
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 Member
Educator Member
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 Member
Partial Practice Member
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 Member
Government Service Member
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 Member
Retired Member
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
Postgraduate Member
Postgraduate Member
$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
Applications for a change in membership type submitted before April 30 of any calendar year will be retroactive to the beginning of that year. Applications submitted between May 1 and December 31 will be effective January 1 of the following year. To make a member type change, please contact the membership department at membership@coavision.org or (916) 441-3990; option 4
Dues waivers
Dues waivers
If a member is having trouble making dues payments, COA can offer a dues waiver to temporarily reduce the the dues required to maintain membership.
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