NBEO sends free score reports to up to five states chosen at registration. You can add a state free within one year of graduation; after that, each report is purchased and can take up to seven business days. Boards such as New York accept scores only from NBEO, never a student copy.
Your NBEO scores are the one part of an optometry license file that every state board shares, and the one part no board will take from you directly. Each new license means a score report sent by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry to that board. It is a small task, but it has rules about cost, timing and format that trip up experienced optometrists who last ordered a report in school.
How do the five free reports work?
When you register for NBEO exams, you can name up to five states to receive your score report at no charge. NBEO releases the report automatically once you complete that state's requirements, and its FAQ adds the condition that matters for students: scores go to state boards only after you pass all NBEO parts the selected boards require and NBEO receives graduation verification from your school.
If you named fewer than five states, you can add one after the automatic release, but only within one year of your graduation date, by emailing NBEO's registrar with your name, OE TRACKER number and the state. After a year has passed since graduation, every new report is purchased through NBEO's order page.
How long does an order take?
NBEO says requested report orders "can take up to 7 business days to be processed," and longer during high-volume periods. Its FAQ for non-students says requests are processed within seven business days. Build that week into your plan, and order the report the same day you file the application rather than waiting for the board to ask.
Why will a board not accept the copy you already have?
Boards treat NBEO as the primary source, and they say so:
- New York: "All score reports must be sent directly by the testing agency to the Office of the Professions. Student copies will not be accepted."
- Illinois: wants "a certified copy of your National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) score" sent directly to the Division, showing both written parts including TMOD and the clinical skills exam.
- Wisconsin: NBEO sends a certified transcript directly to the Department of Safety and Professional Services, which will not accept supporting documents from the candidate.
- Connecticut: asks for every part verified directly by NBEO.
- Minnesota: scores go directly from NBEO, which releases them only after it receives the final academic transcript.
Two boards use a different mechanism. Texas asks for your OE TRACKER number and for you to allow the board access to your scores on the NBEO site. California tells applicants to ask NBEO to release their records to the board, and says it can locate them if the OE TRACKER number is on the application.
Is the score report the whole picture?
Not for law exams. If you take a state law exam through NBEO's Online State Law Exam program, that score does not appear on your NBEO report. NBEO says the state board sets the passing score and releases the result, so an OSLE score has to come from the board itself. See NBEO's Online State Law Exam and the states that use it.
The report also reflects your full exam history. NBEO notes that score reports consist of a candidate's entire examination history, so a board sees every attempt, not only the passing one.
What about boards that already had your scores?
NBEO scores do not expire, but board access to them does. NBEO explains that scores shared with a board are available through its portal during that administration year; once the year ends, the board no longer sees them there and has to contact NBEO case by case. That is one reason a board you applied to years ago may ask for a fresh report today.
What does a clean order look like?
- Confirm which parts the target board requires, including TMOD, the ISE or the LSPE. Our post on which NBEO parts each state asks to see has the list.
- Check whether the board has a score window. Vermont wants scores used within three years of passing, for example.
- Order the report from NBEO, addressed to the board's licensing office, with your OE TRACKER number ready.
- For Texas and California, make sure the OE TRACKER number is on the application and board access is allowed.
- Track the board's receipt; New York reminds applicants that "It is your responsibility to follow up with anyone you have asked to send us material."
Who places the order?
NBEO accounts belong to the candidate, and your login stays with you. As part of each license we prepare ($699 per state on NBEO scores or by endorsement), we tell you exactly which report to order and where to send it, then confirm with the board that it arrived. See pricing or check your target state on the state license index.
Common questions
- How much does an NBEO score report cost?
- Up to five reports chosen at registration are free. After one year from graduation, additional reports are purchased through NBEO's order page.
- Can I send my own copy of my NBEO scores to a state board?
- Generally no. New York says student copies will not be accepted, and Illinois and Wisconsin want reports sent directly by NBEO.
- Does my state law exam score show on my NBEO report?
- No. NBEO administers Online State Law Exams but the state board sets the passing score and releases the result, so it does not appear on the NBEO score report.
- How long does an NBEO score report take to reach a board?
- NBEO says orders can take up to seven business days to process, longer during busy periods, plus the board's own time to log it.
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