(a) Any person who desires to provide ophthalmic dispensing services to the public as a licensed or registered dispensing optician in this state and who holds a current validated certificate of licensure or registry as a dispensing optician in a state whose requirements for licensure or registry are in the opinion of the Arkansas Board of Dispensing Opticians at least equivalent to those of this state may at the discretion of the board be issued a certificate of licensure or a certificate of registry.
(b) The certificate may be issued without a written or practical examination upon payment of the fee prescribed in § 17-89-304(f) to the Secretary-treasurer of the Arkansas Board of Dispensing Opticians and upon satisfactory proof that the applicant:
(1) Is qualified under the provisions of this chapter;
(2) Has provided ophthalmic dispensing services to the public as a dispensing optician in the state of licensure or registration for a period of at least five (5) years for licensure or three (3) years for registration immediately before his or her application for reciprocity to this state; and
(3) Is licensed or registered in a state which grants like reciprocal privileges to opticians who hold certificates of licensure or registry issued by this state.