Legal Q & A: Opening New Business

Question: I am planning on opening up an optometric practice, including an optical shop. I have a close relative who wants to invest in this "business" as my partner. The relative is not an optometrist. Can I enter into a partner-ship with my relative for this purpose?

Answer: Your lay relative cannot be a partner in your optometric practice. No licensed practitioner is permitted to engage in the practice of optometry with any corporation, organization, group, or lay individual. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B13-3.008(3). You can enter into a partnership or other business relationship with a lay relative (or other lay individual) to operate an optical business. However, the optical business and the optometric practice must be established and operated as two separate entities.