diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/student_account/register_spec.js b/lms/static/js/spec/student_account/register_spec.js
index 8d38c54520..78c517eeb5 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/student_account/register_spec.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/student_account/register_spec.js
@@ -213,7 +213,12 @@
                             }
                         ]
                     };
-                var createRegisterView = function(that) {
+                var createRegisterView = function(that, formFields) {
+                    var fields = formFields;
+                    if (typeof fields === 'undefined') {
+                        fields = FORM_DESCRIPTION.fields;
+                    }
+
                 // Initialize the register model
                     model = new RegisterModel({}, {
                         url: FORM_DESCRIPTION.submit_url,
@@ -222,7 +227,7 @@
 
                 // Initialize the register view
                     view = new RegisterView({
-                        fields: FORM_DESCRIPTION.fields,
+                        fields: fields,
                         model: model,
                         thirdPartyAuth: THIRD_PARTY_AUTH,
                         platformName: PLATFORM_NAME
@@ -537,6 +542,27 @@
                 // The iframe has been deleted
                     expect($content.find('iframe').length).toEqual(0);
                 });
+
+                it('displays optional fields toggle', function() {
+                    createRegisterView(this);
+                    expect(view.$('.checkbox-optional_fields_toggle')).toBeVisible();
+                });
+
+                it('hides optional fields toggle when there are no visible optional fields', function() {
+                    createRegisterView(this, [
+                        {
+                            placeholder: '',
+                            name: 'hidden_optional',
+                            label: 'Hidden Optional',
+                            defaultValue: '',
+                            type: 'hidden',
+                            required: false,
+                            instructions: 'Used for testing hidden input fields that are optional.',
+                            restrictions: {}
+                        }
+                    ]);
+                    expect(view.$('.checkbox-optional_fields_toggle')).toHaveClass('hidden');
+                });
             });
         });
 }).call(this, define || RequireJS.define);
diff --git a/lms/static/js/student_account/views/RegisterView.js b/lms/static/js/student_account/views/RegisterView.js
index 7287ac8b41..e9536a6db9 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/student_account/views/RegisterView.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/student_account/views/RegisterView.js
@@ -94,27 +94,35 @@
                 buildForm: function(data) {
                     var html = [],
                         i,
+                        field,
                         len = data.length,
                         requiredFields = [],
                         optionalFields = [];
 
                     this.fields = data;
 
+                    this.hasOptionalFields = false;
                     for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-                        if (data[i].errorMessages) {
+                        field = data[i];
+                        if (field.errorMessages) {
                             // eslint-disable-next-line no-param-reassign
-                            data[i].errorMessages = this.escapeStrings(data[i].errorMessages);
+                            field.errorMessages = this.escapeStrings(field.errorMessages);
                         }
 
-                        if (data[i].required) {
-                            requiredFields.push(data[i]);
+                        if (field.required) {
+                            requiredFields.push(field);
                         } else {
-                            optionalFields.push(data[i]);
+                            if (field.type !== 'hidden') {
+                                // For the purporse of displaying the optional field toggle,
+                                // the form should be considered to have optional fields
+                                // only if all of the optional fields are being rendering as
+                                // input elements that are visible on the page.
+                                this.hasOptionalFields = true;
+                            }
+                            optionalFields.push(field);
                         }
                     }
 
-                    this.hasOptionalFields = optionalFields.length > 0;
-
                     html = this.renderFields(requiredFields, 'required-fields');
 
                     html.push.apply(html, this.renderFields(optionalFields, 'optional-fields'));