Connecticut Statutes

Medical nutrition therapy is a medical treatment. Like other non-physician practitioners providing medical treatments, registered dietitian nutritionists generally can practice MNT because of licensure and certification laws, which provide authority for RDNs to provide this medical service. It is with this understanding that the Academy strongly recommends — unless there is an applicable exception or exemption or a state does not provide for licensure or certification requirements — practitioners hold licensure or certification in all states where the practitioner's clients or patients are located when services are provided.

Links to State Boards, Statutes and Regulations

• Board/Agency Website
• Statute
• Regulation: N/A

Statute and Regulation Details

Background info and terminology

Licensure (or Certification) by Endorsement of RDN Credential/Exemptions

Sec. 20-206n. Certification; qualifications; examination.

Certification without examination of applicants residing in this state. (a) The department may, upon receipt of an application and fee of one hundred ninety dollars, issue a certificate as a dietitian-nutritionist to any applicant who has presented to the commissioner satisfactory evidence that (1) he is certified as a registered dietitian by the Commission on Dietetic Registration or (2) he has (A) successfully passed a written examination prescribed by the commissioner and (B) received a master's degree or doctoral degree, from an institution of higher education accredited to grant such degree by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education,

Licensure (or Certification) by Reciprocity or Endorsement of Another License

Sec. 206o. Certification without examination of applicants currently licensed or certified in another jurisdiction.

The department may, upon receipt of an application and fee of one hundred ninety dollars, issue a certificate without examination to any person who presents proof of current licensure or certification as a dietitian or nutritionist in another state, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States which maintains standards for certification determined by the department to be equal to or higher than those of this state. No certificate shall be issued under this section to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

N/A

Exceptions/Exemptions:

Sec. 20-206t. Construction of chapter.

Nothing in sections 20-206m to 20-206s, inclusive, shall be construed as prohibiting the activities of: (1) A person who does not hold himself out to be a Connecticut certified dietitian nutritionist, Connecticut certified dietitian or Connecticut certified nutritionist from engaging in dietetics or nutrition practice; (2) a person who does not hold himself out to be a Connecticut certified dietitian or Connecticut certified nutritionist from marketing or distributing food, food products or dietary supplements, from engaging in the explanation of the use, benefits or preparation of such products, from furnishing nutrition information related to any such products, or from the dissemination of information or literature related to any such products; (3) a person who does not hold himself out to be a Connecticut certified dietitian or Connecticut certified nutritionist from providing weight control services; (4) a person licensed or certified in this state under any other law from engaging in the profession or occupation for which such person is licensed or certified, provided such person does not hold himself out as being certified as a dietitian or nutritionist; (5) a person employed as a nutritionist by the government of the United States, or by the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, if such person works solely under the direction and control of the organization by which such person is employed; (6) a student enrolled in an accredited academic program leading to certification, provided such student is clearly identified by a title which indicates his status as a student; or (7) a person registered as a diet technician by the Commission on Dietetic Registration under the supervision of a Connecticut certified dietitian-nutritionist in an institution as defined under section 19a-490.

Updated August 2023

Disclaimer: This page is not intended to constitute legal or career advice. All information, content and materials are for general informational purposes only and may not represent the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites, which are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites, nor does such information necessarily constitute a legally binding interpretation of state policy. The ultimate authority to interpret each state's requirements is the licensing board or agency of that state.