Louisiana 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.

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Statute and Regulation Details

Background info and terminology

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

§103. Qualifications for Licensure (Regulations)

5. Applicants who are currently registered by CDR are deemed to meet the academic, professional experience, examination, and continuing education requirements for licensure.

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

§ 3088. Issuance and Renewal of Licenses; Reciprocity

A. The board shall issue a license to any person who meets the requirements of this Chapter and upon payment of the required license fee.

B. Licenses granted under this Chapter shall be subject to annual renewal and shall expire unless renewed in a manner as prescribed by the board.

C. The board may provide for the late renewal of a license but no late renewal shall be granted more than one year after its expiration without payment of all fees in arrears.

D. A suspended license shall be subject to expiration and may be renewed as provided in this Section, but such renewal shall not entitle the licensee, while the license remains suspended and until it is reinstated, to engage in the licensed activity, or in any other conduct or activity in violation of the order of judgment by which the license was suspended.

E. A license revoked on disciplinary grounds may be reinstated in a manner as provided by the board. As a condition of reinstatement, the licensee shall pay the renewal fee and any late fee that may be applicable.

F. The board may grant a license to any person who presents proof of current licensure as a dietitian or nutritionist in another state, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States which requires standards for licensure considered by the board to be equivalent to the requirements for licensure as prescribed in this Chapter.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

§ 3087. Provisional license

A. The board may issue a provisional license to any dietitian/nutritionist who presents evidence to the board of successful completion of the education requirements of R.S. 37:3086(C)(1) and (2) for licensure and who makes application for a provisional license upon the form and in the manner prescribed by the board, accompanied by applicable fees. A provisional license may be issued to such a person before he has taken the licensure examination prescribed by the board. A provisional license may be issued for a period not exceeding one year and may be renewed from year to year for a period not to exceed two years upon payment of a fee and presentation of evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is in the process of meeting the experience requirements in anticipation of taking the examination.

B. A provisional license shall permit the holder to practice only under the supervision of a licensed dietitian/nutritionist.

Exceptions/Exemptions

§ 3093. Exemptions

A. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to affect or prevent:

(1) A student enrolled in an approved academic program in dietetics/nutrition from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition, if such practice constitutes a part of a supervised course of study, and if the student is designated by a title which clearly indicates his status as a student or trainee; any person fulfilling the experience requirements of R.S. 37:3086(C)(2) from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition under the supervision of a licensed dietitian/nutritionist.

(2) A dietitian/nutritionist who is serving in the Armed Forces or any other federal agency from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition provided such practice is related to service or employment.

(3)(a) Persons licensed to practice the professions of dentistry, medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, nursing, or pharmacy from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition when incidental to the practice of their profession, except that such persons may not use the titles "dietitian", "dietician", or "nutritionist".

(b) Employees of physicians or osteopaths who work in the private office of and under the direction and supervision of a physician or osteopath, provided that such employees do not engage in the practice of dietetics/nutrition or use the titles "dietitian", "dietician", or "nutritionist".

(4) Persons who perform the activities and services of a nutrition educator in the employ of a federal, state, parish, or municipal agency, or another political subdivision, or a chartered elementary or secondary school or accredited degree-granting educational institution insofar as such activities and services are part of a salaried position.

(5) Employees classified by the state civil service commission from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition within the discharge of official duties and authorized to use the title "dietitian", dietician", or "nutritionist" and who is not registry-eligible or registered currently with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and is in such a position prior to July 1, 1988.

(6) A nonresident registered dietitian/nutritionist from practicing dietetics/nutrition in Louisiana for five days without a license or up to thirty days per year with licensure from another state if the requirements for licensure are substantially equal to the requirements contained in R.S. 37:3086.

(7) A person from marketing or distributing food, food materials, or food supplements or a person from engaging in an explanation of the use or preparation of these products, or from furnishing general nutrition information related to such products in connection with the marketing or distribution of such products, if that person does not represent himself as a dietitian or nutritionist.

(8) A person from providing weight control services through a program which has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program change can be initiated without prior approval by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist, a dietitian/nutritionist licensed in another state which has licensure requirements at least as stringent as the requirements for licensure specified herein, or a dietitian registered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association.

B. Persons with a doctorate degree granted prior to July 1, 1988, with a major course of study in human nutrition, foods and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, or food science and a human nutrition minor from a regionally accredited college or university may use the title "nutritionist" but may not practice dietetics/nutrition unless licensed as provided herein.

C. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to affect or prevent any person employed on or before August 15, 1999, by a physical fitness center that is a member of the Louisiana Health and Fitness Association when the employee is providing information on exercise and weight control to members of the center.

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.