New Mexico 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
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Statute and Regulation Details

Background info and terminology

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

61-7A-7. Licensure; requirements. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)

A. The board shall issue a license as a dietitian to any person who files a completed application, pays all required fees and certifies and furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has a valid current registration with the commission that gives the applicant the right to use the term "registered dietitian" or "R.D.".

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

61-7A-8. Licensure by credentials. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)

The board may license an applicant who is licensed as a dietitian, nutritionist or nutrition associate in another state, provided that in the judgment of the board the standards for licensure in that state are not less stringent than those provided for licensure in the Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Act.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

61-7A-9. Provisional permit. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)

A provisional permit to practice as a dietitian or nutritionist may be issued by the board upon the filing of an application and submission of evidence of successful completion of the education requirements. No fee in addition to the application and license fees shall be charged for the issuance of a provisional permit. The permit shall be valid only until the last day of the period for which it is issued or until the provisional permitee's [permittee's] application has been approved and a license issued, whichever is first.

Exceptions/Exemptions

61-7A-4. License required; exemptions. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)

A. After April 1, 1990, no person shall engage in nutrition or dietetics practice, or use or include the titles or represent himself to be a dietitian, nutritionist or nutrition associate unless he is licensed under the Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Act.

B. Nothing in the Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Act is intended to:

(1) limit, interfere with or prevent any other licensed health care professional from engaging in nutrition and dietetics practice within the limits of his licensure, except that he shall not hold himself out as a dietitian, nutritionist or nutrition associate;

(2) limit, interfere with or prevent employees of state or federal agencies from using the term "dietitian" or "nutritionist" as defined in state or federal personnel qualifications where these terms are used in their job titles, except that the use of these terms shall be limited to the period and practice of their employment with the state or federal agency establishing those qualifications;

(3) prevent an individual who does not hold himself out as a dietitian, nutritionist or nutrition associate from furnishing oral or written nutritional information on food, food materials or dietary supplements or from engaging in the explanation to customers about foods or food products in connection with the marketing and distribution of those products;

(4) prevent any person from providing weight control services provided the program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from and no program change can be initiated without prior approval by a licensed dietitian or licensed nutritionist, a dietitian or nutritionist licensed in another state which has licensure requirements at least as stringent as the requirements for licensure under the Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Act, or a dietitian registered by the commission;

(5) prevent a dietetic technician registered (DTR) from engaging in nutrition or dietetics practice under the supervision of a licensed dietitian or licensed nutritionist;

(6) apply to or affect students of approved or accredited dietetics or nutrition training or education programs who engage in nutrition or dietetics practice under the supervision of a licensed dietitian or licensed nutritionist as a part of their approved or accredited training or education program for the duration of that program; or

(7) interfere with or prevent persons recognized in their communities as curanderos or medicine men from advising or ministering to people according to traditional practices, as long as they do not hold themselves out to be dietitians, nutritionists or nutrition associates.

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.