South Dakota 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

Statute and Regulation Details

Background info and terminology

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

N/A

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

36-10B-11. License by reciprocity--Qualifications.

The board may issue a license to an applicant who is licensed as a dietitian or nutritionist in another state or territory of the United States if, the standards for licensure in that state are not less stringent than the requirements set forth in this chapter.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

36-10B-10. Issuance of temporary permit.

The board may grant a temporary permit to any applicant who has completed the education and experience requirements of this chapter. The temporary permit confers all the privileges of a license to practice dietetics or nutrition. The temporary permit is nonrenewable and expires one year after the issuance date.

Exceptions/Exemptions

36-10B-15. Related activities not requiring licensure as nutritionist or dietitian.

This chapter does not prohibit:

(1) A dietetic student enrolled in an approved academic program in nutrition and dietetics from engaging in the practice of nutrition and dietetics under the supervision of a licensed nutritionist if the person clearly uses the appropriate student title;

(2) Any person in the process of fulfilling the professional experience requirements in nutrition or dietetics necessary for licensure from practicing under the supervision of a licensed nutritionist if the person clearly uses the appropriate trainee title;

(3) Any person, including a dietetic technician or other paraprofessional, from working in a program supervised by a licensed nutritionist, if the person's activities are within the scope of the person's designated education and training and if the person does not use the title nutritionist or dietitian unless licensed;

(4) A nutritionist or dietitian who is serving in the armed forces, public health services of the United States, or Veterans Administration from engaging in the practice of nutrition and dietetics if such practice is related to such service or employment;

(5) Any person who does not represent himself as a licensed dietitian or licensed nutritionist from furnishing information on food, food materials, or dietary supplements or from engaging in the explanation to customers about food, food materials, or dietary supplements in connection with the marketing and distribution of these products;

(6) Any person who provides weight control services from providing those services if the program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program change can be initiated without prior approval by a licensed nutritionist or a licensed nutritionist from another state that has licensure requirements at least as stringent as the requirements for licensure under this chapter, or from a dietitian registered by the commission;

(7) Any person licensed to practice medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, or chiropractic from advising patients on nutrition when nutrition practice is incidental to the practice of the person's profession and the person does not use the title nutritionist or dietitian unless so licensed;

(8) Any educator employed by a federal, state, county, or municipal agency, elementary or secondary school, accredited college or university, or nonprofit agency, from giving advice on nutrition if the person's activities are within the scope of the person's employment and the person does not use the title nutritionist or dietitian unless licensed.

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.