Tennessee 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

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Statute and Regulation Details

Background info and terminology

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

63-25-109. Issuance of licenses — Temporary permits.

(a) The board may, in its discretion, issue a license to an applicant upon such person providing evidence of current registration as a registered dietitian and upon payment of a licensing fee. The board may further waive the examination, education or experience requirements of this chapter and grant a license to an applicant who shall present proof of current licensure, certification or registration as a dietitian under the laws of another state, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States, if, in the board's opinion, the educational and experiential qualifications and requirements were substantially equivalent to those required for licensure in this state.

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

63-25-109. Issuance of licenses — Temporary permits.

(a) The board may, in its discretion, issue a license to an applicant upon such person providing evidence of current registration as a registered dietitian and upon payment of a licensing fee. The board may further waive the examination, education or experience requirements of this chapter and grant a license to an applicant who shall present proof of current licensure, certification or registration as a dietitian under the laws of another state, the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States, if, in the board's opinion, the educational and experiential qualifications and requirements were substantially equivalent to those required for licensure in this state.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

63-25-109. Issuance of licenses — Temporary permits.

(b)

(1) The board may, in its discretion, issue temporary permits to practice dietetics/nutrition to an applicant upon submission of satisfactory evidence that such person:

(A) Has successfully completed the academic and experiential requirements to be licensed as a dietitian/nutritionist;

(B) Has applied for or taken a licensing examination;

(C) Is awaiting notification of examination results; and

(D) Has paid the fee required for temporary permits.

(2) Temporary permits expire one (1) year from the date of issuance and may be renewed for a period not to exceed six (6) months upon submitting to the board a satisfactory explanation of the applicant's failure to become licensed within the one-year term.

Exceptions/Exemptions

63-25-104. Prohibited representations — License required — Construction.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect, prevent or restrict:

(1) Persons qualified and licensed to practice other health professions from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition when incidental to the practice of their profession. This chapter shall in no way apply to persons licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine pursuant to chapters 6 and 9 of this title;

(2) Students enrolled in an approved academic program in dietetics, if such practice constitutes a part of a supervised course of study and such student is designated by title clearly indicating such student's status as a student or trainee;

(3) A dietitian serving in the armed forces or the public health service of the United States or employed by the veterans administration from engaging in the practice of dietetics; provided, that such practice is related to such service or employment;

(4) Persons performing the activities and services of a nutrition educator in the employment of a federal, state, county or municipal agency or an elementary or secondary school or accredited degree granting educational institution, insofar as such activities and services are part of a salaried position;

(5) Federal, state, county or local employees involved with nutrition-related programs, including, but not limited to, the cooperative extension service, child nutrition programs and Project Headstart from engaging in the practice of dietetics/nutrition within the discharge of their official duties; provided, that any such person engaging in dietetic/nutrition practice outside the scope of such official duty must be licensed as provided in this section;

(6) Persons employed in a hospital or nursing home as defined in § 68-11-201 and subject to licensure by the Tennessee board for licensing health care facilities; or

(7)

(A) Persons who do not hold themselves out to be licensed and/or registered dietitians/nutritionists of the right to provide services and information related to nonmedical nutrition while:

(1) Employed by or operating a health weight loss or fitness program;

(2) Employed by or operating a health food store;

(3) Employed by or operating a business that sells health products, including dietary supplements, food or food materials, or provides nonmedical nutritional information or distributes nutritional literature; or

(4) Conducting classes or disseminating information related to non-medical nutrition.

(B) "Nonmedical" means engaging in any practice that does not constitute the practice of medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, dentistry or podiatry.

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.