Wisconsin 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

N/A

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

448.82 Reciprocal certificate. Upon application and payment of the fee specified in s. 440.05 (2), the affiliated credentialing board shall grant a dietitian certificate to an individual who holds a similar certificate or license in another state or territory of the United States if the affiliated credentialing board determines that the requirements for receiving the certificate in the other state or territory are substantially equivalent to the requirements under s. 448.78.

Temporary/Provisional Licensure (or Certification)

448.80 Temporary certificate. Upon application and payment of the fee specified in s. 440.05 (6), the affiliated credentialing board may grant a temporary dietitian certificate to an individual who satisfies the requirements under s. 448.78 (1) to (4) and has submitted an application to take the next available examination under s. 448.84. A temporary certificate granted under this section is valid for a period designated by the affiliated credentialing board, not to exceed 9 months, and may be renewed once by the affiliated credentialing board.

Exceptions/Exemptions

448.72 Applicability. This subchapter does not do any of the following:

(1) Require a certificate under this subchapter for any of the following:

(a) A person who is lawfully practicing within the scope of a license, permit or certificate of certification or registration granted under chs. 441, 446 to 451 or 456, or who is lawfully practicing in any other health care profession that is regulated by state law.

(b) A person to whom a practice or procedure is delegated by a person under par. (a).

(c) A person pursuing a supervised course of study, including internships, leading to a degree or certificate in dietetics from an accredited educational program or an educational program approved by the affiliated credentialing board.

(d) A dietetic technician or assistant who is working under the supervision of a certified dietitian.

(e) A dietitian who is serving in the U.S. armed forces, as defined in s. 40.02 (57m), or in the commissioned corps of the federal public health service or is employed by the U.S. veterans administration, and who is engaged in the practice of dietetics as part of that service or employment.

(f) A person who markets or distributes food, food materials or dietary or food supplements, who explains the use, benefits or preparation of food, food materials or dietary or food supplements, who furnishes nutritional information on food, food materials or dietary or food supplements, or who disseminates nutritional information or literature, if the person does not use the title "dietitian" or "certified dietitian" and the person complies with applicable federal, state and local laws.

(2) Prohibit a dietetic student described in sub. (1) (c) from using the title "dietitian student" or any other title, letters or designation that clearly indicates his or her status as a student or trainee.

(3) Prohibit an individual described in sub. (1) (e) from using the title "dietitian" or any letters or designation that represents or may tend to represent the individual as a dietitian, if the title, letters or designation is used only in the course of the individual's service or employment.

(4) Prohibit an individual who is registered as a dietitian with the commission on dietetic registration of the American Dietetic Association from using the title "dietitian" or "registered dietitian".

(5) Prohibit an individual who is registered as a dietetic technician with the commission on dietetic registration of the American Dietetic Association from using the title "dietetic technician" or "dietetic technician registered".

(6) Prohibit an individual from using the title "dietitian", "licensed dietitian" or "certified dietitian" if the person is licensed or certified as a dietitian under the laws of another state which has licensure or certification requirements that the affiliated credentialing board determines to be substantially equivalent to the requirements under s. 448.78.

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.