District of Columbia Dietitian License Requirements (2026)
Compiled and verified against primary state-board, CDR, and ACEND sources by DietitianLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
The District of Columbia licenses "dietitian" and "nutritionist" as two genuinely separate credentials — not a combined title — through the DC Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, under D.C. Code §3-1207.01 and Health Professional Licensing Administration (HPLA) rules. The Dietitian pathway requires a graduate degree and the CDR exam (as of a July 19, 2024 statutory change); the Nutritionist pathway requires only a bachelor's degree plus a Board of Certification for Nutrition Specialists (or CDR) exam, so DC treats them as two distinct licenses issued by the same board rather than one interchangeable title.
District of Columbia Dietitian License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | DC Board of Dietetics and Nutrition |
| Protected Titles | Licensed Dietitian, Licensed Nutritionist |
| Education | Dietitian: master's or higher degree from an ACEND-accredited nutrition and dietetics program (effective for applicants qualifying after July 19, 2024; RDs credentialed by CDR before that date may qualify under the prior standard). Nutritionist: baccalaureate or higher degree with a major in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food systems management (or Board-approved equivalent coursework/training). — 900 supervised-practice hours |
| Exam | Dietitian: CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians. Nutritionist: Certification Examination for Nutrition Specialists (Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists) or the CDR exam, at the Board's discretion — CNS-certified applicants are exempt from sitting the CDR exam for the Nutritionist license. (Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) / Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (CNS)) |
| Continuing Education | 30 hours every 2 years |
| Endorsement (CDR/RD holders) | The Board's current application is explicitly titled "New License Application by Examination and Endorsement," and requires endorsement applicants to submit official license verifications from every state/jurisdiction where they have ever held a professional license — confirming DC operates a formal endorsement pathway for practitioners already licensed elsewhere. |
Fee Breakdown
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Combined application + license + criminal background check fee (current Board checklist, examination and endorsement applicants) | $279 |
| Criminal background check (component of the $279 combined fee) | $50 |
Recommended exam prep
Formal prep pays for itself against a retake. These are the resources we point candidates to for the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians.
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Mometrix · SponsoredRegistration Examination for Dietitians Secrets Study GuideA full review of the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians — domain-by-domain concept breakdowns and practice questions built for a first-try pass.See the study guide →
Mometrix · SponsoredDietitian Exam FlashcardsPortable flashcards for the high-frequency RD-exam topics — a cheaper add-on for drilling terms and definitions on the go.See the flashcards →Is “Nutritionist” a Protected Title in District of Columbia?
Unlike most of the other jurisdictions in this batch, DC licenses "Nutritionist" as its own distinct credential alongside — not merged into — "Dietitian." D.C. Code §3-1207.01 sets out separate qualification tracks: Dietitian licensure requires a graduate ACEND-accredited degree and the CDR exam, while Nutritionist licensure requires only a bachelor's degree in a qualifying major plus 900 hours of supervised experience and either the CNS or CDR exam. Both licenses are issued by the same Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, and CNS certification can substitute for the CDR exam specifically on the Nutritionist track. Notably, D.C. Code §3-1207.01 entitles a Licensed Dietitian to use the "Nutritionist" title in addition to "Dietitian," but a Licensed Nutritionist is not automatically entitled to the Dietitian title — this is a one-way title overlap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does District of Columbia require a dietitian license?
Yes. District of Columbia licenses dietitians through the DC Board of Dietetics and Nutrition. The protected titles are Licensed Dietitian, Licensed Nutritionist.
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in District of Columbia?
Unlike most of the other jurisdictions in this batch, DC licenses "Nutritionist" as its own distinct credential alongside — not merged into — "Dietitian." D.C. Code §3-1207.01 sets out separate qualification tracks: Dietitian licensure requires a graduate ACEND-accredited degree and the CDR exam, while Nutritionist licensure requires only a bachelor's degree in a qualifying major plus 900 hours of supervised experience and either the CNS or CDR exam. Both licenses are issued by the same Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, and CNS certification can substitute for the CDR exam specifically on the Nutritionist track. Notably, D.C. Code §3-1207.01 entitles a Licensed Dietitian to use the "Nutritionist" title in addition to "Dietitian," but a Licensed Nutritionist is not automatically entitled to the Dietitian title — this is a one-way title overlap.
Can I get a District of Columbia dietitian license by endorsement if I'm already a CDR-registered RD?
The Board's current application is explicitly titled "New License Application by Examination and Endorsement," and requires endorsement applicants to submit official license verifications from every state/jurisdiction where they have ever held a professional license — confirming DC operates a formal endorsement pathway for practitioners already licensed elsewhere.
Sources
- DC Health — Dietetics and Nutrition Licensing (program overview, renewal cycle, 2024 graduate-degree change)
- D.C. Code §3-1207.01 — Qualifications for licensure
- DC Health — Board of Dietetics and Nutrition new license checklist (fees; examination and endorsement)
- DC Health — Dietetics/Nutrition application instructions for Nutritionist (education/experience/exam detail)
- DC Health — CEU requirements for dietitians and nutritionists
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: DC Health — Dietetics and Nutrition Licensing (program overview, renewal cycle, 2024 graduate-degree change)