Hawaii 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 →
Hawaii licenses dietitians under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 448B, administered by the Department of Health's Office of Health Care Assurance (State Licensing Section). The statute protects only the title "licensed dietitian"/"dietitian"/"L.D." — Chapter 448B never defines or mentions "nutritionist" at all, so that title is not regulated in Hawaii. Licenses are renewed triennially (every three years, by June 30). Hawaii has required dietitian licensure since the program's 2000 enactment (with a first renewal deadline of June 30, 2003).
Hawaii Dietitian License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance, State Licensing Section (Dietitian Licensure Program) |
| Protected Title | Licensed Dietitian (L.D.) |
| Education | Baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in dietetics, human nutrition, food and nutrition, or food systems management (or equivalent core requirements for the University of Hawaii's dietetics option); foreign degrees must be validated as equivalent by an authorized foreign-credential validation agency. — 900 supervised-practice hours |
| Exam | CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians (Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)) |
| Continuing Education | Not required |
| Endorsement (CDR/RD holders) | Hawaii Administrative Rules §11-79-13 (Licensure by endorsement, effective 2008-01-24) lets the director grant licensure to an applicant who holds a valid dietitian license from another state, territory, or jurisdiction if that jurisdiction's requirements are equal to or greater than Hawaii's, upon application and payment of the fee set under HAR §11-79-17. Separately, current CDR registration alone automatically satisfies Hawaii's education and supervised-practice requirements for any applicant under HAR §11-79-11. |
Fee Breakdown
Recommended exam prep
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HRS Chapter 448B's definitions section (§448B-1) defines only "licensed dietitian" and never mentions or defines "nutritionist" anywhere in the chapter; the licensure-required section (§448B-4) likewise restricts only the titles "licensed dietitian," "dietitian," and the abbreviation "L.D." The title "nutritionist" is therefore unregulated in Hawaii — anyone may use it without a credential, distinguishing Hawaii from states like Alaska or Florida's separate nutrition-counselor category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hawaii require a dietitian license?
Yes. Hawaii licenses dietitians through the Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance, State Licensing Section (Dietitian Licensure Program). The protected title is Licensed Dietitian (L.D.).
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in Hawaii?
HRS Chapter 448B's definitions section (§448B-1) defines only "licensed dietitian" and never mentions or defines "nutritionist" anywhere in the chapter; the licensure-required section (§448B-4) likewise restricts only the titles "licensed dietitian," "dietitian," and the abbreviation "L.D." The title "nutritionist" is therefore unregulated in Hawaii — anyone may use it without a credential, distinguishing Hawaii from states like Alaska or Florida's separate nutrition-counselor category.
Can I get a Hawaii dietitian license by endorsement if I'm already a CDR-registered RD?
Hawaii Administrative Rules §11-79-13 (Licensure by endorsement, effective 2008-01-24) lets the director grant licensure to an applicant who holds a valid dietitian license from another state, territory, or jurisdiction if that jurisdiction's requirements are equal to or greater than Hawaii's, upon application and payment of the fee set under HAR §11-79-17. Separately, current CDR registration alone automatically satisfies Hawaii's education and supervised-practice requirements for any applicant under HAR §11-79-11.
Sources
- HRS §448B-1 — Definitions (Dietitians)
- HRS §448B-3 — Powers and duties of the director
- HRS §448B-4 — Licensure required
- HRS §448B-5 — Licensure requirements
- HRS §448B-7 — Issuance of license
- HRS §448B-8 — Renewal of license (triennial cycle)
- HRS §448B-9 — Fees; disposition (fees set by administrative rule, not fixed in statute)
- Hawaii Administrative Rules §11-79-13 — Licensure by endorsement (via Cornell LII regulations mirror)
- Hawaii Administrative Rules §11-79-11 — CDR registration satisfies chapter requirements (via Cornell LII regulations mirror)
- Hawaii DOH, Office of Health Care Assurance — Hawaii Licensed Dietitians (State Licensing Section)
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: HRS §448B-1 — Definitions (Dietitians)