Louisiana 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 →
Louisiana licenses dietitians and nutritionists together under a single combined credential — the Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) — through the Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition (LBEDN), a professional board within the Louisiana Department of Health. Under the state's dietetics/nutrition Practice Act, the terms "dietitian," "dietician," and "nutritionist" are explicitly defined as interchangeable and are all protected titles requiring the same LDN license — Louisiana does not maintain a separate, distinct "Licensed Nutritionist" credential alongside a "Licensed Dietitian" one.
Louisiana Dietitian License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition (LBEDN) |
| Protected Title | LDN |
| Education | Bachelor's degree or higher from a college or university accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges or another regional accreditation agency, with a major course of study in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food systems management |
| Exam | Registration Examination for Dietitians (Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)) |
| Continuing Education | 15 hours every 1 year |
| Endorsement (CDR/RD holders) | LBEDN's FAQ states plainly that no reciprocity exists — all applicants, including those already licensed in another state, must submit complete educational and licensure documentation through Louisiana's own primary-source verification process rather than a streamlined endorsement pathway. Separately, the Practice Act allows the board to grant a license to a person who presents proof of current out-of-state dietitian/nutritionist licensure meeting standards the board considers equivalent, and permits nonresident registered dietitians to practice in Louisiana temporarily without a Louisiana license (up to 5 days without any license, or up to 30 days per year if they hold valid out-of-state licensure) if their home state's requirements are substantially equal to Louisiana's — but this is not a general no-retesting endorsement grant for permanent licensure. |
Fee Breakdown
| Initial License Fee | $150 |
| Renewal Fee (every 1 year) | $85 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Provisional LDN — initial | $100 |
| Delinquent renewal (active LDN or Provisional LDN) | $165 |
| Inactive-status LDN renewal | $50 |
| Inactive-status LDN delinquent renewal | $95 |
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 Louisiana?
Louisiana's Practice Act states that "the terms 'dietitian', 'dietician', and 'nutritionist' may be used interchangeably" — all three are protected titles requiring the same Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) credential from LBEDN. There is no separate "Licensed Nutritionist" license distinct from the dietitian license; this differentiates Louisiana from states like New Jersey that define two distinct dietitian-vs-nutritionist license tiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Louisiana require a dietitian license?
Yes. Louisiana licenses dietitians through the Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition (LBEDN). The protected title is LDN.
How much does a dietitian license cost in Louisiana?
The application/initial license fee is $150, with a $85 renewal fee every 1 year.
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in Louisiana?
Louisiana's Practice Act states that "the terms 'dietitian', 'dietician', and 'nutritionist' may be used interchangeably" — all three are protected titles requiring the same Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) credential from LBEDN. There is no separate "Licensed Nutritionist" license distinct from the dietitian license; this differentiates Louisiana from states like New Jersey that define two distinct dietitian-vs-nutritionist license tiers.
Sources
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition — Consumer Info