Dietitian Licensure in Michigan: Title Protection, Not a License
Compiled and verified against primary state-board, CDR, and ACEND sources by DietitianLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
Michigan enacted Public Act 39 of 2024, which amended the Public Health Code (adding Part 183A, MCL 333.18351 et seq.) to create licensure for "dietitian nutritionists" and establish the Michigan Board of Dietetics and Nutrition within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Governor Whitmer appointed the Board's members on April 25, 2025, but as of this record's verification date, LARA's own official program page states in its own words: "No licensing information is currently available" and "No licensing applications or forms are available at this time" — licensing cannot begin until LARA and the Board promulgate administrative rules, and the law's substantive practice/title restrictions do not take effect until 18 months after those initial rules become effective. Because there is currently no operational application, issuance, or renewal process, Michigan is modeled here as non-licensing per this project's classification rule — materially the same situation as New Jersey (enacted law, appointed board, no live licensing process yet), and directly analogous to the CLAUDE.md flag calling for careful verification of Michigan's status.
No Dietitian License Required in Michigan
Michigan has no dietitian licensing board, application process, or renewal cycle. Narrow title-protection law applies to: Dietitian Nutritionist.
Is “Nutritionist” a Protected Title in Michigan?
Public Act 39 of 2024 creates a single combined "dietitian nutritionist" license/title — it does not create a separate stand-alone "nutritionist" credential with its own distinct education/exam pathway. (This determination is limited to what the enacted law's design provides, per the Senate Fiscal Agency bill-analysis summary; since no license of any kind is currently issuable in Michigan, there is presently no operative regulation of either title.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Michigan require a dietitian license?
No. Michigan does not operate a dietitian licensing board, application, or renewal process.
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in Michigan?
Public Act 39 of 2024 creates a single combined "dietitian nutritionist" license/title — it does not create a separate stand-alone "nutritionist" credential with its own distinct education/exam pathway. (This determination is limited to what the enacted law's design provides, per the Senate Fiscal Agency bill-analysis summary; since no license of any kind is currently issuable in Michigan, there is presently no operative regulation of either title.)
Sources
- Michigan LARA — Dietitian Nutritionists program page (official current-status statement: "No licensing information is currently available")
- Michigan Legislature — House Bill 4608 of 2023 (enacted as Public Act 39 of 2024) bill page
- Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency — Summary of House-Passed Bill in Committee, HB 4608 (Dietitian Nutritionist Licensure), 2-13-24
- Michigan Compiled Laws — MCL 333.18357 (Part 183A licensure requirements, added by PA 39 of 2024)
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: Michigan LARA — Dietitian Nutritionists program page (official current-status statement: "No licensing information is currently available")