New York 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 →
New York certifies dietitians and nutritionists under Education Law Article 157, administered by the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions (with the State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition advising the Board of Regents). This is a title-protection regime, not a scope-of-practice restriction: Article 157 §8002 restricts who may use the titles "Certified Dietitian," "Certified Nutritionist," or "Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist," but does not itself prohibit uncertified people from providing nutrition services generally. New York nonetheless runs a real certifying process — an application, exam, fees, and triennial renewal through a State Education Department board — which is why it is classified as licensing here despite being framed as "certification" rather than "licensure."
New York Dietitian License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition (NYSED OP) |
| Protected Titles | Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist (CDN), Certified Dietitian (CD), Certified Nutritionist (CN) |
| Education | Pathway A: baccalaureate degree or higher in a dietetics-nutrition program with a minimum of 45 semester hours of professional dietetics/nutrition content plus 20 hours of biological and social/behavioral science content. Pathway B: associate degree program with a minimum of 30 semester hours of professional content plus 15 hours of biological/social-behavioral science content, combined with extended supervised work experience. — 800 supervised-practice hours |
| Exam | Registered Dietitian (RD) exam via CDR, or Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) exam via the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) or Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS)) |
| Continuing Education | Not required |
Fee Breakdown
| Application Fee | $115 |
| Initial License Fee | $179 |
| Renewal Fee (every 3 years) | $155 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Total initial certification cost (application + first triennial registration) | $294 |
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 New York?
Education Law Article 157 §8002 restricts the titles "Certified Dietitian," "Certified Nutritionist," and "Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist" together as a single certification — there is no distinct "nutritionist" license track with its own separate credential; all three title variants are granted by the same certification pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New York require a dietitian license?
Yes. New York licenses dietitians through the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition (NYSED OP). The protected titles are Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist (CDN), Certified Dietitian (CD), Certified Nutritionist (CN).
How much does a dietitian license cost in New York?
The application/initial license fee is $115, with a $155 renewal fee every 3 years.
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in New York?
Education Law Article 157 §8002 restricts the titles "Certified Dietitian," "Certified Nutritionist," and "Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist" together as a single certification — there is no distinct "nutritionist" license track with its own separate credential; all three title variants are granted by the same certification pathway.
Sources
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Dietetics-Nutrition License Requirements
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Dietetics-Nutrition Contact Information
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Dietetics-Nutrition, Laws Rules & Regulations (Article 157)
- NYSED eServices — Dietetics-Nutrition Prerequisites (fee breakdown)
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: NYSED Office of the Professions — Dietetics-Nutrition License Requirements