Wisconsin 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 →
Wisconsin licenses (certifies) dietitians through the Dietitians Affiliated Credentialing Board, part of the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), under Wis. Stat. ch. 448 subch. VII. The statute protects the title "dietitian" and requires passage of the CDR registration exam plus a qualifying degree; it does not separately license or define "nutritionist" as a distinct regulated profession.
Wisconsin Dietitian License Requirements
| Licensing Authority | Wisconsin Dietitians Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) (DSPS) |
| Protected Title | Dietitian |
| Education | Bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in human nutrition, nutrition education, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food systems management from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (or a substantially equivalent foreign degree, or a board-approved alternative program). — 900 supervised-practice hours |
| Exam | Registration examination for dietitians established by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (or an equivalent exam approved by the board) (Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)) |
| Continuing Education | Not required |
| Endorsement (CDR/RD holders) | Wis. Stat. §448.82 requires the board to grant a reciprocal dietitian certificate, upon application and the $60 fee, to an individual who holds a similar certificate or license from another U.S. state or territory whose requirements the board determines meet Wisconsin's standards. |
Fee Breakdown
| Application Fee | $60 |
| Initial License Fee | $60 |
| Renewal Fee (every 2 years) | $75 |
Related & additional fees
Separate or situational costs — not part of the standard initial application.
| Late renewal after 5 years | $25 |
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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin statute defines and protects only "dietitian" (Wis. Stat. §448.70(3)) — it does not separately define, license, or credential "nutritionist" as a distinct profession. Wis. Stat. §448.76 prohibits unlicensed individuals from using titles that represent certification in a "nutrition-related field," but this operates as a title-use restriction tied to the single dietitian credential, not a separate nutritionist licensure pathway with its own education/exam requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wisconsin require a dietitian license?
Yes. Wisconsin licenses dietitians through the Wisconsin Dietitians Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) (DSPS). The protected title is Dietitian.
How much does a dietitian license cost in Wisconsin?
The application/initial license fee is $60, with a $75 renewal fee every 2 years.
Is the title "nutritionist" protected in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin statute defines and protects only "dietitian" (Wis. Stat. §448.70(3)) — it does not separately define, license, or credential "nutritionist" as a distinct profession. Wis. Stat. §448.76 prohibits unlicensed individuals from using titles that represent certification in a "nutrition-related field," but this operates as a title-use restriction tied to the single dietitian credential, not a separate nutritionist licensure pathway with its own education/exam requirements.
Can I get a Wisconsin dietitian license by endorsement if I'm already a CDR-registered RD?
Wis. Stat. §448.82 requires the board to grant a reciprocal dietitian certificate, upon application and the $60 fee, to an individual who holds a similar certificate or license from another U.S. state or territory whose requirements the board determines meet Wisconsin's standards.
Sources
- DSPS — Dietitian profession page
- DSPS — Credentialing Information for Dietitian Certification Applicants (Form #2113, application/fee detail)
- DSPS — Credential Renewal Dates and Fees schedule (Dietitian, Certified — $75 on-time / $100 late, renews 10/31 even years)
- Wisconsin Statutes §448.72 (definitions) and §448.78 (education/exam requirements)
- Wisconsin Statutes §448.82 (reciprocal certificate)
- Wisconsin Administrative Code, DI 3 (Examinations) — confirms no continuing-education chapter exists for dietitians in DSPS's DI rule series
- DSPS Dietitians Affiliated Credentialing Board — Order Adopting Rules, Clearinghouse Rule 24-098 (rulemaking analysis, confirms statutory citations and comparison with adjacent states)
Data last verified: 2026-07-22 | Source: DSPS — Dietitian profession page