General Information about Nutrition Practice in North Carolina

What Requires a License?

Legal Citation: N.C.G.S. § 90-365


A license is required in NC to do any of the following:

  • Provide medical nutrition therapy.
  • Use the title dietitian/nutritionist” or “nutritionist.”
  • Use the words “dietitian,” “nutritionist,” “licensed nutritionist,” or “licensed dietitian/nutritionist” or hold oneself out as a dietitian or nutritionist unless licensed under this Article.
  • Use the letters “LD,” “LN,” or “LDN,” or any facsimile or combination in any words, letters, abbreviations, or insignia.
  • To imply orally or in writing or indicate in any way that the person is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist or licensed nutritionist.

Currently unlicensed individuals should review Guideline A for Unlicensed, Non-Exempt Persons to better understand what type of nutrition care can be provided in North Carolina without a license.

What is Medical Nutrition Therapy?
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Medical Nutrition Therapy is defined in the law as the provision of nutrition care services for the purpose of managing or treating a medical condition. This is not limited to clinical settings as some may think. Anytime nutrition care is provided to a client or patient in NC that is intended to manage or treat a disease state or medical condition, the nutrition provider must be licensed.

What is Required to Obtain a License to Practice in North Carolina?
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In Order to Become a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) You Must:

  • Have received at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics;
  • Complete a Board-approved internship or documented, supervised practice experience that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND-accredited, supervised practice experience and is not less than 1,000 hours under the supervision of a professional provided in N.C. General Statute § 90-357.5(a)(1)(b.); and
  • Successfully complete the registration examination for dietitian/nutritionists administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

 

In Order to Become a Licensed Nutritionist (LN) You Must:

  • Have received a master’s or doctoral nutrition degree from a regionally accredited college or university or a master’s or doctoral degree in a field of clinical health care.  Regardless of the course of study, applicant shall have completed coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in medical nutrition therapy that consists of coursework as specified in N.C. General Statute § 90-357.5(c)(1);
  • Complete a Board-approved internship or a documented, supervised practice experience in nutrition services of not less than 1,000 hours involving at least 200 hours of nutrition assessment, 200 hours of nutrition intervention, education, counseling, or management, and 200 hours of nutrition monitoring or evaluation under the supervision of a professional defined in N.C. General Statute § 90-357.5(c)(2); and
  • Successfully complete either the examination administered by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists or the examination administered by the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.

To review the categories of licensure in detail and what documentation and fees are required for each category, please review the different types of licensure here.

notice-icon-greenNote: A certification alone, obtained online or otherwise, does not meet the requirements for licensure. Unlicensed persons should take note of protected titles and scope of practice mentioned above. For more on what an unlicensed person can do, please review Guideline A.