License Requirements for Dietetics and Nutrition

Any use of the titles "Certified Dietitian," "Certified Nutritionist" or "Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist" within New York State requires certification.

To be certified as a dietitian-nutritionist in New York State you must:

• be at least 18 years of age; and
• meet education, examination and experience requirements.

You must submit an application for certification and the other forms indicated, along with the appropriate fee, to the Office of the Professions at the address specified on each form. It is your responsibility to follow up with anyone you have asked to send us material.

The specific requirements for certification are contained in Title 8, Article 157, Section 8004 of New York's Education Law and Section 52.25 and Subpart 79-6 of the Commissioner's Regulations.

You should also read the general licensing information applicable for all professions.

The fee for certification is $294.

Fees are subject to change. The fee due is the one in law when your application is received (unless fees are increased retroactively). You will be billed for the difference if fees have been increased.

• Do not send cash.
• If you apply for licensure electronically using the online Application for Licensure, you will be required to pay by credit card.
• Other payments must be made by personal check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department. Your cancelled check is your receipt.
• Mail any required forms and fees to the indicated address on the form.

NOTE: Payment submitted from outside the United States should be made by check or draft on a United States bank and in United States currency; payments submitted in any other form will not be accepted and will be returned.

Individuals who withdraw their certification application may be entitled to a partial refund.

• For the procedure to withdraw your application, contact the Dietetics-Nutrition Unit at opunit3@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 270 or by fax at 518-402-5354.
• The State Education Department is not responsible for any fees paid to an outside testing or credentials verification agency.

If you withdraw your application, obtain a refund, and then decide to seek New York State certification at a later date, you will be considered a new applicant, and you will be required to pay the certification and registration fees and meet the certification requirements in place at the time you reapply.

To meet the education and experience requirements for certification in dietetics-nutrition, you must satisfy either A or B below.

1. Bachelor's or Higher Degree

   Education: You must have completed a program in dietetics-nutrition leading to the baccalaureate degree or a higher academic credential that is, at the time you completed the program, registered by the New York State Education Department as qualifying for certification in dietetics-nutrition or accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), or is the equivalent of such a program. The program must include at least 45 semester hours of course work in the professional dietetics/nutrition content area and have at least 20 semester hours of course work in the human biological sciences and social and behavioral sciences content area. Courses appropriate for each of these content areas are defined in the next section.

   Experience: You must have completed one-half of a full-time equivalent year of planned work experience (800 hours), which could have been a structured part of your educational program. Otherwise, the experience must have followed the completion of your educational program. Planned work experience means continuous work experience in dietetics-nutrition, which reflects increased levels of professional growth and is under the supervision of a New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist or someone who is registered by or a member of a national dietetic or nutrition association acceptable to the New York State Education Department. To qualify, the experience must include: assessing nutrition needs and food patterns, planning for and directing the provision of food appropriate for physical and nutrition needs, and providing nutrition counseling. Contact the State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition at dietbd@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 100 if you have questions.

2. Associate's Degree

   Education: You must have completed a program leading to the associate's degree in dietetics-nutrition that is, at the time you completed the program, registered by the New York State Education Department as qualifying for certification in dietetics-nutrition, or the equivalent of such a program. The program must include at least 30 semester hours of course work in the professional dietetics-nutrition content area and have at least 15 semester hours of course work in the human biological sciences and social behavioral sciences content area. Courses appropriate for each of these content areas are defined in the next section.

   Experience: You must have completed a combination of ten full-time equivalent years of education and supervised experience within the fifteen years preceding your application for certification. If your education was undertaken within the last fifteen years, you will be credited with one year of credit for every 30 semester hours of acceptable education up to a maximum of two years. A full-time equivalent year of work experience in dietetics and nutrition is 1,600 hours. To qualify, the experience must include: assessing nutrition needs and food patterns; planning for and directing the provision of food appropriate for physical and nutrition needs; and providing nutrition counseling. The experience must include at least two and one-half full-time equivalent years of planned work experience. Planned work experience means continuous work experience in dietetics-nutrition, which reflects increased levels of professional growth and is under the supervision of a New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist or someone who is registered by or a member of a national dietetic or nutrition association acceptable to the New York State Education Department. Contact the State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition at dietbd@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 100 if you have questions.

   Endorsement of Acceptable Dietitians or Nutritionists: You must obtain the endorsement of three acceptable dietitians-nutritionists; i.e., a New York State Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist or someone who is registered by or a member of a national dietetic or nutrition association acceptable to the New York State Education Department. Contact the State Board for Dietetics and Nutrition at dietbd@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 100 if you have questions.

   Accredited Dietetics (Bachelor's degree or higher level) and Dietetic Technician (Associate degree) Programs: The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) is an acceptable accrediting agency. Lists of currently accredited programs are available on AND's web site at www.eatrightpro.org/acend/accredited-programs/about-accredited-programs . ACEND can be contacted at:

   Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
   Telephone: 800/877-1600 Ext. 5400
   Fax: 312/899-4817
   Email: acend@eatright.org

Education Content Areas Defined

Professional Dietetics and Nutrition Content Area includes coursework that covers all of the following curricular areas:

• principles of nutrition in health and disease;
• human nutrition needs throughout the life span;
• assessment and evaluation of the nutritional status of individuals, families, and communities;
• nutrient composition of food;
• food service management, including but not limited to such topics as human resources, planning, purchasing, preparation and service, delivery, and sanitation;
• diet modifications;
• counseling, education, and communication skills;
• interpretation of nutrition information and its application;
• ethics and professionalism.

Human Biological Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences Content Area includes coursework in the following curricular areas:

• human biological sciences, including principles of biochemistry and physiology;
• social and behavioral sciences, including cultural aspects.

Either of the following two examinations satisfy the examination requirement for certification in dietetics-nutrition.

1. Registered Dietitian (RD) examination offered by the:

   Commission on Dietetic Registration
   120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
   Chicago, IL 60606-6995
   Phone: 312-899-0040 ext. 5500
   E-mail: cdr@eatright.org
   Web: cdrnet.org

2. Certified Nutrition Specialist exam offered by the:

   Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists
   211 West Chicago Avenue, Suite 218
   Hinsdale, IL 60521
   Phone: 202-903-0267
   Fax: 888-712-1450
   E-mail: office@nutritionspecialists.org
   Web: www.nutritionspecialists.org

You should contact the appropriate organization for information on admission requirements to its examination and the procedures you need to follow.

If you do not meet the admission requirements for either of these examinations, you should call the Office of the Professions' Dietetics-Nutrition Unit at 518-474-3817 ext. 270 for information on being admitted to the registered dietitian examination as a New York certification candidate.

Reasonable Testing Accommodations

Registered Dietitian examination candidates who wish to request reasonable testing accommodations must follow the directions for requesting accommodations as specified in the Commission on Dietetic Registration's Handbook For Candidates. Required documentation must be forwarded with the examination application. Contact the Commission directly for a copy of the Handbook. See above for contact information.

Candidates for the certifying examination offered by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists who wish to request reasonable testing accommodations must contact the Certification Board directly for information. See above for contact information.