Getting a Georgia Dietitian License

Georgia licenses dietitians through the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians, one of the professional licensing boards housed with the Secretary of State. The governing statute is O.C.G.A. Chapter 43-11A. For an RDN, the Georgia file is not hard, but it is particular: every application type is "completed, signed, notarized," the Board reviews some files at its meetings, and every license in the state expires on the same date.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' March 2026 telehealth chart lists Georgia as requiring licensure for telehealth unless an exemption applies, and quotes the one most relevant to out-of-state dietitians, described below.

Which Georgia application route fits you?

The Secretary of State's how-to guide lists separate routes, each with its own checklist:

• Licensure by Registered Dietitian. For anyone "never been licensed in Georgia before as a dietitian" who is currently a registered dietitian with CDR. You provide a signed CDR card or certification letter, license verifications, verification of employment and a background consent form.
• Licensure by Endorsement. For anyone with "an active current, unencumbered dietitians license in another state or jurisdiction." The guide warns that "a licensure examination may be required," and the checklist asks for "Verification of Licensure from all states and jurisdictions."
• Licensure by Examination. For applicants who have met every requirement except the national exam.
• Provisional Permit. For exam candidates who want to practice under supervision while they wait.
• Reinstatement. For a lapsed Georgia license.

The Board's rule describes the two no-exam routes. It "may grant a license without examination" to someone with a valid license from another state whose requirements are "substantially equal to or greater than" Georgia's, or to someone "currently registered as a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration" (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 157-4-.01). For most RDNs the Registered Dietitian route is the cleaner one, because it rests on CDR registration rather than on comparing another state's law with Georgia's. Under either route, the Board "may request additional verification of any requirements or credentials as it may deem necessary," so keep copies of everything you send.

Why is the Registered Dietitian route usually smoother?

Compare the two checklists side by side. The Registered Dietitian checklist lists a "Verification of License (Select State)" form alongside the signed CDR card or certification letter. The Endorsement route asks for verification of licensure "from all states and jurisdictions" and carries the warning that an exam may be required. An RDN who has held licenses in several states saves a round of verification requests, and the risk of an exam question, by applying on the RD. The endorsement route fits a dietitian licensed elsewhere whose CDR registration is not current.

What does every Georgia application include?

• A notarized application. The guide says licensure "requires signatures across all forms" and that some forms require notarizing. Applications start in the Secretary of State's GOALS portal.
• Proof of lawful presence. A Secure and Verifiable Document and an Affidavit of Citizenship, under O.C.G.A. 50-36-1 and 50-36-2, appear on every checklist and in the Board's rules.
• A background consent form.
• Verification of employment.
• Disclosure documents if they apply: court documents, a letter of explanation, and records of any disciplinary action or alternative-to-discipline program.

Because notarization is built into the forms, the signature has to be yours. Someone can prepare the application; you sign it in front of a notary.

How long does Georgia take?

The guide says applications "are generally processed within 20 business days of receipt." Three details change that number:

1. A deficiency letter restarts the count: "your 20 day count restarts when the Board receives your correct and complete documentation."
2. Incomplete applications "may be withdrawn if noted deficiencies are not satisfied within 60 days," which means starting over with new documents and fees.
3. Completed applications "may be reviewed by the Board at an upcoming Board Meeting," and must be complete "at least 15 days prior to a Board Meeting" to make that agenda.

The Board uses email as its main channel, so the address on your application should be one you check. Our post on why dietitian applications take as long as they do has more on board calendars.

What should military families and veterans know?

The Secretary of State's guide says veterans, service members, transitioning service members and military spouses, including the National Guard, "may be eligible for exam point credits and/or expedited application processes." Claiming veteran's preference points requires a DD-214 showing at least 90 days of service during a period of conflict or war. Exam candidates with disabilities can request accommodations through the board or its designated vendor. See dietitian licensing for military spouses.

Can an out-of-state dietitian work in Georgia without a license?

Briefly. The exemption the Academy quotes from O.C.G.A. 43-11A-18(4) allows "a nonresident registered dietitian" to practice in Georgia "for five days without a license or up to 30 days per year with licensure from another state if the requirements for licensure are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this chapter." That covers a conference talk or a short coverage stint. It does not cover an ongoing telehealth caseload.

What is Georgia's provisional permit?

A provisional permit lets an exam candidate practice as a Provisionally Licensed Dietitian (PLD) under the supervision of a Georgia licensed dietitian. Board rules define adequate supervision as an on-site, face-to-face visit at least once a month, communication at least weekly, and a supervisor who is readily available (157-7-.01). The permit is only for people waiting to take the national exam for the first time: "if you have ever taken the exam, you may not apply." Applicants submit an official transcript, documentation of supervised experience, and the date they plan to take the exam (157-7-.02). See provisional permits for new dietitians.

When do Georgia licenses expire?

All Georgia dietitian licenses "have a common expiration date of March 31st of even numbered years." The current cycle runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028.

Renewal requires 30 units of continuing professional education in each biennium (157-5-.01). There is one exception: anyone first licensed on or after April 1 of an odd-numbered year, which is the second year of the biennium, does not owe CE for that biennium. A dietitian licensed in late 2026 is still in the first year and owes the full 30 by March 31, 2028.

Each CPEU equals one contact hour, and qualifying education must be dietetics-related, go beyond entry-level training and apply to practice (157-5-.01(4) and (5)). Since January 1, 2026, Georgia licensees must record their continuing education in CE Broker. The Board's page says a free basic account is enough, and warns that if you do not enter all required hours, "there is a high probability that you will be audited."

Does Georgia's compact membership help today?

Georgia enacted the Dietitian Licensure Compact in 2026. No state issues compact privileges yet, and CDR expects the first ones sometime in 2027. For now, an RDN who wants to practice in Georgia needs a Georgia license, and a Georgia RDN who serves clients in other states needs a credential in each state that requires one. See which states have joined the Dietitian Compact.

How can we help with a Georgia license?

Our License by Endorsement (RDN) service, $599 per state, covers the Registered Dietitian and endorsement routes: we choose the route with you, build the checklist, request verifications from every state, prepare the forms for your review, flag which pages need your notarized signature, and watch the board calendar and the 60-day deficiency window. The Provisional Permit for New Graduates service is $349 per state, and Annual Renewal & CE Compliance ($299 per license, per year) tracks your CE Broker hours against the March 31 deadline. You sign before a notary, pay the Secretary of State and submit. State fees are separate. The Georgia state page has the summary.