Minnesota Dietitian Licensing

Minnesota is a practice state. Minn. Stat. 148.630 says, "No person may engage in dietetics or nutrition practice unless the person is licensed as a dietitian or nutritionist by the board." It also reserves the titles "dietitian," "licensed dietitian," "nutritionist," "licensed nutritionist" and any occupational title using either word. A CDR-registered dietitian keeps the right to use "registered dietitian" and "RD," but that title does not authorize practice in Minnesota on its own.

The Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice issues two licenses: dietitian and nutritionist. RDNs apply for the dietitian license.

How does an RDN qualify?

Minn. Stat. 148.624, subd. 1 gives two routes to the dietitian license. One is the full set of qualifications: a degree in dietetics, human nutrition, nutrition education, food and nutrition or food services management, 900 hours of supervised preprofessional practice in the United States, and the CDR registration exam. The other is simpler: the applicant "has a valid current registration with the commission which gives the applicant the right to use the term 'registered dietitian' or 'RD.'"

The board's rule fills in what that means on paper. An applicant on the national registration route "must provide a notarized copy of the applicant's current registration card from the Commission on Dietetic Registration" (Minn. R. 3250.0010, subp. 3). An applicant using the education and experience route must show the CDR exam was passed "within five years immediately preceding application." The notarization is an easy step to miss.

Is there a reciprocity route?

Yes. The board "may issue a license to an applicant who is licensed as a dietitian or nutritionist in another state or the District of Columbia," if the other state's standards are not less stringent than Minnesota's (Minn. Stat. 148.628). For an RDN, the CDR route is usually more direct, because it does not depend on the board comparing another state's law. See license by endorsement.

How long does a Minnesota license take?

Minnesota's licensing rule describes a quarterly schedule. It says the board "shall review and grant licenses on a quarterly basis, during the second full week of the months of November, February, May, and August," and that "an application must be received before the first day of the month in which the application will be reviewed" (Minn. R. 3250.0040). Read literally, an application that arrives on June 1 waits for August. Ask the board how it applies the rule today before you plan a start date around it.

Which fees apply in Minnesota?

The board's fee rule lists (Minn. R. 3250.0050):

• application fee for a dietitian with CDR registration, $100 (without CDR registration, $175);
• initial licensing fee, $150, submitted with the application;
• annual renewal, $75; and
• a late penalty of 50 percent of the renewal fee for renewals postmarked after November 30.

The statute separately sets the license verification fee at $20, nonrefundable (Minn. Stat. 148.635). Confirm current amounts with the board before paying.

When does a Minnesota license renew?

Every year. A renewal application must be postmarked no later than November 30 (Minn. R. 3250.0045). The rule then sets out a notice process: a licensee who has not renewed is notified by December 30, and the board terminates the license if renewal and the late fee are not received by January 30. The rule states the license runs through the following November after it is approved.

Continuing education runs on a three-year cycle: each licensee needs "a minimum of 45 continuing education units every three years" in board-approved programs (Minn. R. 3250.0120). The cycles date from December 1, 1997, and someone licensed partway through a cycle owes a prorated share (3250.0140). Programs approved by board-recognized reviewers count, and a licensee can also ask the board to approve a program before or after attending.

Who is exempt?

Minn. Stat. 148.632 lists exemptions, including supervised students and trainees, physicians, nurses and other listed licensees when nutrition is incidental to their practice, registered dietetic technicians working in a program supervised by a licensed dietitian or nutritionist, and weight control programs that a licensee, a registered dietitian, or a dietitian licensed in a state with requirements at least as stringent reviews and must approve changes to. None of these exempts an out-of-state RDN in private practice.

Is Minnesota in the Dietitian Compact?

No. Minnesota has not enacted the compact, so Minnesota residents cannot use it, and no state issues compact privileges yet. See which states have joined.

How can we help with a Minnesota license?

Our License by Endorsement (RDN) service, $599 per state, prepares the Minnesota application for your review, arranges the notarized copy of your CDR card, times the file to the board's review month and tracks it. Annual Renewal & CE Compliance, $299 per license, per year, keeps the November 30 renewal and the three-year CE cycle on your calendar. You sign, pay the board and submit. Board fees are separate. The Minnesota state page has the summary.