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Licensing

Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council

Application and License Requirements 

Apply Online for Licensure: Eliminate mailing time and expedite your application - responses received within 10-13 business days.

The Dietetic and Nutrition Practice Council is responsible for licensing and regulating dietitian/nutritionists and nutrition counselors in Florida. Applicants seeking to be licensed as a dietitian/nutritionist may apply by examination or endorsement.

You can stay up to date with the status of your application 24/7 from any location through the online application check. The system allows you to view your application status and if any additional information or documentation is needed to process your application.

Application Methods and Fees 

Examination

This method is for the individual that has not passed the dietetics and nutrition examination developed by the Commission on Dietetics Registration. This is the method choice for foreign applicants.

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Possession of at least a bachelor’s degree with a major course of study in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food management as outlined in sections 468.509, Florida Statutes, and 64B8-42.002, Florida Administrative Code.

  2. Transcripts must be submitted directly from the educational institute. However, the applicant may submit their transcripts provided they bear the official seal of the educational institution and be in the institution's sealed envelope. Official transcripts must be sent to the council office at: 

    Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council
    4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C‐05
    Tallahassee, FL 32399‐3255

  3. Successful completion of 900 hours of pre-professional planned and continuous supervised practice in dietetics or nutrition, as described in subsection 64B8-42.002(3), F.A.C. 

As an alternative to the 900 hours of pre-professional experience you can also provide documentation of additional education or experience, as described in 468.509, Part X, F.A.C. Rule is pending development.

Application by Examination Fees
Application Fee$80 (non-refundable)
Initial License Fee$80
Unlicensed Activity Fee$5
Total Fee$165

Statutes and Rules

Examination with Waiver

This method is for an individual who is a certified nutrition specialist certified by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists or a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Possession of at least a bachelor’s degree with a major course of study in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, or food management as outlined in sections 468.509, F.S., and 64B8-42.002, F.A.C.

  2. Transcripts must be submitted directly from the educational institute. However, the applicant may submit their transcripts provided they bear the official seal of the educational institution and be in the institution's sealed envelope. Official transcripts must be sent to the council office at: 

    Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council
    4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C‐05
    Tallahassee, FL 32399‐3255
  • Successful completion of 900 hours of pre-professional planned and continuous supervised practice in dietetics or nutrition, as described in subsection 64B8-42.002(3), F.A.C.

As an alternative to the 900 hours of pre-professional experience you can also provide documentation of additional education or experience, as described in 468.509, Part X, F.A.C. Rule is pending development.

Application by Examination Fees
Application Fee$80 (non-refundable)
Initial License Fee$80
Unlicensed Activity Fee$5
Total Fee$165

Statutes and Rules

MOBILE Endorsement

REQUIREMENTS

To be licensed as a dietitian/nutritionist in Florida through the MOBILE Endorsement pathway you must meet the following requirements in section 456.0145, F.S.:

  1. Hold an active, unencumbered license issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States in a profession with a similar scope of practice, determined by the board or the department, as applicable.

  2. Obtained a passing score on a national licensure examination or hold a national certification recognized by the board. 

  3. Actively practiced the profession for at least three years during the four-year period immediately preceding the date of submission of this application. 

  4. Never been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the applicant successfully appealed to have the report removed. 

  5. Not the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in a jurisdiction in which he or she holds a license or by the United States Department of Defense for reason related to the practice of the profession for which the applicant is applying.  

  6. Not had disciplinary action taken in the five years immediately preceding the date of submission of the application. 

Refer to section 456.0145(2)(c), F.S., for licensure ineligibility criteria.   

Process

Applicants must complete the following steps:

  1. Contact the state board(s) in which a license has been held to request license verification be sent to Florida. If the state has an online verification including disciplinary actions, we will accept the online verification.

  2. Provide your certification/registration number to verify passage of the national examination or request transfer of your national examination scores to the Department.

  3. Apply online, pay applicable fees, and upload any supplemental documentation.  

  4. If applicants have any affirmative answers in the criminal, personal, or disciplinary sections of the application, submission of the personal statement and supporting documentation can be uploaded with the online application.

Please allow up to 1-3 business days for initial review of new applications. All applications and document submissions are reviewed in the order they are received. After your application is reviewed, any deficiencies will be communicated to you in writing by board staff.

To expedite processing, please submit all required supporting documentation with your application and the requisite fees. If you are having documentation submitted by another entity on your behalf, please verify the board office’s mailing address to ensure delivery.

When all requirements are met the license will be issued to qualified within seven days pursuant to section 456.0145(2)(e), F.S.

DIETICS AND NUTRITION PRACTICE COUNCIL
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C‐05
Tallahassee, FL 32399‐3255

Application by Endorsement Fees
Application Fee$85
Initial License Fee$80
Unlicensed Activity Fee$5
Total Fee$170

Statutes and Rules

Temporary Permits

Temporary permits allow an applicant to work under the supervision of a licensed dietitian/nutritionist for up to one year until the council can complete review of their application and/or successful completion of the exam.

Temporary permits are available to any applicant who has completed an application and the executive director has preliminarily determined that he or she appears to be eligible for licensure based on the documentation presented. Refer to rule 64B8-42.003, F.A.C., for more information.

Temporary permits are issued only one time for a limited time. The permits usually are not advantageous for applicants applying for licensure by endorsement of status as a registered dietitian, as this application method is relatively speedy.

The temporary permit form and required fees must be submitted as part of a completed application to be considered. The form must contain all requested information, which includes original signatures.

Temporary Permit Fee$50
  • Applicants with Health History
  • Applicants with Discipline History
  • Applicants with Criminal History
  • Health Care Fraud; Disqualification for License, Certificate, or Registration

If a “Yes” response was provided to any of the questions in this section, provide the following documents directly to the board office:

A letter from a licensed health care practitioner, who is qualified by skill and training to address the condition identified, which explains the impact the condition may have on the ability to practice the profession with reasonable skill and safety.

The letter must specify that the applicant is safe to practice the profession without restrictions or specifically indicate the restrictions that are necessary. Documentation provided must be dated within one year of the application date. 

A written self-explanation, identifying the medical condition(s) or occurrence(s); and current status.

Disciplinary history documentation must include:

  1. Written self-explanation, describing in detail the circumstances surrounding the disciplinary action.
  2. Copy of the administrative complaint and final order.

Criminal history documentation must include for each offense:

  1. Written self-explanation, describing in detail the circumstances surrounding each offense. Include dates, city, state, charges, and final results.
  2. Final dispositions and arrest records for all offenses. The clerk of court in the arresting jurisdiction will provide you with these documents. Unavailability of these documents must come in the form of a letter from the clerk of court.
  3. Completion of sentence documents. You may obtain documents from the Florida Department of Corrections. The report must include the start date, end date, and that the conditions were met.

Effective July 1, 2012, section 456.0635, F.S., provides that health care boards or the department shall refuse to issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant:

  1. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under Chapter 409, F.S., (relating to social and economic assistance), Chapter 817, F.S., (relating to fraudulent practices), Chapter 893, F.S., (relating to drug abuse prevention and control) or a similar felony offense(s) in another state or jurisdiction unless the candidate or applicant has successfully completed a drug court program for that felony and provides proof that the plea has been withdrawn or the charges have been dismissed. Any such conviction or plea shall exclude the applicant or candidate from licensure, examination, certification, or registration, unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or plea ended:
    • For the felonies of the first or second degree, more than 15 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    • For the felonies of the third degree, more than 10 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
    • For the felonies of the third degree under section 893.13(6)(a), F.S., more than five years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
  2. Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 (relating to controlled substances) or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396 (relating to public health, welfare, Medicare and Medicaid issues), unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the date of the application;
  3. Has been terminated for cause from the Florida Medicaid program pursuant to section 409.913, F.S., unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with the Florida Medicaid program for the most recent five years;
  4. Has been terminated for cause, pursuant to the appeals procedures established by the state or Federal Government, from any other state Medicaid program, unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with a state Medicaid program for the most recent five years and the termination occurred at least 20 years before the date of the application;
  5. Is currently listed on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities.

If you meet any of the categories listed above for Health Care Fraud; Disqualification for license, certificate, or registration, you must provide the following documentation:

  1. A written explanation for each question including the county and state of each termination or conviction, date of each termination or conviction, and copies of supporting documentation.
  2. Supporting documentation should include final court dispositions or agency orders where applicable, as well as documentation of the satisfaction of all related penalties.

For criminal convictions, the clerk of court in the arresting jurisdiction will provide you with these documents. Unavailability of these documents must come in the form of a letter from the clerk of court.

For other terminations or exclusions, the agency issuing the termination or exclusion should be contacted to obtain related documents and dispositions.

Registration Exam for Dietitians

The examination used for licensure in Florida is the Registration Examination for Dietitians administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Once the Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council has approved your application for examination, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will be notified by office staff. CDR will contact the applicant with available exam dates and study materials.

  • You are responsible for scheduling your examination. You pay exam fees to the CDR CBT testing vendor.
  • To ensure that we receive your scores timely, you should request that your scores be sent to the Florida Dietetic and Nutrition Practice Council. The council office should receive exam scores within three weeks of the exam date.
  • Once the Department receives your passing score from CDR, you should be issued a license number within two weeks. Please allow sufficient time for this office to receive and process your exam score.

Detailed information on test administration, study tips and practice exams

Special Testing Accommodations

Applicants requiring special testing accommodations must apply directly to the in accordance with its policies and procedures.

Contact Commission on Dietetic Registration online, or call 800-877-1600, ext. 5500.