A license is required to call yourself a dietitian and/or nutritionist in North Carolina, and, unless you are in a position that is exempt from the licensure requirements, a license is required to provide medical nutrition therapy in North Carolina.
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;
• Completed a Board-approved internship or documented, supervised practice experience that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND accredited, supervised practice experiences 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 completed 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);
Provisional Licensure
What is a PLDN?
A PLDN is a Provisionally Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist in North Carolina. This “Category B” license is the license you are eligible for if you have completed both a regionally accredited academic program that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND accredited didactic program in dietetics, as well as a Board approved internship or documented, supervised practice experience of not less than 1,000 hours that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND accredited internship, but have not yet taken or passed the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Registered Dietitian exam.
What is a PLN?
A PLN is a Provisionally Licensed Nutritionist in North Carolina. This “Category G” license is the license you are eligible for if you have completed both a master’s or doctoral nutrition degree or a master’s or doctoral degree in a field of clinical health care with coursework in medical nutrition therapy, as well as a Board-approved internship or 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, but have not yet taken or passed the examination administered by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists or the examination administered by the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.
A provisional license is valid for one year from the date of issue and costs $133.00. All new applicants are also subject to a criminal background check. The provisional licensee then has twelve months to pass the CDR exam and “upgrade” to a “Category A” license, or pass the BCNS or DACBN exam and upgrade to a “Category F” license for the balance of the issuance fee, which is $115.00.
A provisionally licensed dietitian/nutritionist or a provisionally licensed nutritionist must work under the supervision of an NC-licensed LDN or LN, and acquire a signed statement of this as part of the application process. The supervisor, in conjunction with the PLDN or PLN, must be willing to take responsibility for the actions of the PLDN or PLN until the PLDN or PLN obtains his/her “Category A” or “Category F” license. The degree of supervision that is necessary is determined by the supervising LDN or LN and the facility’s policies/protocols. In determining how much supervision is necessary, the LDN or LN should consider the knowledge and skill of the PLDN or PLN and his/her level of competence. It is the responsibility of both the PLDN/PLN and supervising LDN/LN to advise the Board if the supervisory relationship terminates or changes. Please review Guideline C for information regarding the difference between unlicensed persons assisting the practice of dietetics/nutrition and PLDNs/PLNs.
Category B: For those who have completed an ACEND-accredited academic program and an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program, to become provisionally licensed under Category B please have the following materials scanned and prepared to upload with your online application:
• Unofficial academic transcripts;
• ACEND academic verification statement;
• ACEND supervised practice verification statement;
• ACEND coordinated program verification statement (only if applicable, and replaces the above two mentioned statements);
• Completed and Signed Form B2 Supervisor Verification Statement (form is available on our website under “Forms and Resources”);
• “Eligibility to Test Email” from the CDR;
• Copy of your Photo ID;
• After application submission, completion of the criminal background check (CBC) process, posted on our website under "Licensees & Applicants"; and
• Method of payment for the application fee of $133.00 ($60 application fee + $35 issuance fee + $38 criminal background check fee)
(Acceptable file formats: GIF, BMP, TIF, JPG, PDF)
Processing Time: Category B applicants must upload the above-mentioned complete documents and initiate the requirements to complete their fingerprinted background check. The background check takes up to 4 weeks, depending on whether the applicant is completing the in-state or out-of-state process. Click here to register and complete the online Category B (Provisional) application
Category G: For those who have completed a regionally accredited master’s or doctoral degree in nutrition or a master’s or doctoral degree in a field of clinical health care, and 1000 hours of supervised practice experience in nutrition, to become provisionally licensed under Category G, please ensure you are prepared to provide the following upon application:
A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7 are available here: https://www.ncbdn.org/forms-a3-a4-a5-a6
Processing Time: Please plan on the results of the CBC taking up to 4 weeks from the time fingerprints are taken (in-state process) or mailed to SBI by our office if using ink card method (out-of-state). The NCBDN office will NOT have any update on your application during this time as the process is in the hands of the SBI. Once results are received by our office, we will process them as expeditiously as possible, and if all other required documentation is complete, you will receive an email from the system when your application has been approved. Click here to register and complete the online Category G (Provisional) application
What can I do as a provisional licensee?
• Provide medical nutrition therapy, under the supervision of a North Carolina Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist or Licensed Nutritionist; and
• Call yourself a dietitian, nutritionist, or dietitian/nutritionist; and use the credentials “PLDN” or “PLN” as appropriate.
Exemptions: While many positions in the field of dietetics/nutrition require a license to practice, there are some exemptions. These exemptions can be found in N.C. General Statute § 90-368. One example is students working under the supervision of an LDN or LN. In addition, all other health care practitioners licensed under Chapter 90 of the N.C. General Statutes who are working within the scope of their license, are exempt from the dietetics/nutrition licensure requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. Also, state or federally-funded positions are exempt. That being said, it should be noted that many employers of exempt positions still require that one be licensed, even though the law may not. Thus, it is important to know not only the laws’ requirements but also your employer’s requirements.
In addition to the exemptions, it is important to note that only the use of the titles “dietitian,” “nutritionist,” and “dietitian/nutritionist,” and the provision of medical nutrition therapy require a license. Thus, there are many nutrition related activities that unlicensed persons who are not in positions specifically denoted as exempt, can perform. For more information regarding guidance for unlicensed persons who are not otherwise exempt, please see the NCBDN’s document Guideline A. You may also contact the Board for further clarification.
