What types of licenses are
available?
Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN)
licenses are given to individuals who have
successfully completed the registration
exam given through CDR.
Provisional Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist
(Provisional LDN) licenses are given to
individuals who have not yet passed the
registration exam given through CDR.
Provisional LDNs require supervision by an
LDN.
I’ve passed my test…now what?
I’ve graduated –
What’s the next step?
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Application to LBEDN for Provisional
LDN License with $95 fee
Official Transcript
Internship verification statement
Once a job is obtained, submit
Supervision Form
Take the registration exam through CDR
Upgrade to LDN must be requested once
CDR exam is passed.
What do I do when I secure a job?
If you have not already obtained licensure, you must
submit the following to LBEDN:
If you hold a Provisional LDN license:
 Upgrade Request
 $45 fee
 Copy of CDR card
If you do not hold a license, apply for LDN license:
 Application for License
 $90 fee
 Copy of CDR Card
If you passed the exam:
 Application for LDN license
 $90 fee
 Copy of CDR card
If you have not passed the exam:
 Application for Provisional LDN license
 $95 fee
 Official transcript
 Verification statement
 Supervision Form
Do I need a job prior to obtaining a license?
A job is not required to obtain licensure.
Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition
18550 Highland Road · Suite B · Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
Phone: (225) 756-3490 · Website: www.lbedn.org
Know the Law…
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Titles “Dietitian”, and “Nutritionist” and facsimiles thereof are restricted for use only by licensed individuals. Title
protection is a privilege that many states do not have.
Dietetics/Nutrition practice is defined as the integration and application of principles derived from the sciences
of nutrition, biochemistry, food, physiology, management, behavioral, and social sciences to achieve and
maintain client health through the provision of nutrition care services, which shall include:
(a) Assessing the nutritional needs of individuals and groups based upon appropriate biochemical,
anthropometric, physical, and dietary data to determine nutrient needs and recommend to the primary
health care provider appropriate nutritional intake enteral and parenteral nutrition.
(b) Establishing priorities, goals, and objectives that meet nutritional needs and are consistent with
available resources.
(c) Providing nutritional counseling by advising and assisting individuals or groups on appropriate
nutritional intake by integrating information on food and other sources of nutrients and meal
preparation consistent with cultural background and socioeconomic status.
(d) Developing, implementing, and managing nutrition care systems.
(e) Evaluating, making changes in, and maintaining standards of quality in food and nutrition care services.
Who’s who and what do they do?
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Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) - RD/RDN’s professional organization that promotes the profession.
AND supports state licensure
Louisiana Dietetic Association (LDA) – State affiliate of AND which represents over 1,000 nutrition experts
throughout Louisiana
Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) – Protects the public through credentialing and assessment
processes that assure competence of the Registered Dietitian (RD), Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and
Dietetic Technician Registration (DTR)
Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition (LBEDN) – Louisiana licensure board for
dietitians/nutritionists; responsible for consumer protection through the regulation of dietetic/nutrition practice.
Registration vs. Licensure: What’s the Difference?
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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) represents RD’s/RDN’s. Dietitians are
credentialed/registered by CDR, the credentialing agency of AND. Membership in AND is voluntary,
although important for reimbursement in many employment settings.
Dietitians/Nutritionists are licensed by LBEDN in Louisiana. Licensure is mandatory in Louisiana.
Licensure laws vary by state. Because of the title protection in Louisiana, individuals registered by CDR
may not call themselves a “Registered Dietitian”, “RD”, “Registered Dietitian Nutritionist” or “RDN” without
actually having the license.