Easiest States to Get a Dietitian License (2026): Ranked

Dietitian regulation varies more than almost any other healthcare profession. Some states require full licensure with fees up to $500; others have no state regulation at all. This guide ranks all 51 jurisdictions by the ease of obtaining and maintaining a dietitian credential.

Our composite ease score considers regulation type, government fees, CE hour requirements, telehealth allowance, and reciprocity. States with lighter regulation — or none at all — score highest. Note that the CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration) RD/RDN credential is a national requirement for all regulated states, so that cost is consistent regardless of which state you choose.

Regulatory Landscape at a Glance

Min State Fee

$200

Median State Fee

$300

Max State Fee

$500

Avg CE Hours

Full licensure states

Partial regulation states

No state regulation

Top 8 Easiest States for RD/RDN Licensure

States with no regulation or title-only protection top the list since there is no state application fee or CE requirement. Within regulated states, lower fees and CE hours earn higher scores.

New JerseyNo RegulationScore: 75

Gov’t Fees

$200

CDR Required

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

No state license neededTelehealth allowed

ArizonaNo RegulationScore: 65

Gov’t Fees

$200

CDR Required

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

—

No state license needed

MichiganLicensureScore: 50

Gov’t Fees

None

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

ConnecticutCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$390

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

UtahCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$260

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

VermontCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$300

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

WashingtonCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$275

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

15 hrs

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

WisconsinCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$275

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

Full Rankings — All 51 Jurisdictions

#	State	Regulation	Fees	CE Hrs	Telehealth	Score
1	New Jersey	No Regulation	$200	—	Yes	75
2	Arizona	No Regulation	$200	—	—	65
3	Michigan	Licensure	—	—	Yes	50
4	Connecticut	Certification	$390	—	Yes	45
5	Utah	Certification	$260	—	Yes	45
6	Vermont	Certification	$300	—	Yes	45
7	Washington	Certification	$275	15	Yes	45
8	Wisconsin	Certification	$275	—	Yes	45
9	New York	Certification	$494	—	Yes	40
10	Arkansas	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
11	Hawaii	Licensure	$280	15	Yes	35
12	Idaho	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
13	Kentucky	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
14	Louisiana	Licensure	$300	15	Yes	35
15	Maine	Licensure	$350	15	Yes	35
16	Minnesota	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
17	Missouri	Licensure	$250	—	Yes	35
18	Montana	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
19	Nevada	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
20	New Mexico	Licensure	$350	15	Yes	35
21	Oklahoma	Licensure	$300	15	Yes	35
22	Oregon	Licensure	$310	—	Yes	35
23	South Dakota	Licensure	$275	—	Yes	35
24	West Virginia	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
25	Alaska	Licensure	$450	—	Yes	30
26	Georgia	Licensure	$275	30	Yes	30
27	Illinois	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
28	Indiana	Licensure	$220	30	Yes	30
29	Iowa	Licensure	$320	30	Yes	30
30	Kansas	Licensure	$250	30	Yes	30
31	Mississippi	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
32	Nebraska	Licensure	$275	24	Yes	30
33	New Hampshire	Licensure	$310	20	Yes	30
34	North Carolina	Licensure	$410	15	Yes	30
35	North Dakota	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
36	Ohio	Licensure	$275	24	Yes	30
37	Pennsylvania	Licensure	$245	30	Yes	30
38	Rhode Island	Licensure	$260	30	Yes	30
39	South Carolina	Licensure	$280	30	Yes	30
40	Tennessee	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
41	Wyoming	Licensure	$400	—	Yes	30
42	Alabama	Licensure	$450	30	Yes	25
43	California	title_protection	$200	—	Yes	25
44	Delaware	Licensure	$409	30	Yes	25
45	District of Columbia	Licensure	$429	30	Yes	25
46	Florida	Licensure	$408	30	Yes	25
47	Maryland	Licensure	$500	30	Yes	25
48	Massachusetts	Licensure	$400	30	Yes	25
49	Texas	Licensure	$308	12 hours per 2-year licensing period, including completion of jurisprudence exam and human trafficking prevention training	Yes	25
50	Virginia	title_protection	$200	—	Yes	25
51	Colorado	title_protection	$200	—	—	15

What “Easiest” Does Not Mean

Unregulated does not mean unrestricted: In states with no regulation, anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist,” which can actually make it harder to differentiate yourself as a credentialed RD/RDN.
MNT scope varies: Only 47 states explicitly authorize dietitians to provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for clinical conditions. This affects billing and scope in clinical settings.
CDR costs are constant: Regardless of state, you still pay for the CDR registration exam (~$200) and annual maintenance (~$65/year). The ease ranking only reflects state-level variation.
Master’s degree requirement: As of 2024, the CDR requires a master’s degree for new RD/RDN candidates. This education cost applies regardless of which state you practice in.

Next Steps

How to Become a Registered Dietitian →

Education, CDR exam, and state licensure steps

Dietitian License Cost by State →

Government fee breakdowns for all 51 jurisdictions

Sources

State dietitian licensing board websites (all 51 jurisdictions)
Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) — cdrnet.org
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — eatright.org
Ease scores are composite calculations; not official rankings.
Data last verified March 2026

Top 8 Easiest States for RD/RDN Licensure

States with no regulation or title-only protection top the list since there is no state application fee or CE requirement. Within regulated states, lower fees and CE hours earn higher scores.

New JerseyNo RegulationScore: 75

Gov’t Fees

$200

CDR Required

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

No state license neededTelehealth allowed

ArizonaNo RegulationScore: 65

Gov’t Fees

$200

CDR Required

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

—

No state license needed

MichiganLicensureScore: 50

Gov’t Fees

None

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

ConnecticutCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$390

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

UtahCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$260

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

VermontCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$300

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

WashingtonCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$275

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

15 hrs

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

WisconsinCertificationScore: 45

Gov’t Fees

$275

CDR Required

Yes

State CE Hours

—

Telehealth

Yes

Telehealth allowedAccepts out-of-stateMNT scope included

Full Rankings — All 51 Jurisdictions

#	State	Regulation	Fees	CE Hrs	Telehealth	Score
1	New Jersey	No Regulation	$200	—	Yes	75
2	Arizona	No Regulation	$200	—	—	65
3	Michigan	Licensure	—	—	Yes	50
4	Connecticut	Certification	$390	—	Yes	45
5	Utah	Certification	$260	—	Yes	45
6	Vermont	Certification	$300	—	Yes	45
7	Washington	Certification	$275	15	Yes	45
8	Wisconsin	Certification	$275	—	Yes	45
9	New York	Certification	$494	—	Yes	40
10	Arkansas	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
11	Hawaii	Licensure	$280	15	Yes	35
12	Idaho	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
13	Kentucky	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
14	Louisiana	Licensure	$300	15	Yes	35
15	Maine	Licensure	$350	15	Yes	35
16	Minnesota	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
17	Missouri	Licensure	$250	—	Yes	35
18	Montana	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
19	Nevada	Licensure	$300	—	Yes	35
20	New Mexico	Licensure	$350	15	Yes	35
21	Oklahoma	Licensure	$300	15	Yes	35
22	Oregon	Licensure	$310	—	Yes	35
23	South Dakota	Licensure	$275	—	Yes	35
24	West Virginia	Licensure	$250	15	Yes	35
25	Alaska	Licensure	$450	—	Yes	30
26	Georgia	Licensure	$275	30	Yes	30
27	Illinois	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
28	Indiana	Licensure	$220	30	Yes	30
29	Iowa	Licensure	$320	30	Yes	30
30	Kansas	Licensure	$250	30	Yes	30
31	Mississippi	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
32	Nebraska	Licensure	$275	24	Yes	30
33	New Hampshire	Licensure	$310	20	Yes	30
34	North Carolina	Licensure	$410	15	Yes	30
35	North Dakota	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
36	Ohio	Licensure	$275	24	Yes	30
37	Pennsylvania	Licensure	$245	30	Yes	30
38	Rhode Island	Licensure	$260	30	Yes	30
39	South Carolina	Licensure	$280	30	Yes	30
40	Tennessee	Licensure	$300	30	Yes	30
41	Wyoming	Licensure	$400	—	Yes	30
42	Alabama	Licensure	$450	30	Yes	25
43	California	title_protection	$200	—	Yes	25
44	Delaware	Licensure	$409	30	Yes	25
45	District of Columbia	Licensure	$429	30	Yes	25
46	Florida	Licensure	$408	30	Yes	25
47	Maryland	Licensure	$500	30	Yes	25
48	Massachusetts	Licensure	$400	30	Yes	25
49	Texas	Licensure	$308	12 hours per 2-year licensing period, including completion of jurisprudence exam and human trafficking prevention training	Yes	25
50	Virginia	title_protection	$200	—	Yes	25
51	Colorado	title_protection	$200	—	—	15

What “Easiest” Does Not Mean

Unregulated does not mean unrestricted: In states with no regulation, anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist,” which can actually make it harder to differentiate yourself as a credentialed RD/RDN.
MNT scope varies: Only 47 states explicitly authorize dietitians to provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for clinical conditions. This affects billing and scope in clinical settings.
CDR costs are constant: Regardless of state, you still pay for the CDR registration exam (~$200) and annual maintenance (~$65/year). The ease ranking only reflects state-level variation.
Master’s degree requirement: As of 2024, the CDR requires a master’s degree for new RD/RDN candidates. This education cost applies regardless of which state you practice in.

Next Steps

Sources

State dietitian licensing board websites (all 51 jurisdictions)
Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) — cdrnet.org
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — eatright.org
Ease scores are composite calculations; not official rankings.
Data last verified March 2026

Easiest States to Get a Dietitian License (2026): Ranked

Regulatory Landscape at a Glance

Top 8 Easiest States for RD/RDN Licensure

Full Rankings — All 51 Jurisdictions

What “Easiest” Does Not Mean

Next Steps

Sources

Dietitian Exam Prep Books

Ready to Become a Registered Dietitian?

Easiest States to Get a Dietitian License (2026): Ranked

Regulatory Landscape at a Glance

Top 8 Easiest States for RD/RDN Licensure

Full Rankings — All 51 Jurisdictions

What “Easiest” Does Not Mean

Next Steps

Sources

Dietitian Exam Prep Books

Ready to Become a Registered Dietitian?