Empowering Members to be Virginia's Food and Nutrition Leaders
Frequently Asked Questions
Support VAND
Supporting VAND in its licensure efforts can take many forms. Your involvement is invaluable! Here are several ways you can contribute:
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Attend a webinar or view our licensure webinar archive.
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Educate fellow RDNs and healthcare professionals about our initiatives.
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Submit any stories of harm to enhance our understanding.
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Connect with your District Legislative Representative.
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Q: What are Registered Dietitians?
RDs are food and nutrition professionals who: 1) Hold at least a graduate degree (as of 2024) from an accredited institution; 2) Complete ACEND-accredited nutrition and dietetics coursework and supervised practice; 3) Pass the national registration examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); and 4) Complete continuing professional education to maintain the credential, generally 75 continuing professional education units during each five-year cycle. RDs work across health care, community and public health, education, research, foodservice, business, athletics, government, and private practice. Their services may include general nutrition care, prevention-focused services, and MNT for complex and non-complex conditions. Dietitians use the Nutrition Care Process to assess nutrition needs, identify nutrition diagnoses, implement individualized interventions, and monitor and evaluate outcomes related to diseases or medical conditions.
Q: What is the difference between an RD and a nutritionist?
The RD is a nationally recognized credential with defined education, supervised practice, examination, ethics, and continuing-education requirements. The term "nutritionist" sometimes is used broadly; however, under the proposed legislation, the title of “nutritionist” would be regulated, with a pathway to licensure for qualified nutrition professionals as “licensed nutritionists.” VAND supports licensure standards that recognize RDs and other qualified nutrition professionals who meet objective requirements to provide MNT.
Q: What is the difference between RDs and Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNSs)?
The RD and CNS are distinct national credentials with different education, supervised practice, examination, and continuing-education pathways. VAND's proposed dual-pathway framework is intended to recognize RDs and other qualified nutrition professionals, including eligible CNSs, while aligning each licensee's authorized services with the individual's education, training, examination, and demonstrated competence.
Q: What is licensure?
Licensure is a state-issued authorization to practice within a defined scope. It establishes minimum qualifications, standards of practice, ethics, and accountability. VAND supports licensure for RDs and other qualified nutrition professionals who meet objective requirements, with authorized services aligned to education, supervised practice, examination, and demonstrated competence.
Q: Why are consumer-protection standards needed for nutrition care?
MNT is individualized care used to treat or manage diseases and medical conditions. When services are provided beyond a person's education, training, or competence, patients may receive inappropriate treatment, experience delay in care, or incur unnecessary costs. VAND is collecting voluntary experiences related to patient safety, access, continuity of care, and the ability to identify qualified practitioners.
Q: What is a licensure compact?
The Dietitian Licensure Compact is a legally binding agreement among participating states. Once the Compact is operational, eligible RDs who hold an active, unencumbered home-state license may apply for compact privileges in other participating states. A compact privilege is not automatic; the RD must meet eligibility requirements, satisfy any applicable jurisprudence requirements, and pay required fees for each remote state.
Q: How would licensure and joining the Dietitian Licensure Compact benefit Virginia?
Licensure would establish state standards for professionals providing MNT and a mechanism for public accountability. It would also make Virginia eligible to enact the Compact. Once operational, Compact participation could improve access and continuity by allowing eligible Virginia-licensed RDs to obtain privileges in other participating states and allowing eligible RDs from other compact states to obtain authority to practice in Virginia.
Q: What does a professional license tell consumers?
MNT is individualized care used to treat or manage diseases and medical conditions. When services are provided beyond a person's education, training, or competence, patients may receive inappropriate treatment, experience delay in care, or incur unnecessary costs. VAND is collecting voluntary experiences related to patient safety, access, continuity of care, and the ability to identify qualified practitioners.
Q: What does a professional license tell consumers?
MNT is individualized care used to treat or manage diseases and medical conditions. When services are provided beyond a person's education, training, or competence, patients may receive inappropriate treatment, experience delay in care, or incur unnecessary costs. VAND is collecting voluntary experiences related to patient safety, access, continuity of care, and the ability to identify qualified practitioners.
Q: Why does licensure matter to RDs who practice only in Virginia?
Licensure provides clear state authority for regulated practice, establishes standards and accountability, and helps consumers, employers, facilities, and payers identify practitioners authorized to provide MNT. It also makes Virginia eligible to join the Dietitian Licensure Compact; an RD would not be required to obtain compact privileges.
Q: What is the difference between licensure and the Dietitian Licensure Compact?
A Virginia license would authorize practice in Virginia under state law. The Compact is an optional, additional pathway for eligible licensees whose primary state of residence is a compact member state. An eligible RD must hold a home-state license and would be eligible to obtain a separate compact privilege for each other participating state where the RD practices. The Compact does not replace state licensure or change a state's scope of practice.
Q: How would licensure affect RDs who are not practicing? Would their RD credential change?
State licensure and the RD credential are separate. Licensure legislation would not eliminate or alter an individual's RD credential. Whether a person needs a Virginia license would depend on whether the person is engaging in activities regulated by the final law and whether an exemption applies. The final legislation and implementing rules will determine the specific requirements.
Q: Would licensure restrict general nutrition information shared by influencers, health coaches, or wellness professionals?
No. The proposed framework is intended to regulate the individualized provision of MNT, not general nutrition information or wellness education. Individuals may continue to share general information about healthy eating, food preparation, nutrients and food sources, and wellness, subject to other applicable laws. Licensure would allow health coaches, fitness professionals, wellness professionals, and other practitioners to continue services within their education, training, competence, and applicable exemptions. Unless otherwise exempt, a license would be required only for the provision of services that constitute MNT. Licensed dietitians and licensed nutritionists would practice within the scopes authorized for their respective pathways.
Q: Virginia has considered licensure before. What is different now?
The Academy's current Model Practice Act uses an inclusive dual-pathway framework for licensed dietitians and licensed nutritionists, focuses licensure narrowly on MNT, and aligns authorized services with education, supervised practice, examination, and demonstrated competence. Virginia's proposal can also pair licensure with the Dietitian Licensure Compact. Delegate Jackie Glass introduced HB 576 in 2026 to authorize Compact participation, but the bill did not advance due to lack of licensure in Virginia; Virginia first needs an eligible state licensing or certification framework to participate in the Compact.
Q: What will licensure cost?
The final cost is not yet known. License application and renewal fees would be established through the legislation and/or subsequent rulemaking by the responsible Virginia board or agency. Fees will depend upon the costs of administration and regulation. RDs who choose to use the Compact would pay applicable Compact Commission and remote-state privilege fees. VAND will share verified fee information as it becomes available.