Becoming a Licensed or Non-Licensed Nutritionist in Illinois

In the state of Illinois, you must have a license in order to practice dietetics and to provide nutrition services. Effectively, under Illinois law, a licensed nutritionist is the same as a licensed dietitian. They call all licensed dietetic professionals “licensed dietitian nutritionists.” Only a licensed dietitian nutritionist may provide therapeutic nutrition care, including assessing clients, setting goals, counseling, evaluating, and determining how nutrients could react with medications the client is already taking. 

To become a licensed nutritionist in Illinois, you must fulfill the requirements of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), which is the agency that holds the responsibility of registering dietitians.  (Becoming a registered dietitian in Illinois) You might be wondering, can non-licensed nutritionists even work in Illinois? We will discuss licensure and non-licensure of nutritionists in Illinois here. 

What is the Illinois Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act?

The Illinois Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act has been revised many times, and its current iteration goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Under this act, there are exemptions that allow holistic nutrition professionals to practice in Illinois. We will examine these exemptions in the next section. 

Under the Illinois Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act, you must have a license to practice dietetics and provide nutrition services. Only a licensed dietitian nutritionist in Illinois has the authority to provide nutrition services such as nutrition assessment, medically prescribed diets, nutrition education, medical nutrition therapy, and nutrition counseling.

What Can Non-Licensed Nutritionists Do in Illinois?

What can non-licensed nutritionists legally do in Illinois? As it turns out, they can do a lot. There are exemptions in the Illinois Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act that allow for holistic nutritionists (i.e., unlicensed nutritionists) and others to practice nutrition care without a license. These exemptions include:

 

• • Other licensed medical professionals in Illinois may practice nutrition care if it falls under their license/duties/expectations of their employment

• • Anyone employed by the federal or state government as a dietitian or nutritionist may practice nutrition and dietetics without a dietitian nutritionist license

• • Anyone employed as a cooperative extension home economist may practice nutrition and dietetics without a license if the activities are part of their expected job duties

• • Students in a dietetics program may practice nutrition services as a student or trainee without a license under a supervised practice program

• • Anyone may provide oral nutrition information as an operator or employee of a health food store or business that is selling foods, food materials, or dietary supplements without a nutritionist license

• • Anyone who disseminates written nutrition information in the marketing of food or dietary supplements or discussing the use of those products may do so without a nutritionist license

• • An educator employed by a nonprofit organization, a government agency, an elementary or secondary school, or a college, may practice nutrition and dietetic services without a license if these services are considered to be part of their employment

• • A person may provide weight control services without a license if the nutrition program is reviewed and approved by a licensed dietitian nutritionist

• • A person with a masters or doctoral degree in nutrition may practice nutrition and dietetic services without a license if they are doing so for the purpose of research and education

• • A person may provide general nutritional information or encourage general healthy eating choices without a license, as long as they are not developing a customized nutrition plan for a client, or if they are working under the supervision of a licensed dietitian nutritionist

• • A person who has graduated from an associate or bachelor’s degree program with a major in nutrition or food who is directly supervised by a licensed dietitian nutritionist may practice nutrition services without a license

• • A person who is employed by a nursing facility under supervision of a church or religious organization may provide nutrition information for healing purposes without a license

• • A dietary technician in a hospital or facility who is supervised by a licensed dietitian nutritionist may practice nutrition services without a license

• • A person may freely disseminate nutrition information, conduct a seminar or class, or give a speech related to nutrition without a license

If I Want to Be a Licensed Nutritionist in Illinois, What Should I Do?

As mentioned above, becoming a licensed nutritionist in Illinois is the same as becoming a registered dietitian. This is explained further in greater detail here (see the page on Becoming a Registered Dietitian in Illinois for more detailed information), but in short, you must fulfill the CDR’s mandates, including:

 

• • Complete an educational program that has been approved by ACEND, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics approved degree program in nutrition and dietetics, including class work and supervised practice totaling at least 900 hours (under Illinois law) but, in actuality, totaling 1000 hours under the CDR’s mandates 

• • Pass the CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians 

• • Submit an Application for Licensure by Examination  to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Attn: Division of Professional Regulation

• • Receive your license as a licensed dietitian nutritionist in Illinois

Are There Jobs for Non-Licensed Nutritionist in Illinois?

If you are a non-licensed nutritionist in Illinois, there are ample opportunities for jobs. A recent search of available jobs in Illinois found the following opportunities for nutritionists without a license:

 

• • Director of Nutrition Services, Opaa! – Arcola, IL

     

    • • Salary: $41,700 to $52,900 per year
    • • High school diploma or GED required
    • • One year of experience cooking in a food service establishment required
    • • One year of customer service/hospitality service experience required
    • • One year of supervisory experience required

• • Nutrition Case Manager, Older Populations, Rush University Medical Center- Chicago, IL

     

    • • Salary: $60,400 to $76,400 per year
    • • Bachelor’s degree (preferably in dietetics and nutrition) required
    • • Three years of related experience required 

• • Nutritionist, WIC Program – Chicago, IL

     

    • • Salary: $59,100 to $74,900 per year
    • • Bachelor’s degree in dietetics and nutrition required

• • Wellness Coach- DeKalb, IL

     

    • • Salary: $50,000 to $60,000 per year
    • • Bachelor’s degree in dietetics and nutrition required
    • • Two years of experience in wellness, nutrition, or related field required
    • • One year of coaching experience preferred

• • Nutrition Counselor, Lake County, Illinois – Waukegan, IL

     

    • • Salary: $19.90 per hour
    • • Bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics required
    • • One year of clinical or community experience or completion of internship required