Georgia is an Exclusive Scope of Practice State and requires a license to provide nutrition care. Only dietitians may obtain a license in Georgia to provide nutrition care including assessment, goal setting, counseling, or advice. Individuals with a master’s degree or higher in human nutrition, food, and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, or nutrition education, or who have a doctorate in nutritional biochemistry are exempt from the law and may provide nutrition services without a license. The law also protects the titles: “dietitian,” “licensed dietitian,” or “L.D.”
43-11A-18. Exceptions
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect or prevent:
(1) A student enrolled in an approved academic program in dietetics from engaging in the practice of dietetics under the supervision of a dietitian; or a dietetic technician, certified dietary manager, or dietetic aide in a health care facility from providing nutrition services under the supervision of or in consultation with a dietitian;
(2) A dietitian who is serving in the armed forces of the United States or any other federal agency from engaging in the practice of dietetics, provided that such practice is related to service or employment;
(3) Persons licensed to practice the professions of dentistry, medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, nursing, or pharmacy from engaging in the practice of dietetics when incidental to the practice of their profession, except that such persons may not use the title “dietitian”;
(4) A nonresident registered dietitian from practicing dietetics in this State for five days without a license or up to 30 days per year with licensure from another state if the requirements for licensure are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this chapter;
(5) Employees of a department, agency, or division of State, county, or local government from engaging in the practice of dietetics within the discharge of official duties when such practice is directed by or in consultation with a dietitian licensed under this chapter;
(6) Persons who were engaged in dietetic practice prior to July 1, 1994, but the prohibition of Code Section 43-11A-16 shall apply to such persons on and after July 1, 1995;
(7) Persons who provide weight control services, provided the weight control program has been reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program change can be initiated without the prior approval of either a dietitian licensed under this chapter, a dietitian licensed in another state which has licensure requirements which are substantially equal to the requirements contained in this chapter, or a registered dietitian;
(8) Persons from marketing or distributing food, disseminating information on food, food materials, dietary or food supplements, or minerals or herbs, including but not limited to operators and employees of health food stores or other licensed businesses which sell such products, provided that such persons shall not engage in the oral or written explanation of the historical use, benefit, or preparation of such products which is intentionally deceptive or fraudulent, and such persons shall not furnish specific nutrition information related to such products which is deceptive or fraudulent. Persons included in this paragraph shall not use the title “dietitian” and shall not designate themselves by any other term or title which implies that such persons are licensed under this chapter;
(9) The practice of the tenets of any religion, sect, or denomination whatsoever, provided that a member of such religion, sect, or denomination shall not use the title “dietitian” and shall not designate himself or herself by any other term or title which implies that such member is engaged in dietetic practice; or
(10) Persons with a master’s or doctorate degree from any regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in human nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, or nutrition education, or persons with a doctorate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in nutritional biochemistry, provided that such persons shall not use the title “dietitian.”
