Virginia provides for the certification of dietitians and nutritionists who hold certain credentials, such as:
1. Has (i) received a baccalaureate or higher degree in nutritional sciences, community nutrition, public health nutrition, food and nutrition, dietetics, or human nutrition from a regionally accredited college or university and (ii) satisfactorily completed a program of supervised clinical experience approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;
2. Has active registration through the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;
3. Has an active certificate of the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists as a Certified Nutrition Specialist;
4. Has an active certification as a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition;
5. Has a current license or certificate as a dietitian or nutritionist issued by another state; or
6. Has the minimum requisite education, training and experience determined by the Board of Health Professions appropriate for such person to hold himself out to be, or advertise or allow himself to be advertised as, a dietitian or nutritionist.
Exemption language in Virginia is considerably broad:
Nothing in this law will prevent or “affect in any fashion the ability of any person to provide any assessment, evaluation, advice, counseling, information or services of any nature that are otherwise allowed by law, whether or not such services are provided in connection with the marketing and sale of products.”
Source: Chapter 27.1 of Title 54.1