What are the dietitian licensure, title and telehealth rules in Michigan, and how should dietitians market there?
Michigan is moving from no dietitian licensure to a full practice act, on a clock set by the board's rules. Public Act 39 of 2024 added Part 183A to the Public Health Code. Starting 18 months after the board's initial rules take effect, medical nutrition therapy and titles such as "dietitian" and "nutritionist" are reserved for licensed dietitian nutritionists. Michigan practices should use the runway to fix titles, service pages and telehealth coverage.
- New law, delayed start: Public Act 39 of 2024 took effect April 2, 2025, but its practice and title limits begin 18 months after the initial rules take effect.
- Licensing waits on rules: LARA says licensing cannot begin until the Board of Dietetics and Nutrition promulgates administrative rules.
- Protected words include plain "dietitian" and "nutritionist", plus "dietitian nutritionist" and "LDN", under MCL 333.18353.
- RD and RDN stay usable by people who lawfully hold those federally trademarked credentials.
- Every practice welcome — retainers from $499/mo, Goals-Driven engagements, Performance-Linked Payout Models available.
- Dallas, Texas LLC
- US client team · Central Time (CST)
- 25+ US healthcare clients
- BAA signed with every client
- HIPAA compliance training across client and delivery teams
- Contracts and invoices in USD
-
Primary Care · North Dallas, TXCase study →
-
MedSpa · North Dallas, TX
-
Skin Care · Beverly Hills, CA
-
Dental · Christiansburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatrics · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatric Dentistry · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Dental · Roanoke, VACase study →
-
Functional Medicine · Telehealth · USACase study →
“They were able to get all my ideas and work with me over a period of three to four months and create this amazing website. It's super customized, very modern, and it incorporates all the elements that I had wanted — the patient portal, nice pictures, a very interactive website, patient reviews. I would highly recommend their company to anyone who wants to make an excellent website.”
Does Michigan require dietitians to be licensed?
Not yet, but it will. House Bill 4608 became Public Act 39 of 2024, signed on April 30, 2024, adding Part 183A to the Public Health Code effective April 2, 2025. Under MCL 333.18353, the license requirement starts 18 months after the initial rules take effect. Confirm the date with LARA.
That is the position as of October 2026.
This is Michigan's second try. The state passed a dietitian and nutritionist licensing law in 2006, but legislative analyses note that no one was ever licensed under it. Public Act 267 of 2014 repealed it. The 2024 law is different because it ties the start date to the rules, so the clock cannot run before the licensing system exists.
Where the rollout stands
- The Governor appointed the Board of Dietetics and Nutrition in April 2025, according to LARA's Dietitian Nutritionists page.
- LARA states that licensing cannot begin until the board promulgates administrative rules.
- LARA's public hearing notice set a December 8, 2025 hearing on the Dietetics and Nutrition General Rules. The draft covers temporary licensure, initial licensure, licensure by endorsement, relicensure, renewal and continuing education.
- The Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reports that the rules were filed in April 2026, which starts the 18-month runway. If that holds, the license requirement lands in the second half of 2027. Check LARA for the official date.
For marketing, the runway is the point. Every protected title in your listings, ads and bios will need a license behind it on a specific day. Practices that plan now can make the switch in one pass.
Which titles will be protected in Michigan?
MCL 333.18353 reserves "dietitian", "dietician", "nutritionist", "dietitian nutritionist" and "l.d.n." for licensed dietitian nutritionists, with similar terms covered. A separate subsection lets anyone who lawfully holds a federally trademarked title, such as "registered dietitian" or "RDN", keep using it. Michigan's single license type is the dietitian nutritionist.
| Title | Rule under Part 183A | What to do in marketing |
|---|---|---|
| Dietitian, dietician, dietitian nutritionist | Reserved for Michigan licensees once the requirement starts | Plan to pair with the Michigan license; list who is licensed |
| Nutritionist | Reserved for Michigan licensees once the requirement starts | Coaches and wellness staff need new job titles |
| LDN | Reserved for Michigan licensees | Do not use until the Michigan license is issued |
| RD, RDN | Usable by people who lawfully hold the federal trademark | Safe with active CDR registration; keep the credential current |
Note the scope. In some title-protection states, only "licensed dietitian" is reserved and plain "nutritionist" is open. Michigan's list reaches the everyday words. A gym, med spa or telehealth brand that calls a staff member "our nutritionist" will need to change that copy before the deadline unless the person is licensed.
Search and brand names
Many Michigan practices rank for "dietitian near me" and "nutritionist in Grand Rapids" style searches. Those keywords can stay on pages that describe licensed clinicians. The risk sits in places that imply a credential, such as staff titles, profile headlines and the business name. If your brand name contains "nutritionist" and not all staff will be licensed, raise it with counsel this year.
Places titles hide
Titles show up in more places than the website. Check structured data on bio pages, the job title field on professional networking profiles, email signatures, podcast and video descriptions, employer wellness proposals and old press mentions you control. Third-party directories often copy titles from your site, so fix the source first and then request updates. Keep a dated log of each change. If a question ever comes up, the log shows a good-faith effort to comply on time.
What will need a Michigan license, and what will not?
Medical nutrition therapy will need a license, or another authorization under the statute. Part 183A treats MNT as nutrition care for treating or managing diseases or medical conditions. The statute exempts general nonmedical nutrition information, other licensed professionals working within their own scope, supervised students and trainees, and health food store staff talking about products they sell.
That line between MNT and general information is where most Michigan marketing changes will happen. A wellness program can keep describing healthy eating. A program that promises to manage diabetes, kidney disease or another condition is MNT and needs a licensed clinician behind it.
Service-page audit questions
- Does the page describe care for a diagnosed condition? Then it is MNT copy and should name the licensed or credentialed clinician.
- Does an unlicensed coach appear on that page? Move them to general wellness pages.
- Does the page promise outcomes, such as reversing a condition? Remove it. FTC guidance expects health claims to rest on competent and reliable scientific evidence.
- Does the booking form ask for diagnoses? Keep it on a HIPAA-safe form with no ad pixels.
Insurance is part of why Michigan pushed for licensure. Bill sponsors said licensure would help MNT get covered by insurers. Federally, Medicare Part B covers MNT from registered dietitians and nutrition professionals for diabetes and kidney disease with a physician referral. Our guide to marketing insurance-covered nutrition counseling covers how to present plans and referrals.
Will telehealth dietitians need a Michigan license?
Plan for it. Part 183A ties the license requirement to practicing medical nutrition therapy and, in the provisions we reviewed, sets no separate telehealth exemption. Once the requirement starts, assume MNT for clients located in Michigan needs a Michigan license or other authorization. The draft rules include licensure by endorsement. Confirm with LARA and counsel.
Until the deadline, Michigan has no dietitian license to hold. Out-of-state clinicians serving Michigan clients still need to follow the rules of their own licensing state, and should keep a record of where each client is located.
Telehealth marketing steps for the runway
- Add a client-location question at the top of every booking flow.
- On telehealth pages, list the states each clinician can serve, and add Michigan only for licensed clinicians once the requirement starts.
- Set ad geo-targeting to match the states you can serve.
- Draft the email you will send existing Michigan clients about the license change, so it is ready on the day.
Virtual practices can still show up locally. Our page on Google Business Profile options for virtual dietitians explains what is allowed when you do not have a storefront.
How should Michigan practices explain licensure to clients and referral partners?
Treat the new license as a trust signal, not a legal footnote. Tell clients and referring physicians, in one plain sentence, what the license will mean: the clinician met state education, supervised-practice and exam standards and answers to a Michigan board. Avoid implying that unlicensed competitors are unsafe; comparative claims need substantiation.
Where the message belongs
- Bios: a short credential line, such as "RDN, credentialed by CDR; Michigan license application in progress", updated when the license issues.
- Referral packets: a one-page sheet for physician offices listing which clinicians deliver MNT and how to send a referral.
- FAQ page: one answer on what Michigan's new law means for clients, linked to LARA for verification.
- Email newsletter: a single update when your team is licensed. No fear-based framing.
What not to say
- "State-certified" or "Michigan-licensed" before a license is issued.
- "Only licensed dietitians can help you" while general nutrition information remains legal for others.
- Any promise that a license guarantees insurance coverage. Coverage depends on each plan and on payer credentialing.
Physician referral relationships are often the fastest growth channel for MNT practices. Our guide to physician referral marketing for dietitians shows how to build them without paying for referrals.
What should a Michigan dietitian practice change in its marketing now?
Build a title inventory, separate MNT pages from wellness pages and set a calendar reminder for the license date. Then show the credentials you can prove today, mostly RDN, with a plain-language note on what they mean. When licenses issue, add "LDN" to the same places in one pass.
| Timing | Marketing task | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Now | List every place a title appears: website, profiles, ads, email footers, schema markup | Practice manager or agency |
| Now | Split MNT service pages from general wellness pages | Clinical lead plus marketer |
| When applications open | Track each clinician's application and expected license date | Practice owner |
| When each license issues | Add "LDN" to bios, profiles and directory listings | Agency |
| Before the deadline | Retitle unlicensed staff; review ad headlines and business names | Owner with counsel |
| After the deadline | Quarterly check of titles and license status | Practice manager |
Ad, review and tracking cautions
- Google and Meta restrict health-based targeting. Target by location and broad interest, not by condition.
- Keep pixels off intake, booking and portal pages. HHS guidance on tracking still applies to authenticated pages.
- Ask for reviews about the experience, and never pay for them. The FTC rule against fake reviews took effect in October 2024.
- Skip before-and-after weight photos and promised results in ads.
How Ichelon Consulting US helps
Our dietitian marketing team runs title audits, HIPAA-safe booking flows and state-aware campaigns. We sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with every US client, and each engagement has monthly goals tracked live with a report every Monday. Retainers start from $499/month, custom-scoped. To plan your Michigan switch-over, book a call. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm details with counsel and LARA.
Related pages from the US team
Dietitian marketing agency USA
How Ichelon Consulting US runs marketing for dietitian practices.
Dietitian licensure by state
See how Michigan's new law compares with other states.
Dietitian website must-haves
Credential display, service pages and booking basics.
Physician referral marketing
Building referral routes that support MNT and insurance.
Every practice welcome — Goals-Driven engagements from $499/mo
We benchmark your last 90 days, agree monthly goals with you, and track them live on Ichelon Agency OS with a report every Monday. Performance-Linked Payout Models are available. Our US leadership is based in Dallas, and strategy calls run in US business hours.
Common questions
Do you need a license to be a dietitian in Michigan?
Not yet, as of October 2026. Public Act 39 of 2024 requires a license to practice medical nutrition therapy and to use titles such as "dietitian" and "nutritionist", starting 18 months after the board's initial rules take effect. LARA says licensing cannot begin until those rules are promulgated. Check LARA's Dietitian Nutritionists page for the current date.
When will Michigan start requiring dietitian licenses?
MCL 333.18353 starts the requirement 18 months after the effective date of the initial rules for dietitian nutritionists. A public hearing on the general rules was held in December 2025, and the Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reports the rules were filed in April 2026, pointing to the second half of 2027. Confirm the official date with LARA.
Can I still use RD or RDN in Michigan?
Yes. MCL 333.18353 lets anyone who lawfully holds a federally trademarked title, such as "registered dietitian" or "RDN", keep using it. Once Michigan's requirement starts, an RDN who wants to use "dietitian nutritionist" or "LDN", or who provides medical nutrition therapy to Michigan clients, should plan to hold a Michigan license as well.
Can a health coach call themselves a nutritionist in Michigan?
Not once the requirement starts, unless they hold a Michigan license. MCL 333.18353 reserves "nutritionist" along with "dietitian" and "dietitian nutritionist". The statute still lets people share general nonmedical nutrition information without a license. Coaches should use their actual credential and avoid describing their work as treating or managing a medical condition.
Will out-of-state dietitians need a Michigan license for telehealth?
Expect so for medical nutrition therapy once the requirement starts. Part 183A ties licensure to the practice of MNT and, in the provisions we reviewed, sets no telehealth exemption. Michigan's draft rules include licensure by endorsement for clinicians licensed elsewhere. Telehealth practices should track where clients are located and confirm their position with LARA and counsel.
A note on this guide: it explains marketing practice, not legal advice. Rules on privacy, advertising and insurance change and vary by state, so confirm anything compliance-related with your own counsel.
Planning for Michigan's dietitian license?
A 30-minute call with our Dallas-based US team. We will audit where your titles appear, separate MNT from wellness copy and map your switch-over to the Michigan deadline.