The Registration Examination for Dietitians is the exam between a completed dietetics pathway and the RD credential; the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) administers it and grants the Registered Dietitian (RD) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential once the eligibility requirements and the examination are complete.
This is the entry examination. CSSD sports dietetics is a separate specialty credential for dietitians who are already registered.
The exam outline
Commission on Dietetic Registration publishes the exam outline in cycles, and the cycle your test date falls in sets the domains and weights. The charts below give the published domain weights for 2022–2026 and 2027–2031. The study plan turns them into weeks from your test date, and the study guide lists every topic.
2027–2031 outline
Effective 2027-01-01 to 2031-12-31. Source: Registered Dietitian Examination Test Specifications and Study Outline January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2031, recorded 2026-09-01.
| IFundamentals of Dietetics Practice | 23% |
|---|---|
| IICommunity and Public Health Nutrition | 22% |
| IIIHuman Nutrition and Medical Nutrition Therapy | 40% |
| IVFood Science and Food Systems | 15% |
2022–2026 outline
Effective 2022-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Source: Registered Dietitian Examination Test Specifications January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2026, recorded 2026-08-15.
| IPrinciples of Dietetics | 21% |
|---|---|
| IINutrition Care for Individuals and Groups | 45% |
| IIIManagement of Food and Nutrition Programs and Services | 21% |
| IVFoodservice Systems | 13% |
Eligibility belongs to Commission on Dietetic Registration
The board decides who sits this exam and sets its fees and dates. Confirm all three on the board's own pages, linked under Sources. MasteryEngine is independent and cannot rule on eligibility.
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The MasteryEngine readiness check for the RD exam opens when its question bank does.
MasteryEngine is an independent exam-preparation platform and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. RD and RDN are credentials/marks of CDR; all certification names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. MasteryEngine does not provide CDR continuing-education credit and does not guarantee exam eligibility or passing. For official exam information, visit cdrnet.org.
Sources: CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians overview. CDR examination resources. RD examination eligibility requirements. cdrnet.org.