Home » Applicants » Canadian Dietetics Registration Exam

Canadian Dietetics Registration Exam

The Canadian Dietetics Registration Examination (CDRE) is a national examination developed and administered by the Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies. The CDRE is a four-hour, computerized, multiple-choice examination designed to test the practice-based knowledge, application, and critical thinking skills required to competently and safely practice dietetics. The CDRE is taken as an online remote-proctored exam. The CDRE is administered in May and November each year. The CDRE is a requirement for registration in all provinces except Quebec.  

Important Dates

If you wish to take the May 2026 exam, submit your application for a candidate license to NSRD by April 15. You can submit your application for a candidate license before you complete your practicum. Documents that accompany your application (e.g. transcripts, confirmation of practicum completion) can be submitted by April 21, 2025. Click here for information about how to apply for a candidate license.  

The exam is an online proctored exam. Requests to take the exam in person at a testing centre must be made in writing to NSRD by March 18, 2026. 

The deadline to submit a request for an exam accommodation is March 18, 2026 The forms for this request are in the CDRE Preparation Guide. Email Form A to deputyregistrar@nsrd.ca. Form B is to be sent directly to NSRD by the health professional. A request for accommodation related to breastfeeding does not require documentation from a health professional, but a written request outlining the accommodation is required.

Once you are registered with a candidate license and have paid exam fee ($600), NSRD will submit your name to the exam company, Meazure Learning. You will then receive an email from Meazure Learning with instructions on how to schedule your exam. You are encouraged to schedule your exam early to have a choice of exam date. The deadline to submit the exam payment to NSRD is April 21, 2026 The scheduling window for candidates who have paid their exam fee is March 17 – May 5, 2026.

Candidate dietitians are required to write the next available CDRE following licensure as a RC(c).

Beginning with the November 2026 sitting, the fee for the CDRE will increase from $600 to $750.

This is first fee adjustment in five years and reflects the rising costs related to exam administration, technology, exam development and ensuring the exam remains high-quality, secure and sustainable over time. CDRE fees are set on a cost-recovery basis and are consistent with entry-to-practice exam fees across comparable health professions.