RD exam cost: the $250 fee and the 48-hour rules that cost more
The Registration Examination for Dietitians costs $250, paid by credit card when you register the appointment with Pearson, and it is separate from Academy membership dues and CDR registration maintenance fees. Appointments can be cancelled for a refund or rescheduled only online at least 48 hours before the appointment, and a retest requires reauthorisation from CDR before it can be scheduled.
The fee
$250, paid in full by credit card at the time you register the exam appointment. It is separate from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics membership dues and from CDR registration maintenance fees.
The 48-hour boundary
- Cancel for a refund: online, at least 48 hours before the appointment.
- Reschedule: online, at least 48 hours before, and only if your authorisation-to-test period does not expire before the new date.
- Inside 48 hours, you lose the appointment and the fee.
Retesting
A retest requires reauthorisation from CDR first, after which a prepaid voucher (if you bought one) can be used in place of payment. Vouchers are non-transferable, non-refundable, and tied to the exam and the person who purchased them.
Authorisation to test
After CDR approves eligibility, Pearson sends the Authorization to Test email within 48 hours. Check spam before contacting Pearson customer service — the authorisation window, not the fee, is what usually forces an expensive reschedule.
Enter your exam date and weekly hours; we allocate time by blueprint weight × your weak spots.
Primary references
- Handbook for Candidates — Registration Examination for Dietitians — Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22