- NPPES-reported name (individual or organization)
- Entity type (Type 1 or Type 2)
- Self-reported specialty (taxonomy)
- Practice & mailing address in NPPES
- When the record was created / last updated
- A license, or that a license is active
- Board certification or credentials
- Clinical quality, safety, or reputation
- Insurance networks or accepting-patients status
What a public NPI record shows
Each record on Dr. NPI Search comes from the public CMS NPPES file. A record typically contains the following administrative fields:
- NPI number — the unique 10-digit identifier (see what an NPI number is).
- Entity type — whether the record is an individual (Type 1) or an organization (Type 2).
- Name — the provider or organization name as reported to NPPES.
- Taxonomy — the self-reported specialty classification, shown in plain English (see NPI taxonomy codes).
- Practice and mailing addresses — the locations listed in NPPES.
- Dates — when the record was created (enumerated) and last updated.
What an NPI record does not verify
This is the most important thing to understand. An NPI is an administrative identifier, not a background check. A record's presence in NPPES does not establish:
- That a provider holds a current, active, or unrestricted license.
- Board certification or any specific credential.
- Any measure of clinical quality, safety, competence, or reputation.
- Participation in any insurance plan or network.
- Whether the provider is currently accepting new patients.
- Any disciplinary history, sanction, or right to practice.
For the full statement of limitations, see our disclaimer.
How to confirm licensure and credentials
Because an NPI does not confirm a license, verify that separately at the primary source:
- State licensing board — the authoritative source for whether a license is active and in good standing. Each state board publishes its own license-lookup tool.
- Specialty certification body — for board certification, check the relevant certifying board directly.
- The provider or organization — for current insurance participation or whether they are accepting patients, contact them directly.
Why a record may be outdated
NPPES reflects what a provider last reported to CMS. People move, organizations rename, and specialties change — sometimes well before the NPPES record catches up. Each record on this site shows the date we last refreshed from CMS (see data freshness), and CMS remains the authoritative source. If a record looks wrong, the official fix is made at the source — see how to update an NPPES record.
Individual vs. organization records
A Type 1 record identifies an individual clinician; a Type 2 record identifies an organization such as a hospital, clinic, pharmacy, or agency. The fields differ slightly — an organization record includes the legal business name and an authorized official, while an individual record includes the person's name and any reported credential text. Read more about how we organize the data in our methodology.