Nurse NPI Lookup — Find Any Nurse's NPI Number

Advanced practice nurses — including nurse practitioners (NPs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and certified nurse midwives (CNMs) — hold independent prescribing authority and billing privileges in many states and require NPI numbers for all healthcare transactions. Registered nurses (RNs) working in billing-relevant roles also need NPIs. This tool searches the NPPES registry to find nursing professionals quickly.

Which Nurses Need an NPI Number?

Not all nurses require NPI numbers — only those who engage in HIPAA-covered electronic transactions. Nurse practitioners (NPs) with prescribing authority always need NPIs as they bill independently. Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) bill for anesthesia services and require NPIs. Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) bill for obstetric and gynecological services. Registered nurses (RNs) working in roles that involve billing — such as home health nursing, hospice care, wound care clinics, or as independent contractors — also need NPIs. Hospital-employed bedside RNs typically do not need individual NPIs as they bill under the hospital's NPI.

Nurse Practitioner NPI Lookup

Nurse practitioners represent the fastest-growing segment of primary care providers in the United States, with over 385,000 licensed NPs practicing across the country. NPs in full-practice authority states can practice independently and must have their own NPI for billing Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance. In restricted-practice states, NPs work under physician supervision agreements but still maintain individual NPIs. The NP's taxonomy code in NPPES (e.g., 363L00000X for Nurse Practitioner, 363LA2200X for Adult-Gerontology NP, 363LP0200X for Pediatric NP) identifies their specialty focus area.

CRNA NPI Lookup

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia for surgical, obstetric, and interventional procedures. CRNAs are recognized as independent anesthesia providers and bill under their individual NPI using anesthesia CPT codes. In hospitals and surgery centers, CRNAs may bill independently or under a supervising anesthesiologist's NPI depending on the practice model. The CRNA taxonomy code in NPPES is 367500000X. Finding a CRNA's NPI through NPPES confirms their current practice location, credential, and enrollment status — essential for facility credentialing and payer enrollment.

CNM and Midwife NPI Lookup

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) and Certified Midwives (CMs) provide obstetric, gynecological, and newborn care services and bill under their own NPIs. CNMs are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial plans. Their taxonomy code in NPPES is 367A00000X (CNM) or 176B00000X (CM). Midwifery practices may include a mix of CNMs with full prescribing authority and other midwives with more limited scopes of practice — NPPES taxonomy codes help distinguish these credential levels when looking up midwife providers.

Nursing NPI for Home Health and Hospice

Home health registered nurses and hospice nurses who provide skilled nursing services reimbursable by Medicare must have individual NPIs. Medicare requires that all skilled nursing visits be documented with the visiting nurse's NPI in the plan of care and on claims. Home health agencies are required to maintain accurate NPI records for all nurses providing skilled services. Hospice nursing claims similarly require individual nurse NPIs. This is one of the most common contexts where bedside RNs need their own NPI numbers rather than billing under a facility NPI.

NP Prescriptive Authority and State Regulations

Nurse practitioner prescribing authority varies significantly by state. In full-practice authority states (such as Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, and many others), NPs can prescribe medications including controlled substances without physician oversight. In reduced-practice states, NPs may need a collaborative agreement with a physician to prescribe controlled substances. In restricted-practice states, NPs must work under direct physician supervision for prescribing. NPPES data shows NP license information by state, which combined with state nursing board data helps verify prescribing scope. For controlled substances, NPs who prescribe must also have their own DEA registration.

Nurse Practitioner Medicare Enrollment

Medicare recognizes nurse practitioners as eligible non-physician practitioners who may bill Medicare for services within their scope of practice. NPs receive reimbursement at 85% of the physician fee schedule for most services. To bill Medicare, NPs must be enrolled in PECOS as individual providers and must practice within a state that recognizes NP practice. Like physicians, NPs must maintain active PECOS enrollment and revalidate every five years. Their NPI enrollment data in NPPES serves as the public-facing provider record that Medicare cross-references when processing claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

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