Pharmacy NPI Lookup — Search Any Pharmacy's NPI

Pharmacy NPI numbers are required for prescription processing, insurance billing, Medicare Part D claims, and prior authorization submissions. Whether you are a prescriber verifying a pharmacy for electronic prescribing, a billing department processing claims, or a healthcare organization credentialing a pharmacy provider, this tool searches the complete NPPES registry for any pharmacy in the United States.

Why Pharmacies Need NPI Numbers

Pharmacies are classified as healthcare providers under HIPAA and require NPI numbers for electronic prescription transactions, insurance billing, Medicare Part D claims processing, and Medicaid billing. When a physician sends an electronic prescription, the patient's preferred pharmacy must be identified by its NPI in the e-prescribing system. When a pharmacy bills a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) for a dispensed medication, the pharmacy's NPI appears on every claim. For controlled substance prescriptions sent electronically (EPCS), the pharmacy's DEA number and NPI are both required.

Types of Pharmacies in NPPES

The NPPES registry classifies pharmacies by their specific type using taxonomy codes. Retail community pharmacies have the taxonomy code 3336C0002X. Specialty pharmacies (handling complex medications like biologics, oncology drugs, and compounded preparations) use 3336S0011X. Long-term care pharmacies serving nursing facilities use 3336L0003X. Home infusion pharmacies use 3336H0001X. Mail-order pharmacies use 3336M0002X. Compounding pharmacies use 3336C0003X. Each type has different regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and billing capabilities.

Finding a Pharmacy NPI for Electronic Prescribing

Electronic prescribing systems (e-prescribing platforms like Surescripts) use pharmacy NPIs to route prescriptions to the correct pharmacy location. When setting up a patient's preferred pharmacy in an EHR or e-prescribing system, the pharmacy is typically selected from a database that is cross-referenced with NPPES. If a pharmacy NPI is missing or incorrect in the e-prescribing database, prescriptions may fail to route or arrive at the wrong location. Verifying a pharmacy's current NPI through NPPES before adding them to an EHR pharmacy database prevents these prescribing errors.

Pharmacy NPI for Medicare Part D Billing

Medicare Part D drug coverage is administered through private insurance plans that contract with CMS. Pharmacies must be enrolled in Medicare Part D networks and must use their correct NPI when submitting Part D claims. CMS maintains Part D enrollment data, and pharmacies that fail to maintain active NPI records in NPPES may experience issues with Part D claim processing. The pharmacy's NCPDP number (another pharmacy-specific identifier) is also used in Part D billing alongside the NPI — NPPES contains NPI data while NCPDP maintains the separate pharmacy identifier database.

Specialty Pharmacy Credentialing

Specialty pharmacies dispensing high-cost biologics, oncology treatments, and complex medications are subject to additional credentialing requirements from manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, and health plans. Specialty pharmacy credentialing verifies state licensure, accreditation (URAC, ACHC, or PCAB), storage and handling capabilities, patient support programs, and clinical expertise. NPI verification through NPPES is typically the first step in specialty pharmacy credentialing, confirming the pharmacy's legal identity, location, and enrollment status before proceeding with more detailed credentialing review.

Multiple NPIs for Chain Pharmacies

Large chain pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart Pharmacy operate thousands of individual store locations, each with its own unique NPI. The pharmacy chain itself may have a corporate organizational NPI, but each store location has a separate Type 2 NPI for billing purposes. When searching NPPES for a chain pharmacy, you will receive results for each individual store location. Always verify you have the NPI for the specific store location you intend to use, not just any store in the chain — NPIs are location-specific for pharmacies.

Mail-Order and Online Pharmacy NPI Lookup

Mail-order pharmacies and online pharmacies are registered in NPPES just like brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Large mail-order operations such as Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, OptumRx, and Humana Pharmacy each have their own NPIs. When setting up mail-order pharmacy benefits for employees or patients, the mail-order pharmacy's NPI must be entered correctly in the EHR or PBM system. Some mail-order pharmacies operate multiple fulfillment centers in different states, each with separate state pharmacy licenses and NPIs — search by organization name to find all locations for a mail-order pharmacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

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