How to Look Up an NPI by Provider Name
You don't need the 10-digit number to find a provider — you can search by name. This guide walks through looking up an NPI by provider or organization name and narrowing the results when a name is common.
Last updated June 10, 2026
The fastest path
Type the provider's name into the search box above (or on the main search page). Results return as you type, grouped so you can tell individuals from organizations at a glance. Click any result to open the full NPI profile with specialty, credentials, and practice location.
Narrowing a common name
- Add a state. Use the state facet to restrict results to where the provider practices.
- Add a specialty. Filtering by taxonomy (e.g. *Family Medicine*, *Dentist*) quickly separates two providers who share a name.
- Add a city. For dense metro areas, the city filter narrows results further.
- Switch entity type. If you're looking for a clinic or hospital rather than a person, filter to organizations (Type 2).
Searching for organizations
Hospitals, group practices, pharmacies, and labs each have their own organizational NPI (Type 2). Search the organization's legal or 'doing business as' name; if you don't find it, try a shorter, distinctive fragment of the name rather than the full legal entity string.
Not sure of the exact name? Start from a state or specialty directory and drill down.
Browse the full directoryFrequently asked questions
Yes. NPI lookups on this site are free and require no account. The underlying data is the public NPPES file published by CMS.
Compare their specialty (taxonomy), credentials, and practice city/state. Each has a distinct 10-digit NPI; open both profiles to confirm which one you need.
They may not have an NPI (not all providers are HIPAA-covered), their record may be deactivated, or the name may be spelled differently in NPPES. Try searching by a partial name or the organization they work for.