Type 1 vs Type 2 NPI: Individuals vs Organizations
Every NPI is one of two entity types. Type 1 identifies an individual human provider; Type 2 identifies an organization. Knowing which is which is essential for billing, credentialing, and searching the registry accurately.
Last updated June 10, 2026
Type 1 — Individual providers
A Type 1 NPI belongs to a single person: a physician, nurse practitioner, dentist, therapist, pharmacist, and so on. An individual gets only one Type 1 NPI for their entire career, regardless of how many places they practice or how many specialties they hold.
Type 2 — Organizations
A Type 2 NPI belongs to an organization — a hospital, group practice, clinic, pharmacy, laboratory, or similar entity. Organizations can have multiple Type 2 NPIs through *subparts*: distinct components of the organization that need to be identified separately in transactions (for example, separately licensed departments).
Side by side
| Type 1 | Type 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies | An individual person | An organization / entity |
| How many | One per person, for life | One or more (subparts) |
| Examples | Physician, NP, dentist, PT | Hospital, group practice, pharmacy |
| Has a gender / credential | Yes | No |
| Authorized official | N/A | Required at enumeration |
When a provider has both
A solo physician who incorporates may hold both: a Type 1 NPI as the individual clinician and a Type 2 NPI for their practice entity. Claims then reference the appropriate identifier — the rendering individual and the billing organization.
Filter the search by entity type to browse individuals or organizations separately.
Search by entity typeFrequently asked questions
As an individual, no — a person is issued a single Type 1 NPI for life. However, that same person may also be associated with a Type 2 NPI if they own or operate an organization.
A subpart is a component of an organization that is assigned its own Type 2 NPI because it needs to be separately identified in HIPAA transactions, such as a distinct hospital department or location.