How to Get an NPI Number, and When You Need an EIN First
Last updated November 9, 2026 · Written by the EIN Registration filing team
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Start Now →Two kinds of NPI, two different tax numbers
| Type | Who it is for | Tax number on the application |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 (individual) | A person who provides care: a physician, dentist, nurse, chiropractor, pharmacist or physical therapist. Sole proprietors are Type 1. | Your SSN, or an ITIN if you cannot get an SSN. Never an EIN. |
| Type 2 (organization) | A hospital, group practice, pharmacy, home health agency, ambulance company or equipment supplier. Also the corporation or LLC that a solo provider has formed. | The organization's EIN, with its legal business name. Never an SSN. |
A person gets one Type 1 NPI and keeps it. Every health care provider may get an NPI, and providers covered by HIPAA must have one.
If you incorporated, you may need both
A sole proprietor is a Type 1 provider and applies once, as an individual. CMS is specific that a sole proprietor is not an incorporated individual, and that a sole proprietor reports an SSN on the application even when the business has an EIN.
Forming a company changes that. A provider who practices through a corporation or an LLC can hold a Type 1 NPI personally and get a Type 2 NPI for the company. The Type 2 application has a required field for the EIN and says not to put an SSN in it, so the company needs an EIN of its own before it can apply. That includes a PLLC or an LLC with a single owner.
How to get an NPI for a practice, in order
- Form the entity. Get the LLC, PLLC or corporation approved by the state.
- Get the EIN. Apply in the exact legal name on the state filing.
- Get your own Type 1 NPI if you do not have one yet. It uses your SSN and does not wait on the EIN.
- Apply for the Type 2 NPI. Enter the legal business name and EIN exactly as the IRS has them, and have an Authorized Official sign.
- Then enroll. An NPI is required for Medicare enrollment, but getting the number does not enroll you with Medicare or any health plan.
Three ways to apply
- Online in NPPES at nppes.cms.hhs.gov. You create an Identity & Access Management account first, then complete the application.
- On paper. Fill in Form CMS-10114 and mail it to the NPI Enumerator at the address on the form.
- Through an Electronic File Interchange organization. With your permission, an employer or other organization can submit applications in bulk.
What the organization application asks for
- The legal business name, which CMS defines as the name used to file tax returns with the IRS.
- The EIN.
- The business practice location and a mailing address.
- A taxonomy code that describes the type of provider.
- A contact person.
- The signature of an Authorized Official.
A part of a larger organization that applies for its own NPI and has no EIN of its own uses the parent's legal business name and EIN.
Use the name the IRS has
The legal business name on the NPI application is the IRS one, so copy it from your CP 575 confirmation letter rather than typing it from memory. CMS warns that records which do not match can cause trouble being recognized by health plans. Most of what you enter can also be published in the public NPI Registry. The exceptions are the SSN, ITIN and date of birth.
What an NPI does not do
- It does not enroll you in Medicare or any health plan.
- It does not show that you are licensed or credentialed.
- It does not guarantee that a plan will pay you.
- It does not replace the EIN. The practice still uses its EIN for tax filings, payroll, the bank and a W-9.
Quick answers
Do I need an EIN to get an NPI number?
For your own individual NPI, no: that application asks for your SSN. For an organization NPI, yes: the application requires the organization's EIN and the legal business name it uses with the IRS.
Can I use my EIN instead of my SSN on an individual NPI application?
No. CMS tells sole proprietors to report their SSN, not an EIN, even if they have an EIN. The EIN belongs on an organization application.
Does my LLC or PLLC need its own NPI?
CMS lets a provider who has formed a corporation or LLC get an organization NPI for the company on top of the individual one. A company that is a HIPAA covered provider in its own right must have one.
Is an NPI a tax ID?
No. The NPI is a health care identifier that NPPES assigns. The EIN is the tax number the IRS assigns. An organization needs the EIN to apply for the NPI, not the other way round.
Does my NPI change if my name or address changes?
No. The number stays the same when a name, address or taxonomy changes. Covered providers must report the change to NPPES within 30 days.
Who signs the NPI application for an organization?
An Authorized Official: someone with the legal authority to bind the organization. An individual application is signed by the practitioner.
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Related guides
- EIN for a PLLC: When You Need One and How to Apply A PLLC applies like an LLC. When one is required, the Form SS-4 lines, and what changes if you convert from an LLC or elect S corp status.
- How to Apply for an EIN for an LLC (LLC Tax ID Number) Nearly every LLC needs its own EIN for the bank, and multi-member LLCs and S corporation elections make it mandatory. The LLC lines on the SS-4, the timing after state approval, and the mistakes that get applications rejected.
- EIN for a Corporation or S-Corp A corporation needs an EIN from the day it is chartered. There is no separate S-corp EIN: the election rides on the number you already have. What the SS-4 asks and who signs.
- EIN for a Sole Proprietor: Why Most Get One, and When It Becomes Mandatory Most sole proprietors get an EIN to keep their SSN off W-9s, to open a business account, and to be ready to hire. It becomes mandatory with the first employee. What the SS-4 asks a sole proprietor.
- IRS CP 575 Letter (Your EIN Letter): What It Is and Where to Find Yours The EIN letter the IRS issues when it assigns the number, created once and never reissued. What it contains, where your copy went depending on how you applied, and what banks accept instead.
- How to Fill Out a W-9 as an LLC or Sole Proprietor: EIN or SSN? Which name goes on line 1, which box to check and which number goes in Part I, for a sole proprietor, a single-member LLC and an LLC taxed as a partnership or corporation, from the form's own instructions.
Sources
You can also apply for an EIN directly with the IRS at irs.gov at no cost.