How to verify a clinician's license and NPI in two minutes

If a real person is going to treat you, you can confirm they exist and are licensed — for free, using the same public registries regulators use. Here's exactly how.

Why this matters

Names on a treatment website aren't self-verifying. Titles can be inflated, credentials borrowed, and "Dr." used loosely. Because licensing is public, you never have to take a website's word for it — you can confirm the person directly in minutes.

Step 1 — Look up the NPI (federal, free)

Open the NPPES NPI Registry and search the clinician's name and state. A match confirms the provider exists and shows their listed credential, taxonomy (specialty), and primary practice address. You can also look up the organization's NPI. No match for a clinician who supposedly holds a national credential is a reason to ask questions.

Step 2 — Check the state license

Licensing is run by states, so go to the relevant state board's free "license lookup." Search the name and confirm:

• The license exists and matches the credential claimed (e.g., LMHC, LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LADC, RN, MD, DO).
• The status is active/current, not expired, lapsed, or surrendered.
• There is no disciplinary action or that you understand any that exists.

For physicians, your state medical board (and the Federation of State Medical Boards' DocInfo service) confirms an active medical license. For nurses, state boards of nursing publish license status.

Step 3 — Match the credential to the role

Credentials aren't interchangeable. A licensed counselor or social worker (LMHC, LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LADC) provides therapy and counseling; only a physician (MD/DO), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA) can prescribe and manage medical care like detox medications. Be wary when a site blurs these — calling a coach a "doctor," or implying counseling staff provide medical supervision they aren't licensed for.

What good and bad look like

Common questions