How to Look Up a Physician's DEA Number

You want to ensure that you and your loved ones are being taken care of by a qualified and knowledgeable physician. One method for checking the credentials of a physician is through her DEA number. The DEA number, issued through the Drug Enforcement Agency, signifies that the doctor is allowed to prescribe and handle controlled substances. There are limitations on consumers looking up a physician's DEA number, because the DEA does not make this information readily available to the public.

• 1

  Look for the DEA number on the bottom of the prescription that the physician gave you. The number is sometimes printed there.

• 2

  Contact your physician's office to learn the DEA number, if you are a patient or are in the health care industry. If you are contacting a large medical practice, you might need to speak to the billing department to get the DEA number.

• 3

  Check your physician's status by contacting the medical board in your state. If your interest is in checking the credentials of your physician and verifying his status, then the medical board will have up-to-date information for the physician.

• 4

  Use DEA number location websites, if you are in the health care industry. Such sites include DEAnumber.com, DEA Lookup.com and KnowX.com. Most DEA sites operate similarly, and they might charge a yearly or monthly fee to use their databases.