Quick answer
Use the official licensing board for the clinician’s profession and the state where care will occur. Match the full name, credential, license number when public, status, expiration date, and any public board actions. Use NPI data to help identify a provider, not as proof of licensure.
Key takeaways
- ✓State boards—not social profiles—are the primary license source.
- ✓An NPI is an identifier and does not validate credentials.
- ✓The relevant state is usually where the patient is physically located.
- ✓Document the record URL and date because status can change.
01
NPI and license records answer different questions
An NPI is a federal administrative identifier. CMS cautions that an NPI does not ensure or validate that a healthcare provider is licensed or credentialed. Use the appropriate state licensing board for current professional-license information.
02
Record what you checked
Match the clinician’s full name, credential type, state, status, and record date. Similar names and stale clinic biographies can cause mistaken matches.
- →Save the official record URL.
- →Note the date checked.
- →Treat disciplinary history and board certification as separate fields.
- →Recheck when the patient’s state changes.
03
Step-by-step license verification
First obtain the clinician’s full legal name, degree or credential, and the state in which care will be delivered. Locate the official board for that profession—such as medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, or physician assistants—and use its public lookup.
Confirm that the record matches more than a name. Compare profession, city or practice affiliation when available, license status, original issue date, expiration date, and any public disciplinary documents. If there are multiple matches or a name discrepancy, ask the provider for clarification before drawing a conclusion.
- →Use an official state-government or board-controlled domain.
- →Capture the direct record URL when the system permits.
- →Record the exact status language rather than paraphrasing it.
- →Check every state relevant to advertised telehealth coverage.
04
What board certification means
Board certification and state licensure are separate. A state license authorizes professional practice subject to that state’s rules. Specialty board certification may describe additional training and examination, but it is not a substitute for an active license and should be verified through the relevant certifying organization.
05
When a record does not match
Do not assume fraud from an incomplete search. Names change, board databases may use different punctuation, and organizations may use professional entities. Ask for the clinician’s license type and state, then contact the board if necessary. Keep the profile unpublished or label the fact unverified until the discrepancy is resolved.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does an NPI prove a doctor is licensed?
No. CMS states that issuance of an NPI does not validate licensure or credentials.
Which state license should I check for telehealth?
Start with the state where the patient will be physically located during care, then review that state’s current rules and the clinician’s applicable authorization.
How often should license information be rechecked?
There is no universal interval. A directory should date every check and recheck periodically, when a profile changes, or before relying on the information for a new state.
Primary sources
- NPI FilesCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · checked July 20, 2026
- Licensing across state linesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services · checked July 20, 2026