# NPI Registry API

> NPI Registry returns healthcare provider details and is available as a workflow and API.

NPI Registry, also called NPPES, searches providers by name and optional place, specialty, and provider type; a name is required. Get provider returns public details and registry dates for a required 10-digit NPI number; some fields may be missing.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/npi-registry
- Handle: `@npi-registry`
- Category: [Health](https://fous.com/tools/category/health)
- Source website: https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Get provider

Operation `get_provider`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Get a provider’s public name, specialties, addresses, contact details and registry dates from a 10-digit NPI number. Some fields may be missing; deactivated NPIs may have no public record.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `npi_number` | string | yes | `"1003000126"` | The 10-digit NPI number shown on a medical bill, prescription or claim, for example 1003000126. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "npi_number"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "npi_number": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The 10-digit NPI number shown on a medical bill, prescription or claim, for example 1003000126.",
      "examples": [
        "1003000126",
        "1881018208",
        "1003000142"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "npi_number": "1003000126"
    },
    {
      "npi_number": "1881018208"
    },
    {
      "npi_number": "1003000142"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `fax` | string or null | `"419-517-7656"` |  |
| `name` | string | `"ARDALAN ENKESHAFI, M.D."` | Provider name with credentials when listed. |
| `phone` | string or null | `"443-602-6207"` |  |
| `status` | string | `"active"` |  |
| `specialties` | array |  |  |
| `specialties[].name` | string | `"Internal Medicine"` |  |
| `specialties[].is_primary` | boolean | `false` |  |
| `specialties[].license_state` | string or null | `"MD"` |  |
| `license_state` | string or null | `"DC"` | State of the primary specialty license, when listed. |
| `provider_type` | string | `"individual"` |  |
| `registry_link` | string | `"https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1003000126"` |  |
| `mailing_address` | string or null | `"6410 ROCKLEDGE DR STE 304, BETHESDA, MD 20817-1841"` |  |
| `practice_address` | string or null | `"6410 ROCKLEDGE DR STE 304, BETHESDA, MD 20817-1841"` |  |
| `date_last_updated` | string or null | `"2025-05-28"` |  |
| `date_first_registered` | string or null | `"2007-08-31"` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "npi_number": "1003000126"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "fax": null,
  "name": "ARDALAN ENKESHAFI, M.D.",
  "phone": "443-602-6207",
  "status": "active",
  "specialties": [
    {
      "name": "Internal Medicine",
      "is_primary": false,
      "license_state": "MD"
    },
    {
      "name": "Internal Medicine",
      "is_primary": false,
      "license_state": "MD"
    },
    {
      "name": "Internal Medicine",
      "is_primary": false,
      "license_state": "VA"
    }
  ],
  "license_state": "DC",
  "provider_type": "individual",
  "registry_link": "https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1003000126",
  "mailing_address": "6410 ROCKLEDGE DR STE 304, BETHESDA, MD 20817-1841",
  "practice_address": "6410 ROCKLEDGE DR STE 304, BETHESDA, MD 20817-1841",
  "date_last_updated": "2025-05-28",
  "date_first_registered": "2007-08-31"
}
```

### Search providers

Operation `search_providers`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Find US healthcare providers by name, place, specialty and provider type. Includes registered practice contact details and primary taxonomy; search results may include providers with similar names.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `city` | string | no | `"Cleveland"` | Practice city, for example "Cleveland". |
| `name` | string | yes | `"Cleveland Clinic"` | Person or organization name, for example "John Smith" or "Cleveland Clinic". |
| `state` | string | no | `"Ohio"` | US state name or two-letter code, for example "Ohio" or "OH". |
| `specialty` | string | no | `"cardiology"` | Specialty in plain words, for example "cardiology" or "Family Medicine". |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `3` | Maximum providers to return, for example 20 (up to 200). |
| `provider_type` | string | no | `"organization"` | Type of provider to find, for example "individual". |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "name"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "city": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "Practice city, for example \"Cleveland\".",
      "examples": [
        "Cleveland"
      ]
    },
    "name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Person or organization name, for example \"John Smith\" or \"Cleveland Clinic\".",
      "examples": [
        "Cleveland Clinic",
        "John Smith",
        "Unlikelyuniquez Providerwxyz"
      ]
    },
    "state": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "US state name or two-letter code, for example \"Ohio\" or \"OH\".",
      "examples": [
        "Ohio",
        "OH"
      ]
    },
    "specialty": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "Specialty in plain words, for example \"cardiology\" or \"Family Medicine\".",
      "examples": [
        "cardiology"
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 200,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum providers to return, for example 20 (up to 200).",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        3,
        2,
        4
      ]
    },
    "provider_type": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "individual",
        "organization"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Type of provider to find, for example \"individual\".",
      "examples": [
        "organization",
        "individual",
        "any"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "city": "Cleveland",
      "name": "Cleveland Clinic",
      "state": "Ohio",
      "max_results": 3,
      "provider_type": "organization"
    },
    {
      "city": "Cleveland",
      "name": "John Smith",
      "state": "OH",
      "max_results": 3,
      "provider_type": "individual"
    },
    {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "specialty": "cardiology",
      "max_results": 2,
      "provider_type": "individual"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `providers` | array |  | Matching healthcare providers. |
| `providers[].name` | string or null | `"Cleveland Clinic"` | Provider name and credentials, if listed. |
| `providers[].phone` | string or null | `"216-444-2136"` | Practice location phone number. |
| `providers[].active` | string or null | `"yes"` | yes or no according to the NPI record. |
| `providers[].npi_number` | string | `"1275791162"` | National Provider Identifier number. |
| `providers[].license_state` | string or null | `"OH"` | State of the primary specialty license. |
| `providers[].provider_type` | string | `"Organization"` | Individual or Organization. |
| `providers[].registry_link` | string | `"https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1275791162"` | Link to the provider record in the NPI Registry. |
| `providers[].practice_address` | string or null | `"9500 Euclid Ave, Department Of Radiology- HB6, Cleveland, OH 44195-0001"` | Practice location address. |
| `providers[].primary_specialty` | string or null | `"General Acute Care Hospital"` | Primary registered specialty. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "city": "Cleveland",
  "name": "Cleveland Clinic",
  "state": "Ohio",
  "max_results": 3,
  "provider_type": "organization"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "providers": [
    {
      "name": "Cleveland Clinic",
      "phone": "216-444-2136",
      "active": "yes",
      "npi_number": "1275791162",
      "license_state": null,
      "provider_type": "Organization",
      "registry_link": "https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1275791162",
      "practice_address": "9500 Euclid Ave, Department Of Radiology- HB6, Cleveland, OH 44195-0001",
      "primary_specialty": "General Acute Care Hospital"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cleveland Clinic",
      "phone": "216-444-6781",
      "active": "yes",
      "npi_number": "1356508964",
      "license_state": null,
      "provider_type": "Organization",
      "registry_link": "https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1356508964",
      "practice_address": "9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195-0001",
      "primary_specialty": "Chronic Disease Hospital"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cleveland Clinic",
      "phone": "216-526-5430",
      "active": "yes",
      "npi_number": "1336316389",
      "license_state": null,
      "provider_type": "Organization",
      "registry_link": "https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1336316389",
      "practice_address": "Cleveland Clinic 9500 Euclid Ave H35, Cardiothoracic Surgery,, Cleveland, OH 44195-0001",
      "primary_specialty": "General Acute Care Hospital"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@npi-registry",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_provider",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "npi_number": "1003000126"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@npi-registry\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_provider\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"npi_number\": \"1003000126\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@npi-registry",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_provider",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "npi_number": "1003000126"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/npi-registry`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `get_provider`: Get provider. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `search_providers`: Search providers. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-npi-registry https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/npi-registry --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## Use cases

- Find providers by name, place, specialty, or type
- Look up a provider using an NPI number
- Review registered practice contact details
- Check a provider’s primary specialty and license state

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this NPI Registry tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a NPI Registry account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

### How can I find a provider by name and location?

Use Search providers with a name and optionally a city, state, specialty, or provider type.

### What details are available for an NPI number?

Use Get provider with the 10-digit NPI number to retrieve public provider details, specialties, addresses, contact details, and registry dates.

## Related

- [All Health tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/health)