How to Update or Deactivate an NPI Number
An NPI is permanent, but the information attached to it is not meant to be static. When your details change, the record needs to change too. This guide covers how to update an NPI record, the timeframe for doing so, and how deactivation works.
Keep your record current
The information in an NPI record — name, practice address, phone number, taxonomy, and license details — is used by payers, pharmacies, and directories. When it falls out of date, claims can be misrouted and patients can be misdirected. Providers are expected to update their NPI record within 30 days of a change to their required information.
Common changes that require an update include:
- A new practice address or phone number
- A legal name change
- A change in taxonomy code or specialty
- Updated license information
How to update an NPI record
Updates are made in the same system where the number was issued, the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES):
- Sign in to your account at nppes.cms.hhs.gov using your identity provider (Login.gov or ID.me).
- Open the NPI record you need to change.
- Edit the relevant fields — address, name, taxonomy, and so on.
- Review and submit. Once processed, the change becomes part of the public record.
For an organization (Type 2) record, updates are handled by the organization’s authorized official, the person designated as responsible for the record. See NPI Type 1 vs Type 2 for how individual and organization records differ.
When updates appear publicly
After you submit a change, it takes time for the update to flow into the public data that independent tools display. The official NPPES registry reflects changes as they are processed, while third-party sites refresh on their own schedules. If you want to understand that lag, read how often NPI data is updated. You can always confirm a current record with the NPI lookup or search by name with NPI lookup by name.
Deactivating an NPI
Sometimes a number should be retired rather than updated. Deactivation is requested through NPPES and is used when, for example:
- A provider stops practicing or passes away
- An organization closes
- A number was issued in error or duplicated
Once deactivated, the NPI is retired. It is never reassigned to a different individual or organization — that rule protects the historical integrity of claims and records. If circumstances change, a deactivated number can generally be reactivated rather than replaced with a new one. For what deactivation means from the outside looking in, see what a deactivated NPI means.
A note on scope
This guide describes the mechanics of maintaining an NPI record; it is not legal or compliance advice. NPI Portal is an independent tool built on public CMS data and cannot make changes to your record — all updates and deactivations happen in NPPES. If you are setting up a record for the first time, start with how to apply for an NPI, and confirm the format of any number with the NPI validator.