Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Certification FAQs

Certain providers (based on provider type) must have a DEA certification. Please refer to the Provider Permission Matrix (PPM) under Quick Links on the Provider Enrollment page to determine if you are affected.

Please visit the website https://www.dea.gov/. The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to ensure the safety and health of American communities by combating criminal drug networks bringing harm, violence, overdoses, and poisonings to the United States

If a provider designated as a prescriber on the Provider Permission Matrix does not have a DEA certificate number, they must:

 

1. Enter 123456789 as the DEA certificate  number.

2. Complete the DEA Designation Form (found on the Provider Policies, Manuals, Guidelines and Forms page under Provider Forms) indicating the reason for not having a DEA certification, selecting one of the following reasons on the form:

 

• The prescribing provider is currently working on obtaining their DEA certification (it is in process or is still pending). They must elect a temporary alternate prescriber to write prescriptions for controlled substances on their behalf until they have a valid certification. The form must be completed to its entirety providing the alternate prescriber’s information. Reference number is found on the pdf of the application submitted.
• The prescribing provider elects not to prescribe controlled substances themselves but prescribing controlled substances is in their scope of practice. They must identify another doctor to write these prescriptions on their behalf. The form must be completed providing the alternate prescriber’s information.
• The prescribing provider does not prescribe or refer prescriptions for controlled substances because they believe their patients do not require controlled substances. In this circumstance, the provider must sign the statement on the form indicating this and describe their process for handling instances when a patient requires a controlled substance.

 

3. Upload the form to the Upload Documents page under Status Management when submitting an application.

 

Future  communications will provide additional information. Providers are encouraged to check their email and NCTracks provider announcements regularly.

The DEA Designation Form can be found on the Provider Policies, Manuals, Guidelines and Forms page under Provider Enrollment Forms. 

Upload this form to the Upload Documents page under Status Management when submitting an application.

NCTracks will automatically verify the DEA certification number.

 

• The name on your application must match the name listed with your DEA certification.
• The state on your application must match the state listed with your DEA certification for locations.

If an application matches the information on file with DEA, the application will continue processing. 

 

If the information does not match, the provider will receive an Application Incomplete letter detailing actions required to resolve the mismatch. 

Prescribing providers have been required to provide their DEA certification number on initial enrollment, re-enrollment or manage change request (MCR) applications since Oct. 1, 2020.

No - DEA regulations require a practitioner to obtain a separate DEA registration in each state in which they dispense a controlled substance. In result, the enrolling state on the application must match the state in which the DEA was issued

No - Only the enrolling provider can sign the DEA designation form.