DEA Number Validator
ValidatorValidate US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) registration numbers. Checks the format, classifies the registrant category, and recomputes the check digit. Runs entirely in your browser.
About this tool
About DEA Number Validator
A DEA number is a 9-character identifier issued by the US Drug Enforcement Administration to healthcare providers and businesses authorized to prescribe, administer, or distribute controlled substances. It's made up of 2 letters followed by 7 digits: the first letter indicates the registrant category (practitioner, mid-level provider, distributor, or suboxone/buprenorphine prescriber), and the second letter is conventionally the first letter of the registrant's (or business's) last name.
The validator strips whitespace and separators, verifies the 2-letters-plus-7-digits format, classifies the registrant category from the first letter, and recomputes the check digit — summing the 1st, 3rd, and 5th digits, doubling the sum of the 2nd, 4th, and 6th digits, adding the two sums, and comparing the last digit of that total against the 7th digit.
Use this to verify a DEA number collected on a prescriber enrollment form, pharmacy management system, or e-prescribing platform before using it downstream, to debug why a DEA number is being rejected by a validation layer, or to sanity-check a DEA number pasted from a provider credentialing document.
Instant, fully client-side validation with no data ever leaving your browser. Note this checks structural validity only — it does not confirm the DEA number is actually registered to a real, currently authorized provider, which requires access to the DEA's own registrant database.
Key Features
- Full 2-letter-plus-7-digit format validation
- Classifies the registrant category from the first letter (practitioner, mid-level, distributor, suboxone)
- Recomputes and compares the official check digit
- Clear error messages for each failure mode
- Verified against the standard published worked example
- 100% browser-based, no data ever transmitted
FAQ
DEA Number Validator — Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DEA number?
A DEA number is a 9-character registration identifier issued by the US Drug Enforcement Administration to individuals and businesses authorized to handle controlled substances — physicians, dentists, veterinarians, pharmacies, hospitals, and distributors. It's required on every controlled-substance prescription.
What does the first letter of a DEA number mean?
It indicates the registrant category. A, B, and F are used for practitioners (physicians, dentists, hospitals). M is used for mid-level practitioners (nurse practitioners, physician assistants). P and R are used for distributors and manufacturers. X identifies practitioners specifically authorized to prescribe buprenorphine (suboxone) for opioid use disorder treatment.
How is the DEA number check digit calculated?
Take the 7 digits after the 2 letters. Add the 1st, 3rd, and 5th digits together. Add the 2nd, 4th, and 6th digits together and double that sum. Add both results together — the last digit of that total must equal the 7th digit, which is the check digit.
What does the second letter of a DEA number represent?
By convention, it's the first letter of the registrant's last name (for an individual) or business name (for an organization). This isn't cryptographically verified by the check digit — it's a naming convention rather than part of the checksum calculation.
Why does my DEA number fail validation?
The most common cause is a single mistyped or transposed digit. Also confirm the code is exactly 2 letters followed by 7 digits, with no spaces or dashes.
Tips
- Strip spaces and dashes before validating — some intake forms format DEA numbers with separators that aren't part of the official number
- The first letter tells you the registrant category at a glance — A/B/F for practitioners, M for mid-level providers, P/R for distributors, X for suboxone prescribers
- If the check digit fails, try re-copying the DEA number from its original source — the most common error is a single transposed digit
- This validator never sends your DEA number anywhere — the check digit is recomputed entirely in your browser
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