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Taxonomy Code Lookup & Search
Find any health care provider taxonomy code by number, specialty, classification, or description

Version 25.1 • last updated January 01, 2026 • 879 codes

Popular taxonomies

Search by name, code, or description. Hover any code to see its definition.

Browse Codes by Provider Type

Open any provider type to find the exact code. Hover a code to see its description.

Individual & Group Providers

17 provider types

Organizations

12 provider types

What Is a Taxonomy Code?

A health care provider taxonomy code is a standardized, ten-character alphanumeric identifier that describes the kind of provider a person or organization is (their provider type, classification, and area of specialization), rather than the specific services they deliver. A provider selects the code that best matches their training when applying for a National Provider Identifier (NPI), and it then appears on their record in the NPI Registry and PECOS. Because the code is self-selected, it reflects stated expertise rather than a verified credential.

How a Taxonomy Code Is Structured

Every code maps to a three-level hierarchy that moves from a broad provider category down to a precise specialty:

Worked example

Take a Nurse Practitioner. The general code 363L00000X places the provider in Physician Assistants & Advanced Practice Nursing Providers (Level I), within the Nurse Practitioner classification (Level II). Narrow to a specialization, say Family, and the code becomes 363LF0000X (Level III): a Family Nurse Practitioner.

How Taxonomy Codes Are Used

Taxonomy codes do real work across enrollment and billing. A provider chooses one when enumerating for an NPI in NPPES. On claims, the code travels with the NPI (in Box 24J for the rendering provider and Box 33b for the billing provider of the CMS-1500, or Form Locator 81 of the UB-04), so payers can confirm the billed service fits the provider’s specialty, which helps prevent denials. Payers and credentialing teams rely on the same code to validate enrollment. A provider may list more than one code to reflect multiple specialties, but exactly one must be designated the primary taxonomy.

How Often Taxonomy Codes Change

The code set is refreshed twice a year. New versions are published on January 1 and July 1 and take effect on the following April 1 and October 1, respectively. The current version is Version 25.1, last updated January 01, 2026. Providers are expected to keep their NPPES taxonomy current, typically within 30 days of any change to their practice.

Taxonomy Code FAQs

Taxonomy code questions

Ten characters, alphanumeric. The single string encodes the provider grouping, classification, and area of specialization.

No one assigns them; providers self-select. NPPES confirms the code exists in the current set but does not verify that it matches the provider. The code set is maintained by the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC).

Yes. An NPI record can list multiple codes to reflect more than one specialty, but exactly one must be flagged as the primary taxonomy.

Update your record in NPPES; the change flows through to the NPI Registry. There is no fee, and updates are expected within 30 days of a change.

The NPI is a provider’s unique 10-digit identification number; the taxonomy code describes that provider’s type and specialty. Every NPI record carries at least one taxonomy code.

Want the full picture? Read the complete guide Healthcare Taxonomy Codes Explained: primary vs. secondary codes, billing and credentialing implications, common mistakes, and step-by-step instructions for updating your code in NPPES.

Source data: National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC) Health Care Provider Taxonomy code set, Version 25.1. See nucc.org.