How to check a DEA number?
To check a DEA number, first inspect the format, then run the checksum: add the 1st, 3rd, and 5th digits; add the 2nd, 4th, and 6th digits and double that sum; add both totals. The rightmost digit must match the final digit. Then check current status with DEA records.
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Full name: Drug Enforcement Administration Registration Number
Short explanation
A DEA number is a registration identifier issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to practitioners, hospitals, pharmacies, researchers, manufacturers, distributors, and other registrants that handle controlled substances. The familiar manual check tests only whether the number's letters and digits fit the checksum pattern; it does not prove that a registration is active, unrestricted, or tied to the person or organization presenting it.
Related use case: Provider credentialing data guide
How it’s used
- Prescription workflows: pharmacies and e-prescribing systems use the DEA number to identify the controlled-substance registrant on a prescription.
- Manual format check: the first two characters identify registrant pattern information, followed by six base digits and one checksum digit.
- Checksum method: add the 1st, 3rd, and 5th digits; add the 2nd, 4th, and 6th digits and multiply by 2; add both totals; the rightmost digit must match the 7th digit.
- Credentialing files: teams still need primary-source DEA status records because a valid checksum is only a typo check, not a current authority check.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a DEA number?
- A DEA number is a Drug Enforcement Administration registration identifier for a person or organization authorized to handle controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act.
- How do you check the DEA checksum?
- Add the 1st, 3rd, and 5th digits; add the 2nd, 4th, and 6th digits and double that sum; add both totals. The rightmost digit of the result must match the final digit of the DEA number.
- Does the checksum prove the DEA registration is active?
- No. The checksum catches many typing errors, but current status, schedules, and restrictions must be checked against DEA registration records or documentation.
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