How to Change My DEA Number

Physicians who prescribe medication need individual Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers to process their prescriptions legally. The U.S. Department of Justice's DEA is responsible for issuing DEA numbers when doctors and other clinical practitioners apply for them. The DEA number that is assigned is the number that a prescribing physician uses on his prescription orders, as a means of identifying the particular physician. However, certain circumstances may warrant this number to change.

Instructions

• 1

  Contact the DEA's registration department. Ask them if your reason for the DEA number change is considered a qualifying event. Legally changing your name, relocating to another state or a receiving a waiver to prescribe opioid dependence treatment are examples of qualifying events that warrant the need for a DEA number change or a secondary DEA number to be issued.

• 2

  Fill out the appropriate paperwork for your DEA number change. You can do this by printing out the forms from the DEA website, or you can complete electronic paperwork through the DEA website by logging in with your DEA number and other personal information. If you do not have a DEA number issued to you already, you cannot access this electronic log-in screen.

• 3

  Write a letter to the DEA requesting a number change, if you are making the request based on a legal name change. In the letter, provide your current DEA number and provide a copy of the document that serves as evidence of your legal name change. The DEA officials will need to see this proof before they issue you a new DEA number.

• 4

  Submit a copy of your certification or waiver for prescribing opioid dependency treatment to the DEA registration office, if this is the reason for your number change. The DEA office will need to see evidence of your waiver before they can issue you a new number. The new number you will be given for prescribing opioid dependency treatment may start with or contain the alpha "X."

• 5

  Wait for the DEA registration office to approve your request, which may take a week or longer --- depending on the volume of requests that they receive. You can continue using your current DEA number to prescribe medications until you receive a response from the DEA registration office regarding a new number.