Identity Verification Help

The NPDB requires multi-factor authentication, or MFA, to sign in to NPDB user accounts. After enabling MFA for your user account, you will be asked to complete identity verification to meet required federal cybersecurity standards. Identity verification is an approach for verifying and authenticating the identity of individuals accessing the NPDB. Starting July 25, 2024, a subset of NPDB users will be required to identity verify before they can access their accounts. Each week, identity verification will be rolled out to more users until all have been notified. You will be notified by email 1 week before you are required to complete identity verification.

How to Verify Your Identity

You must sign in to your NPDB account to verify your identity. After you sign in, if your account is not identity verified, a message is displayed on the Select an Option page. To get started, select Verify your identity for the NPDB, then sign in to ID.me.

• If you have an ID.me account that is identity verified through another agency, sign in to that account. ID.me will display a page for you to authorize ID.me to share your identity information. Select Allow to complete your NPDB verification.
• If your ID.me account is not identity verified, choose an option to verify your identity.

ID.me offers several options for identity verification. The fastest option is "Self-Service," which can be completed in a few minutes. To complete Self-Service, you need three items:

• A mobile phone that belongs to you and has a camera, or a computer with a webcam
• A government-issued photo ID (U.S. driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or U.S. passport card)
• Your Social Security number

To complete identity verification using Self-Service, follow ID.me's instructions to take photos of the front and back of your identity document. Next, follow the displayed directions to take a short video of yourself. ID.me validates your document and compares the photos to your video. Next, you will enter your Social Security number. ID.me displays a success message when your identity is verified.

After you verify your identity, you must agree to share the information with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal agency that operates the NPDB program.

Note: The NPDB does not share or store a user's date of birth or Social Security number.

For step-by-step instructions on how to sign in with ID.me, create a new account, and verify your identity, visit Using the National Practitioner Data Bank for work Exit Image.

Q&As

1. What is ID.me?
   ID.me is certified using federal standards to provide secure login and identity verification. ID.me provides a method for users to verify their identity and protect security with information systems, such as the NPDB. The ID.me secure digital identity network has over 100 million members with over 60,000 individuals joining daily, as well as partnerships with 30+ states, multiple federal agencies, and over 500 name brand retailers.
   

2. How do I change the name on my user account?
   For account security, the NPDB compares the name you used for identity verification with your NPDB user account name. If the names are different, your NPDB user account name is changed to match the identity verification name. If your identity verification name is incorrect, you must correct it on your ID.me account or through your PIV card or CAC provider.
   
3. Why is the NPDB requiring Identity Verification?
   

   The federal government is committed to protecting your information and information held in the NPDB. We take this responsibility seriously. We must comply with the federal government's security requirements issued by NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

   As part of the federal government's authority to operate processes performed by the Health Resources and Services Administration, an e-Authentication Risk Assessment was conducted. Based on the results of that risk assessment, the NPDB must comply with the identity assurance level 2 requirements in NIST 800-63-3. In addition, NPDB must also meet all identity requirements in NIST 800-53rev5. By implementing a remote identification solution that does not rely on knowledge-based information, the NPDB has strengthened its remote identity authentication and verification services, thereby reducing the risk of identity fraud for its customers.

   Identity verification uses photos and videos to confirm you are who you say you are, which keeps your information secure. In short, identity verification helps protect you and your account from someone trying to impersonate you.

4. Why do I have to complete identity verification? I've already completed a notary document.
   Completing the notary document is only one part of the identity verification process. To meet the current federal cybersecurity requirements, we must know the identity of the person accessing the NPDB system. The identity verification process meets these requirements.
   
5. Why does ID.me need my Social Security number?
   ID.me uses your Social Security number to verify your unique identity Exit Image. All information you provide to ID.me is secure and encrypted. The NPDB does not share or store a user's date of birth or Social Security number.
   
6. How does identity verification ensure it is you each time you sign in?
   Your NPDB user account was linked with your ID.me account when you enabled multi-factor authentication. When you sign in, the NPDB confirms the identity verification status and name used for your ID.me account. That name is then compared with your NPDB user account name. If the names are different, your NPDB user account name is automatically changed to match your identity verified name.
   
7. What do I do if I have a duplicate ID.me account?
   You can only have one verified ID.me account because it is tied to you as an individual. The account you used to verify your identity is the account you should use for the NPDB. If you sign in to a different ID.me account and try to verify your identity, you will see a duplicate account message. You have the option to merge or close the duplicate account. Make sure you choose the correct account to close. You should close the account that is not identity verified. ID.me provides the following resources to resolve duplicate accounts:
   • What to do if you have a duplicate account Exit Image
   • Closing your ID.me account Exit Image
   • Troubleshooting merged accounts Exit Image
   • How to use an email address that's on your duplicate account Exit Image
   • Setting up your account for work Exit Image
8. I've already verified my identity with ID.me, why is NPDB prompting me to verify again?
   

   The NPDB requires multi-factor authentication, or MFA, to sign in to NPDB user accounts. After enabling MFA for your user account, you will be asked to complete identity verification to meet required federal cybersecurity standards.

   To verify your identity with the NPDB you must complete ID.me identity verification and allow ID.me to share your information with the HHS XMS. HHS is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal agency that operates the NPDB program. The XMS system transmits your ID.me information to the NPDB. Sign in to your NPDB account and select Verify your identity for the NPDB to complete the verification process.

   Note: The NPDB does not share or store a user's date of birth or Social Security number.