The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulates both the prescribing and distribution of controlled substances. An active United States (US) DEA certification is required for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, optometrists and dentists to prescribe controlled substances.
Participating NC Medicaid providers indicated as a prescriber on the NCTracks Provider Permission Matrix are required to report their DEA certification during enrollment or utilize the DEA Designation Form indicating the reason a DEA certification is not reported.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2026, the NC Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit Administrator (PBA) will verify that the prescriber has an active DEA number on their NCTracks provider enrollment record before adjudicating claims for controlled‑substances. Pharmacy claims for controlled substances will be denied if the prescribing provider does not have an active DEA certification on file in NCTracks. This requirement applies based on the claim’s date of service.
Providers with an active DEA certification on their NCTracks provider enrollment record are not required to take any action. Once the DEA certification information is on file with NC Medicaid, automated processes verify and maintain its status as long as the DEA certification remains active with the US DEA.
Providers that prescribe controlled substances but used the DEA Designation Form process during enrollment must act to add their DEA certification to their individual NCTracks provider enrollment record. Submission of a Manage Change Request (MCR) through the NCTracks secure Provider Portal by the Office Administrator of record will allow this update. An MCR typically takes seven to ten business days to process, making it imperative that providers initiate an MCR to allow for complete processing before the Nov. 1, 2026, deadline. Additional guidance is available through the “How to Add or Update Credentials” job aid.
Failure to add an active DEA certification to the provider’s individual NCTracks provider enrollment record will result in denied claims for controlled‑substance prescriptions beginning with dates of service on or after Nov. 1, 2026.
Additional Resources
- NCTracks Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Certification FAQs
- Reminder: How to Address the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Certification Requirement if You Do Not Have a DEA Certification
Contact
- NCTracks Call Center: 800-688-6696
- Provider Ombudsman: 866-304-7062