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Short answer: you do not apply for a PTAN as a separate step. A DME supplier (DMEPOS supplier) gets a PTAN as the result of a completed Medicare enrollment: NPI, accreditation, surety bond, then the CMS-855S application. This page lays out that chain and the federal rule behind each link. It is general regulatory information, not legal or compliance advice for your business.
Who this is for: an owner or compliance lead setting up a new DMEPOS supplier who needs to know what must exist before the Medicare enrollment can be submitted. For what the number is and how it differs from an NPI, see PTAN number: what it is and how it differs from an NPI; this page covers only the path to getting one.
How do you get a PTAN number as a DME supplier?
You enroll in Medicare as a DMEPOS supplier. Once a supplier is fully enrolled, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) issues a Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN), according to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Under 42 CFR 424.57(b)(2), a supplier is paid for covered items furnished on or after the date CMS issued it a DMEPOS supplier number, which conveys billing privileges. Noridian adds that the PTAN is sometimes referred to as the NSC number for DMEPOS suppliers.
The PTAN is therefore an output of enrollment, not a form you file. The common search phrases “how to get a PTAN number” and “PTAN number DME supplier” both point to the same answer: complete the enrollment steps below.
What you need before you apply
- An NPI. The surety bond requirement is tied to each assigned NPI (42 CFR 424.57(d)(1)(i)), so the NPI comes first. NPIs are issued through NPPES (nppes.cms.hhs.gov). See how to apply for an NPI number.
- Accreditation. 42 CFR 424.57(c)(22)(i): DMEPOS suppliers and all of their locations must meet the DMEPOS quality standards and be separately accredited to enroll in and bill Medicare. See DMEPOS accreditation.
- A surety bond. 42 CFR 424.57(d)(1)(i): a supplier seeking to enroll must meet the bond requirements of paragraph (d) for each assigned NPI for which it seeks billing privileges.
- The CMS-855S application. The regulation identifies the Medicare enrollment application for DMEPOS suppliers as the CMS-855S (OMB number 0938-1056), paper or electronic. Noridian says enrollment is through PECOS or the paper CMS-855S. See what PECOS is.
- A location and operations that meet the supplier standards. Section 424.57(c) lists the standards a supplier must meet to bill Medicare. See DMEPOS supplier standards.
Steps from NPI to PTAN
The regulation fixes some timing (the bond must be effective on the application date); the order below is a practical working sequence built from the rule.
- Decide which locations you will enroll. Under 424.57(b)(1) the supplier must submit a completed application, including required enrollment forms, and must enroll separate physical locations it uses to furnish Medicare-covered DMEPOS (warehouse-only and repair-only locations are treated differently in the rule text).
- Obtain your NPI through NPPES, one for each enrolling location as applicable.
- Complete accreditation with an accrediting body. The accreditation must indicate the specific products and services you are accredited for, because payment for those products and services depends on it (424.57(c)(22)(ii)).
- Obtain the surety bond. The term of the initial bond must be effective on the date the application is submitted (424.57(d)(2)(i)).
- Submit the CMS-855S, electronically through PECOS or on paper, with the bond. Answers must be complete and accurate; the regulation requires complete and accurate information on the application.
- Be ready for an on-site inspection. 424.57(c)(8) requires the supplier to permit CMS, the NSC, or their agents to conduct on-site inspections to check compliance.
- Receive your billing privileges and PTAN. When enrollment is complete the supplier number conveying billing privileges is issued (424.57(b)(2)) and the PTAN is issued (Noridian).
After you have the PTAN
- Report changes within 30 days. 424.57(c)(2): the supplier must report to CMS any changes in information supplied on the application within 30 days of the change.
- Keep billing. Noridian states that a PTAN is deactivated when there is no billing for four consecutive quarters.
- Add products through your accreditor. If a new product line is added after enrollment, the supplier is responsible for notifying the accrediting body so it can be re-surveyed and accredited for the new products (424.57(c)(22)).
- Plan for revalidation. See Medicare revalidation for DME suppliers.
What can go wrong
- Looking for a separate PTAN application. There is none to file; delays come from the prerequisites. Most initial applicants have no PTAN to enter on the application (Noridian).
- An incomplete application. The rule requires a completed application and complete, accurate answers.
- A bond that does not meet the rule. 424.57(d) addresses denial of billing privileges when the bond submitted does not reflect the paragraph (d) requirements, and the bond is tied to each NPI.
- Accreditation that does not cover your products. Payment depends on the accreditation naming the specific products and services.
- Unreported changes. Changes not reported within 30 days breach a supplier standard.
- Calling it the wrong thing. Older material still says NSC number; Noridian describes the PTAN as sometimes referred to by that name.
When to get professional help
Enrollment rules, bond amounts and forms change. Before submitting, confirm the current steps with your DME MAC and the current CMS-855S instructions. Questions about your own eligibility, business structure or liability are for a healthcare compliance attorney or consultant; this page cannot answer them for your situation.
FAQ
How to get a PTAN number?
Enroll in Medicare. The PTAN is issued once a provider or supplier is fully enrolled (Noridian); you do not request it separately.
What is the PTAN number for a DME supplier?
It is the Provider Transaction Access Number issued after a DMEPOS supplier completes Medicare enrollment. Noridian says it is sometimes referred to as the NSC number.
Is the PTAN the same as the NSC number?
For DMEPOS suppliers Noridian describes the PTAN as sometimes referred to as the NSC number. The text of 42 CFR 424.57 uses the term DMEPOS supplier number and does not use either name.
Do I need an NPI first?
Yes, in practice. The surety bond must be met for each assigned NPI the supplier is seeking billing privileges for (42 CFR 424.57(d)(1)(i)), so the NPI has to exist before the bond and application.
Does a DME supplier need accreditation to get a PTAN?
Yes, accreditation is required to enroll in and bill Medicare under 42 CFR 424.57(c)(22)(i), and enrollment is what leads to the PTAN.
Can a PTAN be deactivated?
Noridian states a PTAN is deactivated when there is no billing for four consecutive quarters.
Sources
All sources checked 2026-11-01.
- eCFR, 42 CFR 424.57, Special payment rules for items furnished by DMEPOS suppliers (text as of 2026-10-29): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-B/part-424/subpart-D/section-424.57
- Noridian Healthcare Solutions, Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN), JE Part A: https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jea/enrollment/ptan
- Noridian Healthcare Solutions, Enrollment, JA DME: https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jadme/topics/enrollment
- CMS, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES): https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov
