Quick answer. Find the doctor’s registration number and council on a prescription or board. Search the NMC Indian Medical Register, then the state medical council’s records. Compare name, number, council, year and qualification. Registration shows a person may practise, and says nothing about skill. Report concerns to the state council.

You want to know that the person treating you, or someone you love, is a registered doctor. That is a fair thing to ask, and you can check it yourself on a phone. This guide walks through each step, explains what the record means, and tells you what to do if the name does not appear. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.

Before you start: find the number and the council

A search goes faster with two details: the registration number and the name of the medical council that issued it. You should be able to find both without asking. The national conduct regulations say every physician must show the registration number in the clinic and on prescriptions, certificates and money receipts (regulation 1.4.1). Not showing it is listed as misconduct (regulation 7.3). The signboard and prescription paper should carry the doctor’s name, qualifications, specialty, and the registration number with the name of the state medical council (regulation 7.13).

So look at a prescription, a test report, a receipt or the board outside the clinic. If the number is missing, you can simply ask the clinic for it. A registered doctor has no reason to mind.

Step by step: the Indian Medical Register

The National Medical Commission (NMC) publishes the Indian Medical Register, which lists doctors of modern medicine (MBBS, MD, MS and so on) registered with the state medical councils. It is free and needs no login.

Open the Indian Medical Register search on the NMC website. Check the address bar says nmc.org.in. Lookalike addresses exist. We saw no charge for this search, so be careful with any page asking for payment.
Pick a way to search. The page offers doctor name, year of registration, registration number, state medical council, and an advanced search that combines them.
If you have the number, use the registration number search and choose the council. This is the most exact route, as a common name can bring up many people.
If you only have a name, try the surname first, then add more. Records can use initials, or spell a name differently from the clinic’s board.
Complete the short security check if one appears, then open the record to see the details.
Compare each field with what you were told, using the table below.
Take a screenshot or note the date. A check tells you what the register said that day.

What each field means

Field	What it tells you	What to look out for
Name	The name the council holds on record.	Small spelling differences and initials are common. A completely different name is worth a question. Some women’s records may show a name from before marriage.
Registration number	The number issued by the council when the doctor was registered.	Always read it together with the council. It should match the number on the prescription or board.
State medical council	Which council holds the registration.	It may not be the state you are in, as doctors move. That alone is not a warning sign, but you can ask the doctor about it.
Year of registration	When the doctor was entered on that register.	A long-standing entry says nothing about skill. A very recent one says nothing against it.
Qualification	The degree or degrees recorded.	Later specialist degrees may not appear. Ask which council holds the specialist qualification, then ask that council.

The NMC page also has a separate Black List Doctor section. It is worth a look if you have a concern. An empty result there does not clear anyone, because the same limits below apply.

State medical councils: the second check

The register is built from the councils’ data, and the NMC page carries the note “This data is being updated”. So a council’s own record can be more current than the national one. NMC publishes a list of state medical councils with addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and websites, though some entries are incomplete.

Find the council named on the prescription or board in the NMC list.
Open its website and look for a search of registered practitioners. Not every council offers one, and each site looks different.
If there is no search, or it does not work, write to the Registrar or call. Give the doctor’s name, the registration number and your reason in a line or two.
Keep a copy of what you sent and the date.

The National Medical Register

You may also hear about a newer list. The National Medical Register portal was launched in August 2024 under section 31 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. Doctors already on the Indian Medical Register have to register again on it, with their state council checking the application, and each receives an NMR ID.

We could not confirm a public name search for this newer register when we checked on 2 November 2026. As doctors have to apply afresh, please do not read a missing NMR ID as a warning on its own. If a doctor gives you one, ask for the state council number too and check that.

Dentists and AYUSH practitioners

Dentists, and practitioners of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy, sit on separate registers. A person will not appear on the Indian Medical Register if they are registered under one of these systems. That is expected, so look in the right place.

Who	Where to check	Worth knowing
Dentists	The National Dental Commission website links to the Indian Dentists Register and to a National Dental Register. You can also contact the state dental council.	The Commission was set up with effect from 19 March 2026. The website still uses its older dciindia.gov.in address.
Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa	The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, or the state board.	If you cannot find a name, ask the state board where the practitioner says they are registered.
Homoeopaths	The National Commission for Homoeopathy, which has a National Register section on its site, or the state board.	We did not find a name search on the site when we checked. Ask the state board.
Any of the above, if enrolled	The ABDM Healthcare Professionals Registry.	Enrolment is a separate step, so absence here does not mean a person is unregistered.

One rule is worth knowing. The NMC conduct regulations say a person with a qualification in another system of medicine is not allowed to practise modern medicine in any form (regulation 1.1.3). If you are unsure which system your practitioner is trained in, ask what their degree is and which council or board registered them.

What a register cannot tell you

A clean record is a good start, and it is only a start. Here is what it does not show:

How good someone is. Registration tells you a person is allowed to practise. It says nothing about skill, results or whether they suit your condition.
Whether the record is current. NMC’s own terms of use say it makes no promise about accuracy or timeliness, and the register page says the data is being updated.
The full disciplinary history. A council may hold information that does not appear on a public search. Ask the council if this matters to you.
Specialist training. A later degree may not be listed. A title on a board is not proof by itself.
Anything about the clinic. A doctor’s registration is separate from the clinic’s own registration or accreditation.

Our how we verify page explains the same limits for the listings on this site, and what a “checked” date means. To work out what kind of doctor you need, try the specialist finder.

If you cannot find the person

Please do not assume the worst straight away. Records have gaps, and many searches fail for simple reasons.

Possible reason	What to try
Spelling, initials or a different form of the name	Search by registration number instead, or by surname alone.
Wrong council chosen	Ask which council issued the number, then search again.
The national list has not caught up	Search the state council’s own register, or write to the Registrar.
A different system of medicine	Check the dental or AYUSH registers above.
Trained or registered abroad	The NMC Act allows temporary registration for a foreign doctor in some cases (section 34). Ask to see the permission and which body gave it.

If it still does not add up, these steps can help:

Ask the clinic, calmly and in writing if you can, for the registration number and council.
Write to the council and ask them to confirm. Give only the details they need.
Avoid starting or continuing a procedure that can wait until you have an answer. Do not stop a prescribed treatment on your own, though. Speak to another registered doctor first.
In an emergency, go straight to the nearest hospital. Checks can wait.
Avoid naming the person online until a council has looked at it. A search that fails is not proof, and a public accusation can cause real harm and legal trouble.

How to report a concern

A registered doctor’s conduct

Complain to the state medical council that holds the registration. The 2002 regulations explain what should happen next:

Any complaint of professional misconduct can be brought before the appropriate council, which holds an enquiry and hears the doctor (regulation 8.2).
A decision is due within 6 months (regulation 8.4).
While a complaint is pending, the council may stop the doctor from performing the procedure or practice under scrutiny (regulation 8.5).
If a council does not decide in 6 months without good reason, the national body may step in (regulation 8.7). The regulations name the Medical Council of India, whose place has since been taken by the National Medical Commission.
Any person aggrieved by a council’s decision may appeal within 60 days, which can be extended by a further 60 days if there was sufficient cause (regulation 8.8).

The NMC Act sets out appeals by doctors in section 30, and it does not spell out a route for complainants. If you are unhappy with a council’s decision, write to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board and ask how to proceed, or take legal advice.

In your complaint, include:

your name and contact details, and the patient’s if different
the doctor’s name, registration number and clinic
what happened, in date order
copies of prescriptions, reports, bills and any letters

Someone practising without registration

Under section 34 of the NMC Act, only a person enrolled in a State or National Register may practise medicine as a qualified medical practitioner. Breaking this can bring up to one year in prison, a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, or both. Tell the state medical council in writing. You can also go to your local police station or the district health office.

A problem with a clinic, bill or service

For a billing or service dispute, the National Consumer Helpline takes calls on 1915. Keep your receipts and any written estimate.

Getting your records

You will need your papers for any complaint or second opinion. Under regulation 1.3, doctors must keep indoor patients’ records for 3 years, and records requested by a patient or authorised attendant must be issued within 72 hours. Ask in writing and keep a copy.

A mistake on this site

If a register shows something different from one of our listings, please tell us and we will re-check it. You can also reach our grievance officer.

Common questions

Is it rude to ask a doctor for their registration number?

No. The rules already require doctors to show it in the clinic and on prescriptions. A simple “could I have your registration number for my records?” is enough.

Does registration mean a doctor is a specialist?

No. It shows the person is registered. Specialist degrees may or may not be listed, so ask which qualification they hold and which council recorded it.

Why does the search show an old address or an old year?

The record reflects what the council supplied, and the NMC page says the data is being updated. For the latest details, ask the state council.

Is there a fee to check?

We saw no charge on the NMC search. Be careful with any site that asks for payment to “verify” a doctor.

Can I check a doctor on this site instead?

Our listings show which register we checked and when. You can start at find a doctor, but the official register remains the record, so please check it for any decision that matters.

Sources

Indian Medical Register search, National Medical Commission, checked 2 Nov 2026.
State medical councils list, National Medical Commission, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, NMC copy, checked 2 Nov 2026.
National Medical Commission Act, 2019, sections 30, 31 and 34, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Terms of use, National Medical Commission, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Press Information Bureau: National Medical Register portal launch, 23 Aug 2024, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Ethics and Medical Registration Board, National Medical Commission, page address confirmed 2 Nov 2026.
National Dental Commission website, checked 2 Nov 2026.
State dental councils and Indian Dentists Register, National Dental Commission, checked 2 Nov 2026.
National Dental Register, link taken from the National Dental Commission website, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Gazette of India notification constituting the National Dental Commission, 19 Mar 2026, checked 2 Nov 2026.
National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, site did not load for our check on 2 Nov 2026.
National Commission for Homoeopathy, checked 2 Nov 2026.
ABDM Healthcare Professionals Registry, the page content did not load for our check on 2 Nov 2026.
National Consumer Helpline, checked 2 Nov 2026.
How we verify doctors, clinics and hospitals, checked 2 Nov 2026.