How to Find Psychiatrists by Zip Code
Data sourced from live CMS NPI Registry API v2.1 queries, run June 13, 2026. All provider counts are real API responses, not estimates. Raw query results are available for download. See methodology below.
taxonomy_description=Psychiatry (NUCC 2084P0800X). Three traps proven June 13, 2026: (1) Psychiatrist returns zero — practitioner nouns are not CMS taxonomy strings. (2) Mental Health returns counselors, licensed clinical social workers, and mental health clinics (NPI-2) — not prescribing physicians. (3) The correct Psychiatry query returns neurologists alongside psychiatrists because both specialties share the NUCC parent group "Psychiatry & Neurology" — in Memphis (200 records, June 2026), 75 were psychiatrists and 73 were neurologists in the same capped result. A psychiatric drug rep must filter on primary taxonomy after export to isolate the MD psychiatrist population.
Psychiatry query. In Memphis (200 records): 75 psychiatrists, 73 neurologists, 13 Child Neurology, 5 each of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Neurocritical Care. For a psychiatric drug call list, filter the primary taxonomy column to "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" after export.
Psychiatry in the NPI registry: real counts from 9 markets
We queried the CMS NPI API v2.1 on June 13, 2026 with taxonomy_description=Psychiatry.
Note: counts reflect psychiatrists + neurologists combined due to the shared taxonomy group prefix.
| Market | Query scope | NPI records returned | At 200-record cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Los Angeles, CA | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Chicago, IL | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Houston, TX | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Phoenix, AZ | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Nashville, TN | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Memphis, TN | City filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
| Wyoming (statewide) | State filter | 178 | No (complete) |
| Vermont (statewide) | State filter | 200+ | Yes (more exist) |
Source: CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, taxonomy_description=Psychiatry, limit=200. Queried June 13, 2026. Counts include psychiatrists AND neurologists (shared Psychiatry & Neurology NUCC parent). Wyoming (178) is a complete count; psychiatrists alone represent approximately 52% of that (93 of 178). Confirmed: Psychiatrist → 0 results; Mental Health → 200+ (non-prescriber mix); Clinical Psychologist → 0 (correct string is "Psychologist, Clinical"). Raw dumps: Memphis, Wyoming.
Psychiatry subspecialties and adjacent strings: verified taxonomy data
| Provider type | taxonomy_description value | NUCC code | National June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General psychiatrist (MD/DO) | Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry (returned by Psychiatry query) |
2084P0800X | 200+ most metros (mixed with neurologists in raw count) |
| Child & adolescent psychiatrist | Child & Adolescent Psychiatry |
2084P0802X | 200+ nationally — separate query |
| Addiction psychiatrist | Addiction Psychiatry |
2084A2900X | 200+ nationally — separate query |
| Geriatric psychiatrist | Geriatric Psychiatry |
2084P0804X | 200+ nationally — separate query |
| Forensic psychiatrist | Forensic Psychiatry |
2084F0202X | 200+ nationally — separate query |
| Psychosomatic medicine | Psychosomatic Medicine |
2084P2900X | 200+ nationally — separate query |
| Psychologist (non-prescriber, PhD/PsyD) | Psychologist, Clinical (NOT "Clinical Psychologist") |
103TC0700X | Separate taxonomy; "Clinical Psychologist" → 0 |
| "Psychiatrist" (practitioner noun) | Invalid — returns 0 | None | 0 — not a CMS taxonomy string |
| "Mental Health" (non-prescriber mix) | Returns 200+ counselors, social workers, clinics | Multiple | 200+ — non-prescriber mix, not psychiatrists |
How to search for psychiatrists by zip code (5 steps)
Choose your search method
- NPI registry directly at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov — free, no account, city or state filter only. No radius, no primary-taxonomy filter in the UI.
- getdork Physician Search — same CMS API with zip-radius filtering, correct taxonomy pre-mapped, CSV with primary taxonomy visible. Search psychiatrists by ZIP →
Use Psychiatry — not Psychiatrist, not Mental Health
taxonomy_description=Psychiatry. "Psychiatrist" returns zero. "Mental Health"
returns a non-prescriber mix. The numeric NUCC code 2084P0800X is silently
ignored by the API.
Expect neurologists in the result set
The bare Psychiatry query returns both psychiatrists and neurologists because both share the "Psychiatry & Neurology" NUCC parent. In Memphis: 75 psychiatrists and 73 neurologists in the same 200-record result. For a psychiatric drug call list, filter on primary taxonomy equals "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" after export.
Separate prescribers from non-prescribers
The NPI registry contains many mental health provider types. For psychiatric drug products, your targets are MD/DO psychiatrists only. Non-prescriber mental health providers (counselors, social workers, psychologists in most states) appear in adjacent taxonomy queries but not in the Psychiatry query itself. Check credentials: MD and DO in the credential column confirm prescriber status.
Export to CSV (Pro) and filter on primary taxonomy for psychiatrists only
Pro users export the complete result set. Filter primary taxonomy = "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" to isolate MD psychiatrists. Keep "Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology" records separately if your product also targets neurologists.
Direct API queries
# Psychiatry in Memphis — 200 records (capped; includes neurologists, June 2026) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Psychiatry &city=Memphis &state=TN &limit=200 # WRONG — Psychiatrist returns 0 (practitioner noun, not a taxonomy string) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Psychiatrist &limit=200 # WRONG — Mental Health returns counselors, social workers, and clinics (not MDs) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Mental+Health &limit=200 # Wyoming statewide — 178 records (complete count; 93 psychiatrists + 34 neurologists) https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Psychiatry &state=WY &limit=200 # Child & Adolescent Psychiatry specifically — separate query, 200+ nationally https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/api/? version=2.1 &taxonomy_description=Child+%26+Adolescent+Psychiatry &limit=200
Radius guidance for psychiatry territories
| Market type | Recommended starting radius | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Dense urban (NYC, Chicago, LA, Houston) | 5–15 miles | All cap at 200. Psychiatry is moderately dense in urban markets with academic medical centers and community mental health systems driving NPI registrations. |
| Mid-metro (Memphis, Nashville) | 15–25 miles | Memphis capped at 200. A 25-mile radius covers the metro area and suburban outpatient psychiatry practices. |
| Rural (Wyoming 178 complete) | Statewide or 50+ miles | Wyoming (178 statewide, complete) gives a workable statewide call list. Of 178: approximately 93 psychiatrists and 34 neurologists. Psychiatry is more available in rural states than truly sparse specialties like rheumatology — telehealth expansion has driven NPI registrations in rural markets. |
getdork sends
taxonomy_description=Psychiatry and includes the primary taxonomy
column in the CSV — so you can filter to "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" (MD
prescribers) and separate them from the neurologists in the same result set in seconds.
Free to preview; Pro for the full list and CSV export.
Search psychiatrists by ZIP — free →
Frequently asked questions
Why does a Psychiatry NPI query return neurologists alongside psychiatrists?
The NUCC parent taxonomy group is "Psychiatry & Neurology." Both psychiatrist and neurologist taxonomies start with that string: "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" (2084P0800X) and "Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology" (2084N0400X). The API prefix-matches both on a bare Psychiatry query. In Memphis (200 records): 75 psychiatrists and 73 neurologists in the same result. For psychiatric drug call plans, filter on primary taxonomy after export.
Why does "Psychiatrist" return zero and why does "Mental Health" return the wrong providers?
"Psychiatrist" is a practitioner noun — zero results, confirmed June 13, 2026. "Mental Health" returns counselors, licensed social workers, and mental health clinics (NPI-2) — non-prescribers. The only string that returns prescribing psychiatrists (MD/DO) is "Psychiatry," followed by filtering on primary taxonomy to "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" specifically.
How does the Memphis psychiatry dataset break down by entity type and primary taxonomy?
Memphis (June 2026): 164 NPI-1, 36 NPI-2. Primary taxonomy: 75 Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry; 73 Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology; 13 Child Neurology; 5 Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; 5 Neurocritical Care; 4 each Vascular Neurology and Epilepsy. Credentials: 84 MD, 55 M.D., 6 DO. Wyoming (178 complete): 93 Psychiatry, 34 Neurology as primary.
What is the difference between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist in the NPI registry?
Psychiatrists (MD/DO) are registered under "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry" (2084P0800X) and are prescribers. Psychologists (PhD/PsyD) are in a separate NUCC category: the correct taxonomy string is "Psychologist, Clinical" (not "Clinical Psychologist," which returns zero). Psychologists are non-prescribers in nearly all U.S. states. For psychiatric drug products, target psychiatrists (Psychiatry query, then filter) — not psychologists or counselors.
How do psychiatry subspecialties appear in the NPI registry and which are active?
All major psychiatry subspecialties returned 200+ nationally in June 2026: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Psychosomatic Medicine. Each is a separate queryable taxonomy under the Psychiatry & Neurology NUCC group. They will also appear in a bare Psychiatry query. To isolate only general psychiatrists, filter primary taxonomy to exactly "Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry."
What pharma and device products use a psychiatrist call list?
Psychiatrists are primary prescribers for: atypical antipsychotics (quetiapine, aripiprazole, lurasidone, cariprazine), antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, bupropion, esketamine), mood stabilizers (lithium, valproate, lamotrigine), ADHD medications for adult populations, and long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs). Device reps target psychiatry for TMS equipment and ECT systems. Note: neurologists returned in the same query are targets for neurology products (anti-seizure medications, MS drugs, migraine biologics) and should be segmented separately from psychiatric drug call plans.
Data methodology
All provider counts come from direct queries to the CMS NPI Registry API v2.1, run on
June 13, 2026. We used taxonomy_description=Psychiatry and limit=200.
No authentication required. Confirmed: Psychiatrist → 0; Mental Health
→ 200+ (non-prescriber mix); Clinical Psychologist → 0 (correct string
is "Psychologist, Clinical").
Raw responses: npi-psychiatry-memphis-tn-raw.json, npi-psychiatry-wyoming-raw.json. Collection script: _data/npi-counts-psychiatry.ps1.
Related guides
- How to search the NPI registry (full guide) — complete API reference and the taxonomy_description quirk explained in detail.
- What is an NPI number and what can you look up? — NPI types, fields, and data freshness.
- How to find physicians by specialty and state — state-level NPI searches across specialties.
- How to find neurologists by zip code — shares the Psychiatry & Neurology NUCC group with psychiatrists.
- How to find internal medicine doctors by zip code — another high-volume specialty where the correct string mixes generalists and subspecialists.