# Test ERAs now support professional claims without an NPI

> Stedi's test claims workflow now returns a test ERA for professional claims that don't have a billing provider NPI. Use the tax ID and state license instead.

Published May 22, 2026

Product: ERAs & transaction enrollment

Stedi's [test claims workflow](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/test-claims-workflow#workflow-2-generate-a-test-era) now returns a test Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) for [professional claims](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-professional-claims) without the billing provider’s [National Provider Identifier (NPI)](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/national-provider-identifier).

The test claims workflow lets you submit a test claim to the [Stedi Test Payer](https://www.stedi.com/healthcare/network?search=StediTest&entry=FRCPB) and get a test ERA in response. You can use the workflow to do end-to-end validation and build integration tests.

Atypical providers – providers without an NPI – sometimes submit professional claims using a commercial number or location number.

Previously, the test claims workflow required the billing provider’s NPI in the submitted claim to generate and return a test ERA. Now, the test ERA uses the billing provider's tax ID instead.

## Submitting the test claim

To generate a test ERA without the billing provider’s NPI, include the billing provider’s tax ID and a state license number when submitting the test [professional claim](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-professional-claims) to the [Stedi Test Payer](https://www.stedi.com/healthcare/network?search=StediTest&entry=FRCPB).

| **Field**            | [**837P Claims Submission JSON API**](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-claims) **field**                | **X12 element**                                                                                             |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Tax ID               | [`billing.employerId`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-claims#body.billing.employerId)                 | `REF02` of Loop `2010AA` (Billing Provider Name), where `REF01` = `”EI”` (Employer's Identification Number) |
| State license number | [`billing.stateLicenseNumber`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-claims#body.billing.stateLicenseNumber) | `REF02` of Loop `2010AA` (Billing Provider Name), where `REF01` = `”0B”` (State License Number)             |

## Receiving the test ERA

The test ERA identifies the payee by tax ID and returns the state license number from the original claim.

| **Field**            | [**835 ERA Report API**](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/get-healthcare-reports-835) **field**                                                                              | **X12 element**                                                                               |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Tax ID               | [`payee.federalTaxPayersIdentificationNumber`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/get-healthcare-reports-835#response.transactions.payee.federalTaxPayersIdentificationNumber) | `N104` of Loop `1000B` (Payee Identification), where `N103` = `”FI”` (Federal Tax ID)         |
| State license number | [`transactions[].payee.stateLicenseNumber`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/get-healthcare-reports-835#response.transactions.payee.stateLicenseNumber)                      | `REF02` of Loop `1000B` (Payee Identification), where `REF01` = `”0B”` (State License Number) |

For example, an ERA retrieved using the [835 ERA Report endpoint](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/get-healthcare-reports-835):

```jsonc
{
  "transactions": [
    {
      "payee": {
        "name": "Test Provider",
        "taxId": "123456789", // Billing provider's tax ID
        "stateLicenseNumber": "LIC987654", // Billing provider's state license, if submitted
        ...
      },
      ...
    }
  ]
}
```

For more information, see our [Test claims workflow docs](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/test-claims-workflow#workflow-2-generate-a-test-era).