Since October 2021, the administrative circuit for nurses has shifted. The Adeli number, long the only recognized identifier for practice, is being replaced by the RPPS in the French health systems. However, references to the Adeli persist in many forms, billing software, and exchanges with health insurance funds. Understanding what remains valid and what has changed avoids concrete blockages during the installation or renewal of the CPS card.
Civil status data and RPPS blockages: the technical problem that no one details
The majority of online content describes obtaining the Adeli number as a linear formality: submit a file, receive an identifier. The reality on the ground is rougher, especially since the transition to RPPS.
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A recurring difficulty concerns the civil status data transmitted during registration with the National Order of Nurses. An error in the place of birth, a misspelled compound first name, or a missing accent in the RPPS+ system can block the generation of the identifier. These inconsistencies then prevent the activation of the CPS or e-CPS card, without which the electronic transmission of care sheets is impossible.
The reflex to adopt before any registration process: check the exact concordance between the civil status of the diploma and that of the identity document. In case of divergence (different usage name from birth name, missing hyphen), the correction must be made upstream with the Order, not afterward with the ARS.
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Once the file is validated by the Order, the RPPS number is generated automatically. The old circuit, which first went through the ARS, is no longer the normal route for nurses.
You will find information about the nurse Adeli number on Hucky that details the steps of the registration process and the documents to prepare.
Registration with the Order of Nurses: the true starting point for the professional number
The allocation of the number no longer goes through the ARS as a central step for nurses. This is a change in administrative logic that many online guides have not yet integrated. Registration on the roll of the National Order of Nurses now triggers the creation of the profile in the RPPS directory.
Specifically, the registration file with the Order includes:
- The state nursing diploma (or a certificate of success for recent graduates), accompanied by a valid identity document
- A criminal record extract (bulletin no. 3) dated less than three months ago, sometimes requested depending on the departmental council
- The completed registration form, available on the National Order of Nurses’ website, along with the payment of the annual fee
Once the file is validated by the departmental council of the Order, the eleven-digit RPPS number is automatically assigned. This number is national and permanent: it follows the professional throughout their career, regardless of the mode of practice (liberal, salaried, mixed) or the department of activity.
The old Adeli number, composed of nine digits and linked to the department, could change in the event of professional relocation. The RPPS removes this constraint. However, field feedback varies on the timelines: some nurses receive their number within a few days, while others wait several weeks depending on the workload of the departmental council.
CPS card, health directory, and e-CPS: where to verify your professional identifier
The correct verification reflex is no longer to “search for your Adeli.” The verification of professional identity goes through three official digital tools: the health directory (annuaire.sante.fr), the CPS or e-CPS card, and the RPPS space accessible via the Order’s portal.
Health directory and RPPS+ portal
The health directory, managed by the Digital Agency for Health, allows any professional to find their RPPS number by searching their name. It is also the tool that patients, establishments, and CPAM use to verify that a nurse is indeed authorized to practice. If your profile does not appear or contains an error, it is a signal of a problem in your registration file.
The RPPS+ portal, also operated by the Digital Agency for Health, centralizes the management of professional identity data. This is where civil status errors that block the identification chain are corrected.
CPS card and e-CPS application
The physical CPS card clearly displays the RPPS number. For liberal nurses, it remains the main support for electronic transmission. The e-CPS application on smartphones offers a dematerialized alternative, useful for accessing MSSanté or e-prescription without a card reader.
Without a valid RPPS number, neither the CPS card nor the e-CPS can be activated. This is why a blockage upstream (civil status error, incomplete registration with the Order) has cascading consequences on billing and access to digital health services.
Nurse Adeli number: what remains valid and what no longer is
Adeli cards for nurses ended on December 31, 2023, according to the Digital Agency for Health. The Adeli number is no longer issued to nurses registering for the first time. For those who had one, the old Adeli number remains consultable in certain databases but no longer has operational value for electronic transmission or identification with the CPAM.
Some practice management software continues to display a “Adeli number” field. This creates legitimate confusion, especially for nurses who have been established for a long time and have never had to worry about the RPPS. The concrete risk: entering an old Adeli where the system expects an RPPS, which causes electronic transmission rejections.
For professions that are not yet under a professional order (psychologists, dietitians, occupational therapists), the Adeli remains the reference directory. The transition to RPPS is happening profession by profession, without a uniform calendar known to date.
A nurse who changes departments or modes of practice no longer has any Adeli procedures to carry out. Only updating the file with the Order is necessary, with the RPPS updating accordingly. This simplification is real, provided that the identity data is correct from the start.