What a DUNS number is
DUNS (D-U-N-S Number) is a unique nine-digit business identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. In effect it is a "passport" for your company in the business world: banks, suppliers, marketplaces and partners recognize you by it.
The key difference from the owner's personal data is that the DUNS belongs to the company itself. It is tied to the business, not the person, which is exactly why a separate business credit history is built on it — one that is not mixed with the founder's personal credit.
The number is free and does not "solve" anything on its own — it simply opens the door wherever a D&B identifier is required as a ticket in. And there are more such places than you would think.
Why you need it: real scenarios
People rarely get a DUNS "just in case." There is usually a specific task behind it. Here are the most common ones.
Business credit. Dun & Bradstreet maintains a business credit profile and a payment score. For a company to build its own credit history — separately from the owner — it needs a DUNS. For a new company this is the foundation: without it, there is simply nowhere to accumulate business credit.
Programs where a DUNS is required. The classic example is the Apple Developer Program: for an organization developer account, Apple requires a DUNS number. The same applies to organization accounts on other platforms and app stores.
Suppliers and large counterparties. Big companies often check you against the D&B database during supplier onboarding and ask for the identifier. No DUNS — and supplier registration stalls.
Tenders, grants, industry requirements. Some programs, grants and certain industry registries (for example, registration of food producers) use the DUNS as an identifier. It is best to confirm the requirement in advance — in some places it is still needed, in others it has already been replaced.
Important: federal contracts now use the UEI, not DUNS
This is the main confusion of recent years. The DUNS used to be required to work with the US government (federal procurement and grants). That changed: since April 4, 2022, SAM.gov uses its own identifier — the Unique Entity ID (UEI), twelve characters — and the DUNS is no longer used there.
The takeaway is simple: if the task is federal contracts or grants, you need a UEI in SAM.gov, not a DUNS. But that does not mean the DUNS was "cancelled." For business credit, working with vendors and programs such as the Apple Developer Program it is still needed. These are two different identifiers for two different jobs — and they get confused constantly.
A short rule. US government (SAM.gov) → UEI. Business credit, vendors, Apple / app stores, private counterparties → DUNS. Before you apply, it is worth understanding exactly what is being asked of you.
Who should get one right away
There are situations where it is better to get a DUNS ahead of time, rather than waiting until it is needed "yesterday."
A new company that will build business credit. The sooner the DUNS and the first records with suppliers appear, the sooner the company's credit history starts to build. So it makes sense to get a DUNS right at the start of the company, while gathering its documents.
Developers and sellers. If an Apple organization account or an organization account on another platform is ahead, the DUNS will be needed at the registration stage — and it is better to already have it.
Those a counterparty is asking. If a large client or supplier has explicitly requested a DUNS, there is no point in waiting: without it they will not add you to their system.
What you need to apply
A basic set of company data is collected for a DUNS application:
- a description of the business — what the company does;
- a US phone number, if any;
- the company website, if any;
- a business email;
- the number of employees.
The set is simple, but the details matter: the data must match how the company is registered, otherwise discrepancies appear in the D&B profile that later get in the way of the credit profile.
How long it takes and what it costs
Dun & Bradstreet assigns the number itself for free. By the standard process it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on D&B's checks. Expedited issuance from D&B is a paid option.
For a company with a foreign owner the process is usually slower. Without a US phone and website there are more clarifications, and any inaccuracy in the data pushes the issuance back. So here it is not the speed of one button that matters, but a carefully completed application the first time — and that is exactly the part convenient to hand over to us.
Not sure whether you need a DUNS or a UEI — and when? → let's sort it out on a consultation
We'll look at your task — credit, Apple, a vendor, a grant — and tell you which identifier you actually need, file the application and see it through to the number.
Where people usually trip up
The mistakes around a DUNS are repetitive. People confuse the DUNS and the UEI — and register in the wrong place. They get a DUNS "for government contracts," even though that has long been the UEI. They end up with several DUNS numbers for one company because of repeat applications — and then deal with duplicates. Or they enter data that does not match the company's registration, which leaves the D&B credit profile "patchy."
A separate trap is an abandoned profile. The DUNS is obtained, but the company is never "listed" with suppliers and no payment history is built — so the number exists, yet there is still no business credit on it. A DUNS does not create credit by itself; it only opens the ability to build it.
The bottom line
A DUNS number is a business identifier from Dun & Bradstreet that underpins business credit, working with vendors and access to programs such as the Apple Developer Program. For federal contracts it is no longer needed — that is the UEI. The main thing is not to confuse the task and to get the right identifier, with correct data and no duplicates.
The number itself is free, but it only delivers value with a careful application and ongoing work on the credit profile. That is where a company's business reputation in numbers begins.
Frequently asked questions
What is a DUNS number and why do I need one?
A DUNS is a unique nine-digit business identifier from Dun & Bradstreet. You need it to build business credit history separately from the owner, pass counterparty checks and register with programs and suppliers that require the number.
Is a DUNS number needed for US government contracts?
Not anymore. Since April 4, 2022, US federal procurement and grants in SAM.gov use the Unique Entity ID (UEI), not the DUNS. The DUNS is still needed for business credit, working with vendors and programs such as the Apple Developer Program.
Is a DUNS number free?
Dun & Bradstreet issues the number itself for free. The standard process can take up to several weeks; expedited issuance from D&B is a paid option. No law requires a company to have a DUNS, but it is often required in practice.
Can a foreign-owned company get a DUNS number?
Yes. A US company gets a DUNS regardless of the owner nationality. In practice the process is slower for a non-resident: without a US phone and website there are more clarifications, and errors in the data delay issuance.
We'll get your DUNS number for you
We'll determine what you actually need — a DUNS or a UEI — gather and carefully file the application with the right data, and see it through to the number. No duplicates and no redos, including for companies with a foreign owner.
Sources
- Dun & Bradstreet — purpose and how to get a D-U-N-S Number; issued free of charge; not required by law.
- GSA / SAM.gov — US federal procurement and grants moved to the Unique Entity ID (UEI) on April 4, 2022, replacing the DUNS.
- Apple Developer Program — DUNS number requirement for an organization account.