What is a D-U-N-S number? Who needs one, how to get it free, and how it differs from an EIN and a UEI

D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) is the nine-digit identifier Dun & Bradstreet assigns to businesses worldwide, tied to a file in D&B's database: name, address, industry, employee count, payment history and more. It's not a government registration, and no law requires every company to have one, but many platforms and large customers use it to confirm that a company is a real legal entity.

• Not every company needs one: A small business that sells domestically, has no app to publish and no customer asking for it can skip it.
• It's not an EIN: The EIN is your IRS tax number, needed for returns, bank accounts and payroll. A D-U-N-S number is a commercial database ID and doesn't replace it.

The EIN is the IRS tax number every company needs. The D-U-N-S number is Dun & Bradstreet's commercial ID, needed only when a platform or customer asks. The UEI is the federal government's SAM.gov entity ID, needed only for federal contracts and grants. All three are free, but they come from different places and do different jobs.

Description: Each column is one identifier; each row compares one feature.

Feature	D-U-N-S	EIN	UEI (SAM)
Issued by	Dun & Bradstreet, a private company	IRS	SAM.gov (federal government, run by GSA)
Format	9 digits	9 digits (XX-XXXXXXX)	12 letters and numbers
Cost	Free; expediting costs extra	Free	Free
How long	Free: up to 30 business days; expedited: 8 business days; Apple route: usually up to 5 business days	Online: immediately (responsible party needs an SSN or ITIN); fax about 4 business days; mail about 4 weeks	Assigned when you register in SAM.gov; full registration is reviewed and renewed every year
Used for	Apple, Google Play, supplier setups, FDA, business credit	Tax returns, bank accounts, payroll, 1099s	Federal contracts, grants and procurement
Legally required?	No; only when a platform or customer asks	Yes, for corporations, partnerships and any business with employees	Only to apply for federal contracts or grants
Must match	State filing and EIN records	State filing	IRS EIN records (SAM checks name and EIN)

• Get the EIN first, then the D-U-N-S number: D&B and Apple check your legal name, and the name on the IRS confirmation letter (CP 575) is the safest version to use. If you don't have an EIN yet, get that first.
• For federal contracts: Register in SAM.gov for a UEI; no D-U-N-S number is needed. Services that charge to "get your DUNS for government contracting" are selling something you no longer need.

First check D&B's lookup tool to see whether the company already has a number. If not, request one free on D&B's site; it generally takes up to 30 business days. If it's for an Apple Developer account, use the D-U-N-S lookup and request tool on Apple's developer site; Apple says to allow up to 5 business days, and expediting won't make that faster.

Description: Left to right in order; each step shows what to do and what to watch for.

Step	What to do	Watch for
1. Prepare	Have the state formation documents and the IRS EIN confirmation letter in hand	Use the name and address as they appear on those two documents
2. Look up	Search D&B's lookup tool (or Apple's lookup page) by name and address	If a number already exists, don't request another
3. Request	Free request: legal name, address, phone, owner or CEO, legal structure, year started, industry, employee count	Use the legal name, not a DBA; the address should match the state filing
4. Verification	D&B may call or email and ask for registration documents	Watch for the call and email and respond quickly
5. Number issued	Free: up to 30 business days; paid expedite: 8 business days; Apple route: usually up to 5 business days	If two weeks pass with no word, contact D&B
6. Use it	Apple: allow up to 2 business days after issuance for Apple to receive D&B's data; Google Play: payments profile must match D&B	After a name change or move, update the D&B record too

What information do I need?

• The company's legal name, exactly as registered with the state
• The business address (each location gets its own number) and phone
• The name of the owner, president or CEO
• The legal structure (LLC, corporation, partnership) and year started
• The primary industry and the number of full- and part-time employees
• State formation documents and the EIN letter (D&B may ask during verification)

Is the paid expedite worth it?

Only when the deadline is genuinely tight. D&B's paid expedited service generally delivers within eight business days; check D&B's order page for the price. If the number is for an Apple account, Apple says expediting won't shorten its timeline. The number itself is free, and you don't need any credit monitoring or credit-building product to get it.

Use the legal name exactly as it appears on the state formation documents, without changing a letter or a comma. Use the principal office or actual business address on the state record, and keep it the same across your EIN records, bank and platforms. Apple and Google both compare what you enter with D&B's record, and a mismatch stops the process.

• The name has to be identical: "ABC Trading LLC" and "ABC Trading, L.L.C." can look like two different companies to these systems. Use one spelling for D&B, the EIN, Apple and your Google payments profile.
• No DBAs: Apple doesn't accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names or branches for organization enrollment. Use the legal name.
• The address has to be consistent: D&B's address should match the headquarters address you give Apple or Google. If you use a registered agent or virtual office address, make sure every system shows the same one; the type of address can affect verification, and D&B may ask for proof if it does.
• The phone has to work: D&B calls that number to verify.
• The EIN record has to be right too: If the company changed its name or moved, tell the IRS first (see yclcpa.com/changes), then update D&B, so the systems don't disagree.

Yes. D-U-N-S is a global numbering system, and companies in mainland China, Hong Kong and elsewhere have their own numbers. Apple's lookup tool searches companies in many countries; if there's no record, request one through D&B's local office or partner. A company formed in the U.S. applies as a U.S. company, even if the owners live abroad.

• A foreign parent and its U.S. subsidiary have separate numbers: The U.S. LLC or corporation applies under its own legal name and U.S. address, not the parent's number.
• Which number for Apple: The number of the entity that signs Apple's agreements. If your U.S. company is the developer, use its D-U-N-S number.
• Google Play: In regions D&B doesn't serve, you can ask Google for another verification method.
• U.S. company, owners overseas: Make sure the phone and email can receive D&B's verification, and that the address matches the state filing and EIN. For forming a U.S. company and getting the EIN, see yclcpa.com/llc.

Use D&B's lookup tool to confirm the number and record. If something is wrong, request a correction through D&B's free D-U-N-S Profile Manager, or by phone. You first verify that you're an owner, director or officer; D&B reviews the change before updating, and doesn't guarantee it will accept it.

• What you can change: Basic information such as the legal name, address and employee count; you can also upload financial statements and dispute payment experiences.
• How long it takes: D&B's review takes time; Apple says D&B updates can take up to 2 business days to reach Apple.
• Duplicate records: If the company has two numbers (for example, a new one created after a move), use the one with the correct information and ask D&B about the other. Google also notes that large organizations can have several numbers and you should use the one you want linked.
• Apple says you're "not listed as a legal entity": D&B has the wrong legal status or hasn't verified it. Follow Apple's instructions and send D&B complete business registration documents.

First confirm who is asking for the D-U-N-S number and which legal entity it's for, then decide how to request it. The common situations are below.

• Situation A: You're opening an Apple Developer company account. The company must be an LLC, corporation or other legal entity. Use Apple's lookup tool to find or request a number free, using the legal name from the state filing, not a DBA.
• Situation B: You're opening a Google Play organization developer account. Get the D-U-N-S number first, then make sure the organization name and address in your Google payments profile match D&B exactly. It can take up to 30 days, so start early.
• Situation C: A large customer or procurement platform wants your D-U-N-S number. Look for an existing number first, request one free if there isn't one, and enter it in their format with a name that matches your EIN records.
• Situation D: You want federal government contracts. Register in SAM.gov for a UEI; no D-U-N-S number is needed. SAM checks your name against your EIN and requires annual renewal.
• Situation E: The company changed its name or moved. Update the state and the IRS first (see yclcpa.com/changes), then D&B through the D-U-N-S Profile Manager, then Apple, Google and other platforms.