How does my company get a DUNS number?
ComplianceFormation
Request it free from Dun & Bradstreet at dnb.com. There is no cost, and in most cases the number arrives within 30 business days. A paid expedited request promises it within eight. A DUNS number is D&B's nine-digit identifier for a business, and unlike an EIN no government issues it; it is one company's database key that became a standard because so many others use that database to check on suppliers.
When you need one
The Apple Developer Program requires one for any company or educational institution enrolling as an organization, registered to the legal entity rather than a trade name, and Apple says to allow up to five business days for D&B to issue it and two more for Apple to receive it. Federal contracting has moved to its own identifier, issued through SAM.gov, but many large companies' vendor onboarding forms still ask for a DUNS. Business credit is the other reason: D&B's payment score is built on it, and lenders and suppliers pull that score before extending terms.
What to have ready
The legal name exactly as the state filed it, the business address and phone number, what the business does, the number of employees, and the name of an officer. The name and address have to match the state's record, because Apple and others check the match. Use the company's real address, not the registered agent's.
Do not pay for it
The expedited option is optional, and Apple says outright that expediting does not shorten its own wait. Any other site charging to get you a DUNS number is reselling a free form, the same trade as the paid EIN sites. Only D&B issues the number.
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Written by the lawyers who built Arabella. This is legal information, not legal advice for your situation, and reading it does not make us your lawyers. For a real dispute or a high-stakes decision, talk to a licensed attorney. More questions.