--- title: "Get a DUNS number" description: "The DUNS number is free, and D&B quotes up to 30 business days. When your US LLC needs one, how the application works and what it does for business credit." url: "https://benefitsystems.io/en/services/get-duns-number" published: "2 June 2026" reviewed: "6 October 2026" type: "Service page" --- # Get a DUNS number **Short answer.** The DUNS number is a nine-digit identifier under which Dun & Bradstreet lists your company. The [EIN](/en/glossary/employer-identification-number) identifies the company to the tax authority, the DUNS number to suppliers, platforms and lenders. The application is free, and Dun & Bradstreet quotes up to 30 business days. The company only builds a credit history once suppliers and lenders report to Dun & Bradstreet. ## Key points - The DUNS number concerns the creditworthiness of the company, not your personal creditworthiness. - The application is free. For a fee, Dun & Bradstreet processes it faster, and the number stays the same. - Business credit only arises when suppliers and lenders report. The number alone achieves nothing. - Suppliers, Apple and Google ask for it. US federal contracts have used a different identifier since 2022. - For business credit cards, banks as a rule also look at your personal history. ## A European company, Apple or Google: you don't need us for that Dun & Bradstreet also issues the number to companies outside the US, and its [application page](https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/duns/get-a-duns.html) has a separate option for international businesses. A GmbH, a Ltd or any other European company can apply free of charge without a service provider. Before applying, run the [free lookup](https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/duns/duns-lookup.html), because some companies already have a number. A second application for the same company creates a duplicate record. Apple requires the number from organizations in the Developer Program. Google requires it for organization accounts in the Play Console and for advertiser verification. Our support only covers US companies where the number is part of the business setup. ## What the DUNS number is needed for In the setup, the DUNS number comes late, after the company, EIN, account and first business card. It is the file into which supplier and lender reports later flow, kept apart from your [personal credit history](/en/knowledge/how-us-credit-reports-work). How the two files sit side by side, and who is liable for what, is covered in [Business credit and personal credit](/en/knowledge/business-vs-personal-credit). - Supplier accounts with payment terms instead of payment in advance - Credit lines in the name of the company - An organization developer account with Apple or Google - Advertiser verification with Google - Credit reports for business partners who check the company before signing ## EIN, DUNS and ITIN compared Three identifiers that are regularly confused, plus a fourth one for US federal contracts. | Identifier | Belongs to | Needed for | |---|---|---| | ITIN | you as an individual | personal account, personal cards, personal credit score | | EIN | your company | business account, business cards, tax filings | | DUNS | your company | business credit, supplier accounts, Apple, Google, credit reports | | UEI | your company | US federal contracts and grants, issued through SAM.gov | *How the identifiers fit into the setup.* ## What Dun & Bradstreet asks for The application form asks for eight details. The EIN is not one of them. We still file only once the company and EIN are in place, because name, address and legal form are settled by then and stop shifting. - Legal name of the company, exactly as in the formation documents - Business address. Each location gets its own number - Business phone number - Name of the owner or managing officer - Legal structure - Year the company was formed - Primary industry - Number of full-time and part-time employees ## Step-by-step process 1. **Look for an existing number.** The Dun & Bradstreet lookup is free and prevents a duplicate record. 2. **Define the master data.** Name, address, phone number and industry must match the formation documents exactly. 3. **Submit the application.** The free route takes longer than the expedited one. Both lead to the same number. 4. **Answer follow-up queries.** Dun & Bradstreet may get in touch to validate the details, so the phone number given has to be reachable. 5. **Check the entry.** Once the number is issued, we review the record. Errors in it resurface in every later credit report. 6. **Build reporting accounts.** Only suppliers and lenders that report to Dun & Bradstreet create a history. The order in which such accounts come together from Europe is set out in [US business credit from abroad](/en/knowledge/us-business-credit-from-abroad). ## Costs and timeline | Item | Cost | Timeline | |---|---|---| | Application via the free route | $0 | up to 30 business days | | Expedited application with Dun & Bradstreet | fee set by Dun & Bradstreet | up to eight business days | *Figures from Dun & Bradstreet, retrieved on 6 October 2026.* ## What Paydex is and when it appears Paydex is the payment score of Dun & Bradstreet, a [credit bureau](/en/glossary/credit-bureau) for companies. It runs from 1 to 100, and a higher value means more punctual payment. Large invoices weigh more than small ones. It is calculated from payment experiences that suppliers report to Dun & Bradstreet. Without reports there is no score, and the DUNS number stays an empty file. Whether a supplier reports is worth asking before you sign. ## When it is not worth it - You run a European company and only need the number for Apple, Google or a supplier. You can file the free application yourself. - You do not plan any supplier accounts with payment terms. Without reporting accounts the file stays empty and the number does nothing. - Your only goal is a business credit card. There the bank mainly looks at your personal history and your [personal guarantee](/en/glossary/personal-guarantee). - You want to bid on US federal contracts. Those use the Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov. - The company serves a single project that will not continue. ## Common mistakes - Inconsistent spellings of the company name. This creates duplicate entries that are hard to merge later. - Applying without first looking for an existing number. - Giving the registered agent's address as the business address. It exists for official mail, and if it changes later, record and documents no longer match. - Expecting the number alone to create creditworthiness. Without reporting accounts, the file stays empty. - Entering a trade name for Apple. Apple only accepts the number of the legal entity. > **Limits of this information** > > Terms, processing times and rules of banks and authorities change, sometimes without notice. All information carries a review date and is checked again before every application. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does the DUNS number cost anything? No. The application with Dun & Bradstreet is free. For a fee, Dun & Bradstreet offers an expedited route that only shortens the processing time. ### How long does it take to get a DUNS number? Dun & Bradstreet quotes up to 30 business days for the free application and up to eight for the expedited one. Requested through Apple's lookup, the number arrives within up to five business days according to Apple. Apple then needs up to two business days to receive the data. ### Does my European company need a service provider for the DUNS number? No. Dun & Bradstreet also issues the number to companies outside the US, and the application is free. Run the free lookup first, because some companies already have a number. Our support only covers US companies where the number is part of building business credit. ### Might my company already have a DUNS number? Possibly. That is why Dun & Bradstreet and Apple both offer a lookup before you apply, and the one at Dun & Bradstreet is free. A second application for the same company creates a duplicate record that can distort later credit reports. ### Do I need it for business credit cards? Not necessarily. For business cards, banks as a rule also look at your personal history. What such an inquiry leaves in your personal file is explained in [Hard pull vs soft pull](/en/knowledge/hard-pull-vs-soft-pull). The DUNS number matters mainly for suppliers and credit lines. ### What is the Paydex score? Paydex is Dun & Bradstreet's payment score on a scale of 1 to 100. Large invoices weigh more than small ones, and it is based on payment experiences that suppliers report to Dun & Bradstreet. As long as nobody reports, there is no score. The DUNS number is only the file those reports flow into. ### Do I need a DUNS number for US government tenders? Not for US federal contracts and grants any more. Since 4 April 2022, SAM.gov has used the Unique Entity ID, which SAM.gov issues itself. Suppliers and private buyers still use the DUNS number to check and onboard a company. ### What does the paid expedited route get me? Only time. Dun & Bradstreet quotes up to eight business days instead of up to 30. The number and the record are the same as on the free route, and the expedited route does nothing for creditworthiness. ### Does my US LLC need a DUNS number for an Apple developer account? Yes, if it enrolls as an organization. Apple requires a DUNS number registered to the legal entity, while individuals need none. Apple does not accept trade names, DBAs or branches. Name and address in the Dun & Bradstreet record therefore have to match the formation documents exactly. ### How long does it take for business credit to build up? That depends on how many accounts report and how long they have been open. We do not promise a point in time. ## Sources - Dun & Bradstreet: [Get a D-U-N-S Number](https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/duns/get-a-duns.html), cost, application details, processing time and expedited route, retrieved on 6 October 2026. - Dun & Bradstreet: [D-U-N-S Number Lookup](https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/duns/duns-lookup.html), free search, retrieved on 29 September 2026. - Dun & Bradstreet: [What is a Paydex Score](https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/resources/credit-scores/what-is-paydex-score.html), retrieved on 29 September 2026. - Apple Developer: [D-U-N-S Number](https://developer.apple.com/help/account/membership/D-U-N-S/), requirement for organizations and processing times, retrieved on 29 September 2026. - Google Play Console Help: [D-U-N-S number for organization accounts](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/13628312), retrieved on 29 September 2026. - Google Ads Help: [Advertiser verification](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/13650402), retrieved on 29 September 2026. - GSA: [Switch to the Unique Entity ID on 4 April 2022](https://www.gsa.gov/about-gsa/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-systems-switch-to-unique-entity-id-sam-on-april-4-2022-03162022), retrieved on 29 September 2026. - Our own experience from applications we have supported.