What is a DUNS number?

The Data Universal Numbering System number, known as the DUNS number, is a nine-digit business identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), an American company active in business intelligence with a widespread global presence. According to D&B, hundreds of millions of businesses around the globe currently have DUNS numbers.

The DUNS number verifies that a business entity is legally registered and unique from any other entity in the D&B database. A DUNS Number is not a requirement for doing business, but it is widely accepted as an identifier by different agencies within the U.S. government. According to the D&B, creditors and suppliers can also use the DUNS number to check their business’s credibility.

The DUNS number differs from a tax ID (an EIN in the U.S.). Governments mainly issue tax IDs for tax purposes, while D&B issues a DUNS number primarily for business identification.

Key Points Before Applying for a DUNS:

DUNS numbers are location-specific, meaning each site within a single company will be assigned a unique DUNS number. The DUNS numbers for different locations cannot be used interchangeably.
The U.S. FDA requires a valid DUNS number -also known as a Unique Facility Identifier or UFI- during registration and renewal of FDA-registered facilities. For registration purposes, it is vitally important that your DUNS record address 100% matches your registering company address; otherwise, FDA system errors will be created.
When applying for a DUNS number for FDA registration, you must have a valid physical address, partucularly for the OTC drug registration, and obtain a labeler code procedure. A company address based on a virtual address, including a mailbox address, is unacceptable.
All companies can obtain the DUNS number free of charge if a 30-day wait time is acceptable; otherwise, applicants can apply for expedited service by contacting D&B expedited service.
D&B investigates a company and its ownership structure to eliminate duplication and validates company registration data at a universal level.

How to obtain a DUNS number?

There are two main ways to obtain a DUNS number. Firstly, for purposes of interacting with the U.S. government, such as FDA registration, you can apply for the DUNS directly through the D&B Import Safety Portal. You can create an account on the Import Safety Portal by following their guidelines or video instructions. After that, you can access and update a company’s DUNS records or request a new DUNS number for your firm.

Before you start a new DUNS application, please ensure your company still needs to get a DUNS number by checking the portal look-up option. To apply for a new DUNS, you will be asked to submit the following information:

The legal name of your business and year of creation
The legal structure of the business (e.g., LLC or Corp.)
The business address and business phone number
The name of the business owner
The primary business industry
The total number of employees

A company can obtain its own DUNS Number from D&B at no charge. The standard turnaround time to update or request a new DUNS number is 30 minutes or less (generally 7-14 days in most cases). The Import Safety Portal users can submit their questions directly via email at [email protected].

The second and more convenient approach is to obtain the DUNS through the D&B regional office or worldwide partner agency, the details of which are listed on the official D&B website. U.S. and Canadian-based companies can look up their DUNS number, update their record, or request a new number on the D&B main page or by contacting the phone number on their website.

Usually, the number will be issued within 30 business days or less. However, you can speed up the process and receive your number more quickly by paying a small fee (229 USD as of 2024). As a rule, the D&B look-up tool (only for the U.S. and Canada) is recommended to ensure your company still needs a DUNS before starting the registration process.

If you are a foreign company (outside the U.S. and Canada) and wish to obtain the DUNS for your newly established firm or update your current record. In that case, you can contact the D&B regional office or worldwide partner directly.

As a side note, if you do not hear back after the initial inquiry, be persistent and follow up after a couple of days. The D&B global partners generally offer the free DUNS version, yet they may have different fee structures for expedited service. The benefit of working with the D&B regional office or partner is that you can communicate directly with them and submit the necessary business documents when required.

Service Details & Fees