DUNS Number: What It Is, What It Costs, and Whether Your LLC Needs One

A DUNS number is a free nine-digit ID that Dun & Bradstreet assigns to a business. No law requires one, and you are almost certainly here because somebody asked you for it: a supplier portal, a developer program, or a grant form that will not move until you fill in that field.

The short version: applying costs nothing, the standard wait is up to 30 business days, and D&B sells a faster path for $229. It is not an EIN, and since April 2022 it is no longer what the federal government uses. Below: who asks for one, how it compares to an EIN and a UEI, how to apply, what it costs, and where it fits for an LLC.

Key Takeaways

• Applying is free and voluntary, and Dun & Bradstreet issues it, not a government agency.
• Standard processing takes up to 30 business days. Expedited service costs $229 and delivers within eight business days.
• It is not an EIN. The IRS issues EINs, and many businesses are legally required to have one.
• The federal government stopped using DUNS numbers on April 4, 2022 and now issues its own Unique Entity ID.
• Once issued, it never expires and costs nothing to keep.

What Is a DUNS Number?

A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identifier that Dun & Bradstreet assigns to a business location. It is free, it is voluntary, and no law requires you to have one. Vendors, suppliers and lenders use it to pull your business credit file before they agree to work with you.

DUNS stands for Data Universal Numbering System, and D&B has run it since 1962. You will see the same nine digits called a DNB number or a D&B DUNS number. The identifier is only a label. What gives it weight is the file behind it, the record other companies pull to see whether your business pays its bills.

Who Actually Asks You for a DUNS Number?

Nobody is legally required to have one, so the request almost always comes from a counterparty. The common ones are supplier and vendor onboarding, the Apple and Google developer programs, FDA food facility registration, and some state and local grant programs. If someone asked you for it, that request is your reason.

D&B's own application confirms two of those: it runs dedicated paths for Apple and Google developers, because both ask before approving a publisher account.

The FDA case usually gets flattened, so here it is precisely. The agency requires a Unique Facility Identifier on food facility registrations and recognizes these nine digits as an acceptable UFI. The UFI is the requirement and this is one accepted way to satisfy it, which is why D&B runs a separate FDA DUNS number path.

DUNS Number vs EIN vs UEI: What Changed in 2022

These three get mixed up constantly.

The EIN is the one with legal weight: the IRS issues it, businesses with employees are required to have one, and you use it to file returns, run payroll and open a business bank account. If you are unsure about yours, does an LLC need an EIN covers it.

The UEI is the newer piece. Until April 4, 2022, the federal government used D&B's identifier for contracts and grants. Then it stopped. The UEI number replaced it: a 12-character alphanumeric code issued by SAM.gov rather than by a private company, and getting one without a full registration takes only your legal business name and physical address. Plenty of guidance still has this wrong, including government pages never updated since.

How to Get a DUNS Number

Check the Dun & Bradstreet lookup tool first, because D&B may have already created one for you. If not, apply free on D&B's site: pick your business type, submit your legal name, address, structure, formation year, industry and headcount, then wait for validation and an email.

1. Search the lookup tool. D&B may already have opened a file if a supplier or bank asked about your company. Applying again just creates confusion.
2. Pick your application path. D&B offers five: a US-based business, a Canada-based business, an Apple developer, a Google developer, and a UFI for FDA registration.
3. Fill in your details. The DUNS number application is free and asks for your legal name, address, phone, the owner's name, legal structure, start year, industry and headcount.
4. Watch for a validation call, then your email. A representative may contact you to confirm details, and the number arrives by email once authenticated.

The number is tied to a physical location, so a business with multiple locations applies separately for each. Once issued it never expires and costs nothing to maintain, even if the business closes or is sold.

One detail commercial guides leave out: per USDA guidance, applying puts your business on a D&B marketing list sold to other companies. You can decline.

How Much Does a DUNS Number Cost and How Long Does It Take?

Getting one is free. Standard processing takes up to 30 business days, which is roughly six calendar weeks. If you need it sooner, D&B sells expedited service through DUNSFile for $229 and delivers within eight business days. There is no renewal fee and no charge to maintain it afterward.

That "business days" detail matters more than it might seem: guides that write "30 days" understate the real wait by about two calendar weeks.

So when is $229 worth paying? It buys a committed date, not speed you are guaranteed to need. If you need to know how to get a DUNS number fast because a supplier deadline, grant cut-off or developer submission falls inside that window, the paid path is the only one carrying a date. Without a deadline, the free route costs nothing but patience. For comparison, most owners spend less than that forming the business itself, and our guide to LLC cost breaks down where the money goes.

Does Your LLC Need a DUNS Number?

An LLC does not need one to operate, and most owners only apply because a customer or program asked. If you are getting one, form the LLC and get the EIN first. That way Dun & Bradstreet builds the credit file under your business name instead of your personal name.

A DUNS number for LLC owners works exactly as it does for a sole proprietor, and D&B does not require a formal entity at all. The order matters for practical reasons rather than legal ones: the file attaches to whatever identity you give it. Apply as yourself before the LLC exists and the history accumulates under your own name, which is the opposite of why most owners form one.

So the sequence that causes the least cleanup later is: form the LLC, apply for the EIN, open the business bank account, then add the identifier when somebody asks. Not formed anything yet? Do I need an LLC is the better starting point, and how to start an LLC covers the filing.

Ready to file? Form your LLC with FormationHub and get the paperwork moving this week.

Where Do I Find My DUNS Number?

Use the free Dun & Bradstreet lookup tool and search your business name and address. The same tool works for checking another company before you offer it terms. If a supplier or bank ever requested your details, D&B may have assigned one without telling you.

The DUNS number lookup is public and searches on company name, address or phone. That cuts both ways: you can vet a new customer or supplier the same way they vet you.

What It Does for Business Credit

The identifier opens a file. It does not fill it.

So what is a Dun and Bradstreet report? It is the record behind those nine digits: your payment history as reported by suppliers and lenders, plus public filings like liens and judgments. Buyers pull it before offering terms.

What gets oversold is the next part. Holding it builds no credit history on its own. History appears only when vendors who report to Dun & Bradstreet send in your payment behavior, and plenty of accounts never get reported. It is a prerequisite, not a result.

Disclaimer: FormationHub is not a law firm or an accounting firm, and this article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Filing fees, processing times, and state requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with your state's filing office or the IRS before you file, and talk to a licensed attorney or CPA about your specific situation.

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