How to Apply for a D-U-N-S Number

Contents

1. What is a D-U-N-S Number?
2. Prerequisites — Documents to Prepare
3. Go to the D&B Application Portal
4. Select Your Request Type
5. Search for an Existing D-U-N-S
6. Fill Out the Application Form
7. Attach Supporting Documents
8. Add Notes & Submit
9. What Happens Next?
10. Troubleshooting: Common Rejection Reasons
11. Using Your D-U-N-S for Apple Developer Enrollment

1. What is a D-U-N-S Number?

A D-U-N-S Number (Data Universal Numbering System) is a unique 9-digit business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). It is used globally to identify and verify businesses for purposes such as:

• Enrolling in the Apple Developer Program as an organization
• Applying for government contracts and grants
• Establishing business credit profiles
• Vendor and supplier registration

💡 Apple requires a D-U-N-S Number to verify your organization's legal identity before issuing an Apple Developer team account. Individual accounts do not need one.

2. Prerequisites — Documents to Prepare

Before starting the application, gather the following information and documents:

Item	Description
Business Name	Full legal name exactly as registered
Registration Number	Tax ID or company registration number
Business Address	Full address including postal code and country
Phone Number	International format: +[country code][number]
CEO / Owner Info	Full legal name and title (e.g., Owner, CEO)
Website	Company website URL (if available)
Date Founded	Official business establishment date
Employee Count	Total headcount including yourself
Registration Certificate	English version — PDF format preferred

⚠️ Non-English documents must be translated. Check your country's official tax authority or business registration portal — many offer an official English-language certificate export option directly.

3. Go to the D&B Application Portal

Navigate to the appropriate portal based on your use case:

Apple Developer Program

👉 https://support.dnb.com/?CUST=APPLEDEV

Use this URL if you are applying specifically to enroll in the Apple Developer Program as an organization.

General D-U-N-S Application

👉 https://www.dnb.com/duns-number/get-a-duns.html

Use this for general business registration, government contracts, or other purposes.

4. Select Your Request Type

On the Apple Developer D&B portal, you will be asked two questions:

Step 4a

Under "What are you?" → select Developer Program

Step 4b

Under "What do you need?" → select Create New DUNS

5. Search for an Existing D-U-N-S

The portal checks whether your business already has a D-U-N-S number before creating a new one.

Step 5a

Enter your business name and full address in the search fields.

Step 5b

Click "Lookup by Name / Address".

Step 5c — Expected Result

For new businesses: you will see "No Match found" — this is completely normal and expected.

Step 5d

Click "click here to submit a request to create a new D-U-N-S" to open the full application form.

✅ If a match is found, your business already has a D-U-N-S. You can claim or update it instead of creating a new one — contact D&B support directly.

6. Fill Out the Application Form

Complete all fields in the Create D-U-N-S Number form. All fields must exactly match your official registration documents.

Field	What to Enter
Full Legal Business Name	Exact name as on registration documents
Business Registration Number	Your tax ID / company ID number
Company Phone	International format (e.g., +358501234567)
Street Address	Full street address
City	City name
State / Province	State or province (if applicable)
Postal Code	ZIP / postal code
Country	Your country
Business Structure	e.g., Sole Proprietorship, LLC, Corporation
CEO / Owner Name	Full legal name
CEO / Owner Title	e.g., Owner, CEO, Director
Website	Company website URL
Home-Based Business	Yes / No
Number of Employees	Total headcount (including yourself)
Date Founded	Official establishment date (MM/DD/YYYY)

⚠️ Exact match required. The business name, address, and registration number must match your official documents precisely. Even minor differences (abbreviations, punctuation) can cause rejection.

Click "Next" to advance to the document attachment page.

7. Attach Supporting Documents

Upload a document to verify your business registration. This is required — submissions without a document attachment are typically rejected.

Accepted Documents

✅ English Business Registration Certificate (strongly preferred)

✅ Official government-issued business license

✅ Any official document showing your business name, registration number, and address

📄 PDF format is recommended. File size is typically not an issue, but keep it under 5MB to be safe. Make sure the document is clearly legible and all key information is visible.

8. Add Notes & Submit

There is usually a free-text Additional Details / Notes field. Always fill this in — it helps the D&B reviewer understand your submission and can speed up approval.

Example — First-time application

Sample note text

This is a new D-U-N-S number request for [Your Business Name], a sole proprietorship registered in [Country] since [Year]. Business is engaged in [industry, e.g. software development]. English Business Registration Certificate is attached.

Example — Resubmission after rejection

Sample note text

Resubmitting after previous rejection (Case #XXXXXXXX) which was closed due to missing English Business Registration Certificate. The English certificate is now attached. Business registration number: [Your Number]. Business started: [Date].

After reviewing all information, click Submit.

💾 Save your case number immediately after submission — you will need it to track your application status or to reference in any resubmission.

9. What Happens Next?

After submission, D&B will review your request. Here is the typical timeline:

Immediately	On-screen confirmation + case number displayed. Check your email for a confirmation from D&B (check spam).
1–2 business days	D&B reviews your submitted information and documents.
3–5 business days	D-U-N-S Number issued and emailed to you.
Up to 30 days	In some cases D&B may request additional documentation.

📬 D&B will send your D-U-N-S Number by email. Once received, the number is also searchable via the D&B portal. Apple recommends waiting 24–48 hours after receiving your number before using it for developer enrollment.

10. Troubleshooting: Common Rejection Reasons

Issue	Solution
Missing English document	Obtain an official English translation of your registration certificate and resubmit
Business name mismatch	Ensure the name on the form exactly matches your official documents (character for character)
Address not recognized	Use the exact address format from your registration documents
Duplicate D-U-N-S found	Contact D&B to claim or update the existing record instead of creating a new one
Case closed, no response	Resubmit the form and reference the previous case number in the notes field
Document unreadable	Re-export or rescan the document as a clear, high-resolution PDF

11. Using Your D-U-N-S for Apple Developer Enrollment

Once you have your D-U-N-S Number:

Step 1

Go to https://developer.apple.com/enroll/

Step 2

Select "Enroll as an Organization" (not Individual).

Step 3

Enter your D-U-N-S Number when prompted. Apple will verify it against D&B's database.

Step 4

Allow 24–48 hours after receiving your D-U-N-S before enrolling — the number needs time to propagate in D&B's system.

✅ The Apple verification process typically takes a few days after enrollment. Apple may call your registered business phone number to verify your identity as the organization's legal representative.

Final Checklist

• Prepared English business registration certificate (PDF)
• Navigated to the D&B portal (APPLEDEV or general)
• Selected correct request type (Developer Program → Create New DUNS)
• Searched for existing D-U-N-S — confirmed no match
• Filled out all form fields matching official documents exactly
• Uploaded supporting document (English certificate)
• Added descriptive notes in the Additional Details field
• Submitted the form and saved the case number
• Waiting for D&B email confirmation (3–5 business days)

Resources

• 🏛️ D&B Portal for Apple Developer — support.dnb.com/?CUST=APPLEDEV
• 🍎 Apple's D-U-N-S Number guide — developer.apple.com
• 🍎 Apple Developer Program Enrollment — developer.apple.com/enroll
• 🏦 General D-U-N-S Number Application — dnb.com

Last updated: March 2026 · For general informational purposes

Main image by Syawish Rehman on Unsplash