A D-U-N-S number is a nine-digit business identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. To look one up for free, use the official D&B iUpdate portal (dnb.com/duns-number/lookup) with the company's exact legal name and country — no account required for basic searches.
The D-U-N-S number is the closest thing to a global business passport. Nine digits, issued by Dun & Bradstreet, and required for everything from Apple Developer accounts to US federal procurement. This guide covers every way to look one up — free, paid, and via API.
## What Is a D-U-N-S Number? D-U-N-S stands for **Data Universal Numbering System**. Created by Dun & Bradstreet in 1963, it's now the de facto global identifier for over 500 million business entities. Each is unique to a single legal entity — a parent company and each subsidiary get separate DUNS.
## Free D-U-N-S Lookup (No Account) The official free finder lives at [dnb.com/duns-number/lookup](https://www.dnb.com/duns-number/lookup). No login is required. 1. Enter the company's **legal name** — not the brand name. 'Alphabet Inc', not 'Google'. 2. Select the country of incorporation. 3. Match the returned address against a registry filing to confirm identity when multiple hits appear.
## Paid D-U-N-S Lookup Options - **D&B Hoovers** — full firmographic profile, ownership tree, credit rating. Enterprise pricing. - **D&B Direct API** — bulk lookup, ideal for CRM enrichment. - **LemReveal's Company Lookup** — one search across DUNS + Companies House + EDGAR + KBO + 40+ national registries. See our [Company Lookup tool](/tools/company-lookup).
## When You Need a D-U-N-S Number - **US federal contracting** — SAM.gov (System for Award Management) registration requires a DUNS/UEI. - **Apple Developer Program** — enrolling as an organization requires a DUNS. - **Enterprise procurement** — most Fortune 500 vendor-onboarding forms ask for one. - **EU tenders** — TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) accepts DUNS as a company ID. - **Trade credit reporting** — D&B PAYDEX scores are keyed to DUNS.
## Getting a New D-U-N-S Number If a company doesn't have one, request it free at [dnb.com/duns-number/get-a-duns](https://www.dnb.com/duns-number/get-a-duns). Expect a 30-day turnaround. Expedited (5-day) service costs around $229 depending on region.
Yes. The official D&B iUpdate portal at dnb.com/duns-number/lookup is free — no account required. Paid services (D&B Hoovers, D&B Direct API) offer bulk lookup and enriched firmographics.
It's required for US federal contracts (SAM.gov registration), Apple's App Store as a business developer, and most enterprise procurement onboarding. Many EU tenders also accept DUNS as a company identifier.
Free requests take up to 30 days. Paid expedited requests process in about 5 business days. There is no charge for standard turnaround.
No — each legal entity gets a unique DUNS. A parent company and its subsidiaries each have their own. Branches within one legal entity may share the parent's DUNS.
EIN is a US IRS tax ID (federal use only). DUNS is a global business identifier used for procurement, credit, and supply-chain identification. Non-US companies rarely have an EIN but often have a DUNS.
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