DUNS Number Lookup: Find, Check or Get a D-U-N-S Number Free

What a DUNS number is

A D-U-N-S Number (Data Universal Numbering System) is a nine-digit identifier that Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), a private company, assigns to a business location. D&B uses it to build a business credit file. Unlike an EIN, it is not a government number and has no tax role. A company can have more than one: headquarters, branches and subsidiaries often each get their own.

For many years the federal government required a DUNS to register in its contracting system. That ended on April 4, 2022. Many old guides and agency forms still mention DUNS, which is why people keep searching for it.

How to look up a DUNS number

Your own business

• Go to D&B's D-U-N-S Number Lookup and choose "My Company."
• Enter your business address or phone number. The lookup matches against what D&B has on file, so try your old address or main line if the current one fails.
• If nothing comes back, your business may never have been assigned a number, or your D&B profile may have outdated details. D&B says you may need to update your profile before the lookup finds you.

Another company

Use the same tool and choose "Other Company." D&B describes the lookup as free for any company in its database. Expect D&B to promote paid credit reports and monitoring along the way; you do not need to buy anything to see whether a number exists. If you are vetting a supplier or customer, the simplest route is still to ask the company for its DUNS. Businesses that bid on corporate contracts usually have it handy.

If you are an Apple developer

Apple runs its own D-U-N-S lookup for developers that checks whether your organization already has a number tied to your legal entity. Use your exact legal entity name and headquarters address.

How to get a DUNS number free

If your business has no number, request one through D&B's free D-U-N-S request. Key points from D&B and the platforms that require it:

• Cost: free. D&B sells an expedited option that it says delivers a number within about eight business days. That paid option buys speed only.
• Timing: D&B says standard processing can take up to 30 business days. Apple's developer page says D&B can issue numbers for Apple enrollments in up to 5 business days, then Apple may need up to 2 more business days to receive the data.
• Who can request: D&B says a verified owner or officer of the business must make the request.
• Use your legal name. Apple does not accept DBAs, trade names or branches for organization enrollment. Google Play says the legal name and address on your payments profile must match your D&B record.
• Watch for middlemen. Google's Play Console help warns that third-party services may charge high fees for this free registration.

DUNS vs. Unique Entity ID (UEI)

On April 4, 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS Number as the official identifier for entities doing business with it. It now uses the Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric number generated inside SAM.gov, the System for Award Management run by the General Services Administration (GSA).

	D-U-N-S Number	Unique Entity ID (SAM)
Format	9 digits	12 letters and numbers
Issued by	Dun & Bradstreet (private company)	SAM.gov (federal government, GSA)
Cost	Free (paid expedite optional)	Free
Required for	Some private platforms and supplier programs	Federal contracts, grants and subawards
Searchable on	dnb.com lookup	SAM.gov entity search

If you were registered in SAM.gov before the switch, you were automatically given a UEI, and you can view it in your SAM.gov workspace. Subrecipients who only need an ID for reporting can get a UEI without completing a full registration. GSA's transition notes say DUNS numbers were removed from SAM.gov search and cannot be used to search entity or exclusion records there anymore. CAGE codes were not affected.

How to search SAM.gov entity records

If your real goal is to check a government contractor or grant recipient, SAM.gov is the better source than D&B:

• Open SAM.gov search and select the Entity Information domain. No login is required for public records.
• Search by business name, UEI or CAGE code. Filter to active registrations to skip expired ones.
• Public results show the legal business name, physical address, registration status and expiration date, and usually the NAICS codes the company selected.
• Check the exclusions results too. An exclusion means the entity is barred from receiving federal awards.

Some entities opt out of public display; their records are visible only to signed-in federal users. A company that does not appear may simply have opted out, or may not be registered at all. SAM.gov says there is no charge to get a UEI, register or renew, so ignore emails that offer to "renew your SAM registration" for a fee.

When you still need a DUNS number

• Apple Developer Program: required for companies and educational institutions enrolling as an organization; optional for government organizations; not needed for individuals.
• Google Play Console: organization developer accounts must provide a D-U-N-S number, with limited exceptions.
• Large corporate supplier portals: many big buyers use DUNS to vet and onboard vendors. Their onboarding instructions will say if it is required.
• Trade credit: suppliers and lenders that pull D&B reports find you by DUNS, so having an accurate file can help when you apply for net-30 terms.

You do not need a DUNS for federal contracts, a business bank account, a state business registration or an EIN.

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