The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS): A Comprehensive Guide
The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), often abbreviated as DUNS or D-U-N-S, is a proprietary system developed and managed by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) that assigns a unique numeric identifier to a single business entity. This identifier is referred to as a "DUNS number." Introduced in 1963 to support D&B's credit reporting practices, it has become a standard worldwide.
What is a DUNS Number?
A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identification number assigned by the business credit bureau Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). It serves as a business ID, similar to a tax ID number. Creditors, vendors, and suppliers can use this number to look up your company and gather information about its financial health before working with you.
The DUNS number is random, and the digits have no apparent significance. Until approximately December 2006, the DUNS number contained a mod-10 check digit to support error detection. Modern usage typically omits dashes and shows the number as in the form "150483782". Businesses may choose to append four extra alphanumeric characters to their DUNS number. This is called a DUNS+4 number. The suffix is for the use of the business (for example, to identify different electronic funds transfer accounts).
Why is a DUNS Number Important?
DUNS numbers are important for several reasons:
- Building Business Credit: A DUNS number helps establish your business credit, which is a record of your business's payment history available to potential lenders, business partners, and investors. A strong business credit profile can lead to better terms on loans, insurance, and trade credit agreements.
- Government Funding: Businesses that intend to bid on certain government contracts should apply for a DUNS number well in advance. Many state and local governments require a DUNS number to receive state funding, whether through contract, grant, or loan. DUNS numbers are required for all federal level grant applications, including The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Since some organizations re-grant federal funds, it has become a requirement for their applicants as well.
- Working with Certain Companies: Some companies, such as Apple, Google, and Walmart, require some businesses to have DUNS numbers. For instance, to be a Walmart supplier or an Apple developer, you’ll need one.
- Applying for Grants: Some small-business grants and nongovernmental loans require a DUNS number to apply.
- Regulatory Compliance: DUNS numbers play a crucial role in regulatory compliance. Worldwide, DUNS numbers have more recently been requested by organizations like the European Commission, United Nations (UN), and World Customs Organization (WCO).
- Registration with the FDA: The Food, Drug, and Cosmetics (FD&C) Act of 2016 requires food facilities to submit a Unique Facility Identifier (UFI) when registering with FDA or renewing their registration. As of December 31, 2022, all food facilities registered with FDA must have an active DUNS number. As of September 15, 2023, FDA will not assign a food facility registration number without a valid DUNS number. This deadline does not apply to drug establishments. Not providing a valid DUNS number when registering or renewing with FDA may result in your registration being suspended or canceled.
DUNS numbers are important because organizations with them are included in a nationwide study of nonprofit and for-profit arts-related businesses called Creative Industries: Business & Employment in the Arts. This report is produced by Americans for the Arts and provides a valuable visibility and advocacy tool for advancing the arts. It documents the number of arts-related businesses and employees in any geographical region or political jurisdiction.
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Who Needs a DUNS Number?
All businesses - regardless of age, size, or business structure - can apply for a DUNS number. It’s a good idea to apply for a DUNS number for your LLC. Certain grants and government contracts require you to have this ID number, and other businesses will likely want to use your DUNS number to understand your company’s creditworthiness.
Businesses applying for funding or credit must have a DUNS number to share with potential lending institutions. The United States government required that all organizations doing business with the federal government use a DUNS number as an identifier.
Effective March 23, 2018, landowners and producers who participate in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) financial assistance programs and conservation easement programs as a legal entity are now exempt from the requirement to obtain a DUNS number or to register SAM. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (2018 Omnibus Bill), exempted landowners and producers participating in NRCS conservation programs from these requirements. NRCS does enter into Federal contracts, grants, and agreements with parties that are not landowners or producers. These customers continue to be subject to the DUNS and SAM registration and reporting requirements.
How to Obtain a DUNS Number
Dun & Bradstreet offers DUNS numbers free of charge through their online portal. Here's how to get one:
- Check if You Already Have One: You might have one and not know about it. If a supplier or financial institution has requested information about your company, D&B may have already assigned you a DUNS number. The first step is to make sure that your company isn’t already in the DUNS database.
- Gather Required Information: Once you’ve confirmed that you’re a candidate for a new number, the next step is to gather the following information:
- Legal business name
- Phone number and address
- Name of business owner, president, or CEO
- Primary industry and total number of employees (full and part time)
- Name of authorizing official
- Your Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code
- Your full name and business name
- Your business’s contact details (address and phone number)
- The year your company was founded
- Details on your industry and the legal structure of your business
- The number of full-time and part-time employees who work for you
- Apply Online or by Phone:
- Online: Submit your web request at fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Choose “I need a UFI to register with the FDA” from the available options, then fill in the requested information. You will be prompted to look up your business and confirm that you don’t already have a DUNS number. If you have multiple business addresses, you will need to apply for a unique DUNS number for each one.
- Phone: Call D&B at 866-705-5711 and tell the operator that you are applying to a federal grant program and need to register for a DUNS number.
- Provide Requested Information: Provide the requested information about your business.
- Wait for Processing: It can take up to 30 business days after you apply to get your DUNS number. A representative from Dun & Bradstreet may contact you to authenticate your information. The free application may move fast. On Reddit, some applicants say they got DUNS numbers within a couple of days. Others say the process took the full 30 days or more.
- Expedited Processing (Optional): You can pay $229 for expedited processing to get your number within eight business days. If you want to be certain about a processing date, consider paying the $229 fee.
Important Considerations When Applying
- Authorizing Official: An authorizing official of the organization, not a project director, should request a DUNS number.
- Accuracy: FDA requires that all registration information be accurate and current. FDA will only accept your updated registration conditionally pending the agency’s verification that your DUNS number is acceptable.
- Multiple Addresses: If you have multiple business addresses, you will need to apply for a unique DUNS number for each one.
- DUNS Number Reinstatement: In some cases, you might be able to fix the discrepancy and request that your canceled number be reinstated. But you may also need to re-register your facility or establishment so you can be assigned a new registration number.
- D&B Marketing List: Obtaining a DUNS number places your organization on D&B’s marketing list that is sold to other companies. You can request not to be added to this list during your application. D&B should not charge you a fee for requesting a DUNS number. You are also not obligated to purchase any of their products as a condition to obtain DUNS.
- SAM Registration: Once you have been assigned a DUNS number, you must annually register on SAM.gov to remain eligible to receive program financial assistance. If your organization has the necessary information ready, online registration will take about 30 minutes to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of your business entity.
- Facility’s Response Time: Facility’s response time to Dun & Bradstreet’s communication attempts.
DUNS vs. EIN and UEI
It's important to understand the difference between a DUNS number and other business identifiers:
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- DUNS vs. EIN: Although both a DUNS number and an employer identification number (EIN) are nine-digit business identifiers, and both can be obtained for free, they are different. An EIN is issued by the IRS, while a DUNS number is issued by D&B. EINs are also known as business tax ID numbers and are often used for functions such as paying taxes, applying for business credit cards, or opening business bank accounts. DUNS numbers help potential partners decide whether your business is trustworthy. The IRS assigns employer identification numbers. You'll use an EIN to file your business tax return or issue tax forms to your employees. Certain types of businesses (those with employees, for instance) are legally required to get an EIN for tax purposes. But vendors may require one to verify your business. Other companies and potential creditors use DUNS numbers to assess your business’s financial health. That means having one is still necessary for most businesses.
- DUNS vs. UEI: The United States government used the DUNS as its primary business identifier until 2022, when the government began using the UEI, or Unique Entity Identifier, instead. The UEI is a number assigned to businesses via SAM (the federal System for Award Management). The government previously required DUNS numbers to apply for federal contracts or grants. But they were phased out in 2022 in favor of a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI. General Services Administration’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov) issues.
What is Dun & Bradstreet?
Dun & Bradstreet is one of the three main business credit bureaus and the originator of the DUNS number. It was created in 1962 and is used globally to identify individual businesses. Dun & Bradstreet scores a business’s financial health using multiple indicators and assigns each company a Paydex score, delinquency score, and failure score, along with several other ratings and predictors. Dun & Bradstreet also collects data about companies’ financial health and stability. Financial institutions, regulatory agencies, federal governments, and other organizations can use this system to identify businesses and learn more about them.
Credit reports from D&B include a business’s DUNS number, along with other financial scores and assessments.
Does a DUNS Number Expire?
No, DUNS numbers do not expire. Your company’s DUNS number will not change or go away even if your business closes or gets bought by another company.
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