The short answer
A D-U-N-S Number is a nine digit business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), a private company, not by a government office. D&B India’s website says the number can be obtained for free and registration may take up to 30 business days. Apple and Google Play ask organisations for one, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepts it for facility registration. The paid D-U-N-S Registered seal offered to National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) members is separate.
The rule that decides everything: get the number itself directly from D&B, and pay for a seal pack only when the person asking needs the seal, not just the nine digits.
Verified as on 19 October 2026 against four D&B India pages on the D-U-N-S Number and D-U-N-S Registered Solutions, the D&B price list for NSIC members dated 9 January 2025 and an undated Hindi price sheet, NSIC’s Digital Services page, the Apple Developer and Google Play Console help pages, Title 21 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) sections 1.230 and 1.232, the US General Services Administration (GSA) release of 16 March 2022 and paragraph 2.05 of India’s Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Written by Pratham Agarwal, Founder, Rasp International.
9 digitslength of a D-U-N-S Number, D&B India Get a D-U-N-S page
30 business dayslongest normal wait for a new number, D&B India Get a D-U-N-S page
5 business daysfree assignment for Apple Developer and US FDA requests, D&B India Get a D-U-N-S page
4 April 2022US federal award systems stopped using the D-U-N-S Number, GSA release of 16 March 2022
Key facts about the D-U-N-S Number
| Instrument | D-U-N-S Number (Data Universal Numbering System), a nine digit identifier for a business location |
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| Issued by | Dun & Bradstreet, a private business information company. D&B India says it is the only entity that manages D-U-N-S registration in India |
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| Parent policy | None. Not part of India’s Foreign Trade Policy or any Indian scheme |
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| Legal basis | None in Indian law. D-U-N-S is a registered trademark of D&B. Some foreign rules accept it, such as the US FDA food facility rule, 21 CFR 1.232(a)(2) |
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| Who it is for | Any business location. Every branch office gets its own number |
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| What you get | A number and a D&B business credit file that lenders and partners may read |
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| Cost | D&B India says the number can be obtained for free. Fast track may be chargeable. Seal packs are priced separately: check the current price with NSIC |
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| Validity | A standalone number may not need renewal. Information update every year |
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| Where you apply | The Get a D-U-N-S page on dnb.co.in, by a current registered executive officer |
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Why we wrote this guide
The request usually arrives as one box on a form: “D-U-N-S Number”. It sits in Apple Developer enrolment for organisations, in the Google Play Console sign-up and in US FDA food facility registration. D&B India and Google both warn about third parties that charge for a registration that can be free. Two D&B price sheets for NSIC members show different packs and different prices.
This guide is about your own number. To check a foreign buyer instead, read our guide on five checks before your first shipment to a new overseas buyer and our list of foreign buyer red flags to spot before you ship. Rasp International is an ISO 9001:2015 certified export advisory firm, founded in 2019, that has served 500+ exporters since 2019. We do not issue D-U-N-S Numbers. Only D&B does.
What a D-U-N-S Number is
A D-U-N-S Number is a nine digit identifier that Dun & Bradstreet assigns to a business location, so that companies, platforms and some foreign regulators can find and check that business in D&B’s records. D&B India’s Get a D-U-N-S page says a number is assigned once D&B’s identity process finds the business distinct from every other record in its Data Cloud (its worldwide business database).
Dun & Bradstreet is a private business information company, not a government body. The GSA, which runs the US government’s contract register, described the identifier in its release of 16 March 2022 as “generated by a third party external to the government”. NSIC is different: its About Us page calls it a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Its MSME Global Mart portal acts as an “aggregator and facilitator” of digital services from providers such as D&B. Our guide to MSME Global Mart membership for micro units covers the portal’s own plans.
D-U-N-S Registered Solutions is a separate D&B product. You build a profile, D&B validates it and you get a seal for your website, email signature and documents.
The D-U-N-S Number in 16 facts, each with its source
Every row comes from an official page of D&B, NSIC or the body that asks for the number, read on 19 October 2026.
| Point | What the official page says | Source |
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| Who manages it in India | D&B alone. It does not authorise, license or partner with any third party for D-U-N-S registration | Notice on D&B India pages |
| Who may apply | A current registered executive officer of the company | D&B India FAQ |
| Details you give | Legal name, head office and physical address, any trade name, phone, contact person, staff at the location | D&B India, Get a D-U-N-S page |
| Normal time | Up to 30 business days for any entity | D&B India, Get a D-U-N-S page |
| Fast track | May be chargeable. D-U-N-SFile expedites in 5 business days or less | D&B India, Get a D-U-N-S page and FAQ |
| Cost of the number | “Can be obtained for free”, with a footnote mark but no footnote text shown | D&B India, Manage Cash Flow page |
| Branches | Every branch office has a different number | D&B India FAQ |
| Reuse | Never reused, even after a company closes | D&B India FAQ |
| Renewal | A standalone number may not need renewal. Update the information yearly | D&B India FAQ |
| Apple Developer Program | Organisations, except government entities, must have one. Individuals do not. Trade names and branches are not accepted | Apple enrolment page |
| Google Play Console | Organisation accounts give one. Applying through D&B is “a completely free process” | Google Play Console Help |
| US FDA food facilities | A unique facility identifier (UFI) is required from 1 October 2020. The FDA recognises the DUNS number as acceptable | 21 CFR 1.232(a)(2); FDA update, 30 March 2021 |
| US FDA renewal window | 1 October to 31 December of each even numbered year | 21 CFR 1.230(b) |
| US FDA drug establishments | The preferred UFI is the DUNS number, free of charge to drug establishments | FDA UFI guidance, November 2014 |
| US federal contracts | SAM.gov (the System for Award Management) stopped using the DUNS number on 4 April 2022 and uses its own Unique Entity ID | GSA release, 16 March 2022 |
| NSIC route for seal packs | Links a D&B price list for NSIC members dated 9 January 2025, with a Show Interest form | NSIC Digital Services page |
A buyer, an app store or a US registration form has asked for your D-U-N-S Number. Rasp International gets D-U-N-S Numbers for clients in their own name, places D&B orders through NSIC when a seal is needed and handles the export side, from the Importer Exporter Code (IEC) to buyer checks.
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D-U-N-S Number, D-U-N-S Registered seal and IEC compared
The IEC, issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), is the code you actually need to export. Our page on IEC registration and the yearly update covers it in full.
| Point | D-U-N-S Number | D-U-N-S Registered seal | IEC |
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| Issued by | D&B, a private company | D&B, a private company | DGFT, Government of India |
| Status in India | A private identifier | A paid credibility product | Mandatory to export or import goods, Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paragraph 2.05(a) |
| Format | Nine digits | Website seal, email seal and QR code | Ten characters, the same as your Permanent Account Number (PAN) |
| Cost | Can be obtained for free, says D&B India | Check the current price with NSIC | Government fee, Handbook of Procedures paragraph 2.06 |
| Branches | One number per branch | Tied to the registered number | One IEC for all branches, Handbook paragraph 2.10 |
| Update | Yearly information update | Profile updated through D&B India | Every year from April to June, or de-activation, paragraph 2.05(d) and (e) |
| Where you apply | dnb.co.in | D&B India, or your NSIC branch | dgft.gov.in, form ANF-2A |
| Export without it | Yes | Yes | No, unless exempt under Handbook paragraph 2.07 |
What most people get wrong about the D-U-N-S Number
- “It is a government registration.” D&B India’s own notice calls D-U-N-S a registered trademark of D&B. NSIC offering D&B products, or the US FDA accepting the number, does not change that.
- “I must pay someone to get it.” D&B India says the number can be obtained for free, and Google warns about third-party services that charge high fees for it. Before paying anyone, read our post on five checks before you pay an export agent or consultant.
- “The seal is the number.” The D-U-N-S Registered page lists getting a number as one benefit of the seal, which causes the mix-up. A platform that asks for nine digits needs only the number.
- “The number proves we are creditworthy.” The D&B India FAQ says the number sets up a credit file that lenders and partners may read. The number alone is not a rating.
- “US government contracts need it.” Not since 4 April 2022, when SAM.gov moved to its own Unique Entity ID, says the GSA.
Where the official documents do not match: NSIC’s Digital Services page, read on 19 October 2026, links a D&B price list for NSIC members dated 9 January 2025. An undated Hindi D&B sheet for NSIC members lists different packs, list prices and discounts. Neither is dated October 2026, so we print no price. D&B India also says it partners with no third party for D-U-N-S registration, while NSIC offers D&B’s own seal packs to members. Check with D&B India and your NSIC branch before you pay.
Who needs a D-U-N-S Number and who does not
- A legal entity enrolling as an organisation in the Apple Developer Program.
- An organisation opening a Google Play Console developer account.
- A food facility registering with the US FDA. See our guide to exporting to the USA from India.
- A drug establishment registering with the US FDA, where the DUNS number is the preferred identifier.
- A supplier whose buyer checks D&B records. D&B India says companies and several government institutions use the number to vet suppliers.
- An exporter who only ships goods from India. You need an IEC.
- An individual enrolling in the Apple Developer Program as an individual.
- A firm registering for US federal contracts. SAM.gov issues its own Unique Entity ID.
- Anyone claiming an Indian export incentive. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and its Handbook of Procedures do not mention it.
Edge cases that trip up Indian exporters
Sole proprietors and individuals
The D&B India FAQ says an individual can register but will be listed as an entity. Apple’s enrolment page accepts only legal entities for organisation enrolment, not trade names or branches. A proprietor should read Apple’s page before applying for anything.
Several factories or a branch office
Each location gets its own number. The FDA update of 30 March 2021 says the UFI is used to check that the address tied to it matches the registered facility. A number for your sales office will not fit a factory registration.
A change of name or address
Update the record through D&B India’s Company Update service. Google Play Console Help notes that D&B sometimes assigns a new number to a profile, and that a profile marked out of business must be reinstated with D&B.
Rasp International handles DGFT compliance, licensing and policy advisory.
Talk to our team for a free assessment. 500+ exporters served since 2019.
How to get a D-U-N-S Number in India, step by step
- Check for an existing number. Apple’s D-U-N-S help page says D&B may already have assigned you one, and links a lookup.
- Line up your records. Use your legal name and address exactly as on your PAN, Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration and IEC.
- Pick the location. Each branch or factory gets its own number.
- Apply on the Get a D-U-N-S page. A registered executive officer registers for Company Update on dnb.co.in and picks the reason: US FDA, Apple Developer, Google Developer or other.
- Wait for the number. Up to 30 business days, or free within 5 business days for Apple Developer and US FDA requests, says D&B India.
- Give the number to the body that asked. Apple says to allow up to 2 business days for it to receive your details from D&B.
- Update the record every year. The number needs no renewal, but its information does.
Lapse rule and fast track: the number does not lapse. The deadline that bites is set by whoever asks. For US FDA food facilities, 21 CFR 1.230(b) sets renewal from 1 October to 31 December of each even numbered year, so the 2026 window closes on 31 December 2026. D&B India offers a fast track through D-U-N-SFile and says it may be chargeable: check the charge with D&B India.
Five groups of exporters who meet the D-U-N-S question
| Group | Who asks | The one pitfall |
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| Software and app exporters | Apple and Google Play, for organisation accounts | Applying in a trade name, which Apple does not accept |
| Food exporters to the US | US FDA food facility registration | A number tied to the office, not the facility address |
| Pharma exporters to the US | US FDA drug establishment registration | Paying for a number the FDA says is free to drug establishments |
| Suppliers to large foreign firms | Buyers whose supplier checks use D&B records | A stale record with an old address or contact |
| Exporters on B2B portals | No rule we found requires it, but seal packs are offered | Buying a seal when only the free number was asked for |
Listing on business to business (B2B) portals? Our page on international trade portal registration explains what each portal checks.
Illustrative composite, not a client: a spice unit with a factory in one district and a sales office in another prepares its US FDA food facility registration. A seller offers a paid “D-U-N-S pack”, and the unit buys it for the sales office. The FDA’s check compares the address tied to the identifier with the facility address, so the factory registration stalls. The fix is a request for the factory location made directly with D&B India. The pack money is lost.
How Rasp International helps
We get D-U-N-S Numbers for clients and place D&B orders, such as D-U-N-S Registered packs, through NSIC. D&B India says a current registered executive officer of your business must register, and that it partners with no third party for D-U-N-S registration. So we line up your records and prepare the request in your unit’s name, and your officer stays the applicant. We also file on the client’s behalf in the client unit’s own name, such as the IEC and its yearly update, and give an authority letter only when a client asks. The client and we both hold the portal logins, kept safe and confidential. We sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and a service level agreement (SLA) with every client.
We hold no customs broker (CHA) licence: licensed CHA partners across India handle customs clearance. Read how we work as an export consultant, not an agent.
Honest limits
- A D-U-N-S Number does not let you export. The IEC does, under paragraph 2.05 of Foreign Trade Policy 2023.
- A number or a seal does not win a buyer or an approval. Apple, Google and the FDA run their own checks.
- We cannot get you a number faster or cheaper. Only D&B issues it, on its own terms.
What Is Not Yet Notified, Checked on 19 October 2026
- The current price of D-U-N-S Registered packs for NSIC members. Check the current price with NSIC.
- The charge for the D-U-N-SFile fast track. Check with D&B India.
- The footnote text behind “can be obtained for free” on the Manage Cash Flow page. Check with D&B India.
- Whether the FDA will accept any identifier other than the DUNS number for food facilities. Check with the FDA’s registration help desk.
Frequently asked questions
What is a D-U-N-S number?
A D-U-N-S Number is a nine digit business identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet, a private business information company. D-U-N-S stands for Data Universal Numbering System. Each business location gets its own number, and a number is never reused, according to the FAQ on Dun & Bradstreet India’s Get a D-U-N-S page.
Is a D-U-N-S number free in India?
Dun & Bradstreet India’s Manage Cash Flow page says the number can be obtained for free, and its Get a D-U-N-S page says Apple Developer and US FDA requests get free assignment within 5 business days. Any fast-track service may be chargeable. For the position on your own request, check with Dun & Bradstreet India.
How long does it take to get a D-U-N-S number in India?
Dun & Bradstreet India says registration may take up to 30 business days for any entity. Requests made for Apple Developer enrolment or US FDA registration get free assignment within 5 business days. A fast-track service, which may be chargeable, is also offered. Apply early if a platform or registration has a deadline.
Do I need a D-U-N-S number to export from India?
No. To export goods from India you need an Importer Exporter Code from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under paragraph 2.05 of Foreign Trade Policy 2023. A D-U-N-S Number is asked for only by certain buyers, platforms and foreign regulators, such as Apple, Google Play and the US FDA.
Is a D-U-N-S number the same as an IEC?
No. The IEC is a ten character code issued by DGFT and is the same as your PAN. One IEC covers all your branches. The D-U-N-S Number is a nine digit identifier from Dun & Bradstreet, a private company. Each branch gets its own D-U-N-S Number. Many exporters need both, for different purposes.
Is Dun & Bradstreet a government body?
No. Dun & Bradstreet is a private business information company. NSIC, which offers some Dun & Bradstreet products to its members, is a Government of India enterprise, but that does not make Dun & Bradstreet a government body or the D-U-N-S Number a government registration in India or abroad.
What is the difference between a D-U-N-S number and D-U-N-S Registered?
The D-U-N-S Number is the nine digit identifier. D-U-N-S Registered Solutions is a separate Dun & Bradstreet product: you build a profile, Dun & Bradstreet validates it and sends a seal for your website, email and documents. Apple, Google Play and the US FDA ask for the number, not the seal.
How much does D-U-N-S Registered cost for NSIC members?
We do not quote a figure. NSIC’s Digital Services page links a Dun & Bradstreet price list for NSIC members dated 9 January 2025, and an undated Hindi sheet shows different packs and prices. A January 2025 list may not be today’s price, so check the current price with NSIC before you pay.
Do I need a D-U-N-S number for Apple or Google Play?
Yes, if you enrol as an organisation. Apple’s enrolment page says organisations, except government entities, must have a D-U-N-S Number, and individuals do not need one. Google Play Console Help asks organisation accounts for one and calls applying through Dun & Bradstreet a completely free process.
Does the US FDA need a D-U-N-S number from Indian food exporters?
A food facility registering with the US FDA must give a unique facility identifier under 21 CFR 1.232(a)(2), in force since 1 October 2020. The FDA update of 30 March 2021 says the FDA recognises the DUNS number as acceptable. Renewal runs from 1 October to 31 December of every even numbered year.
Does a D-U-N-S number expire or need renewal?
The Dun & Bradstreet India FAQ says a standalone D-U-N-S Number may not require renewal and stays with your business. It also says the information behind the number should be updated every year. Keep the legal name, address and contact details current, because platforms and regulators check them against your records.
Does each factory or branch need its own D-U-N-S number?
Yes. The Dun & Bradstreet India FAQ says every branch office has a different D-U-N-S Number. This matters for US FDA food registration, where the address tied to the identifier must match the facility being registered. Your IEC is different: one IEC covers all branches under paragraph 2.10 of the Handbook of Procedures.
Can a proprietorship firm get a D-U-N-S number?
The Dun & Bradstreet India FAQ says an individual can register for a D-U-N-S Number but will be listed as an entity, not as an individual. Platforms set their own rules. Apple accepts only legal entities for organisation enrolment, and says a sole proprietor enrolling as an individual needs no D-U-N-S Number.
Does a D-U-N-S number prove my company is creditworthy?
No. The number identifies your business and links it to a Dun & Bradstreet credit file. Dun & Bradstreet India says lenders and potential partners may use that file to help predict reliability, but the number alone is not a rating, a licence or proof that a buyer should trust you.
Do I need a consultant to get a D-U-N-S number?
No. A current registered executive officer of the business can apply on Dun & Bradstreet India’s Get a D-U-N-S page. Dun & Bradstreet India says it partners with no third party for D-U-N-S registration, so any helper, including us, only prepares the request. Your officer stays the applicant, in your unit’s name.
Your checklist for this week
- Look up whether your business already has a D-U-N-S Number.
- Write down your legal name and address exactly as on your PAN, GST registration and IEC.
- List who asked for the number and for which location, then work through our free export checklist.
- Apply on D&B India’s Get a D-U-N-S page, and ask NSIC for the current price only if you also want a seal.
Sources
- Tier 1. US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, section 1.232(a)(2): ecfr.gov, and section 1.230(b): ecfr.gov.
- Tier 1. US FDA, update on the unique facility identifier for food facility registration, 30 March 2021: fda.gov.
- Tier 1. US FDA, Specification of the Unique Facility Identifier System for Drug Establishment Registration, November 2014: fda.gov.
- Tier 1. US GSA, release on the switch to the Unique Entity ID, 16 March 2022: gsa.gov.
- Tier 1. DGFT, Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paragraph 2.05 and Handbook of Procedures paragraphs 2.06 to 2.10: dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. NSIC, About Us page: nsic.co.in. NSIC MSME Global Mart, Digital Services page linking the D&B price list for NSIC members dated 9 January 2025: msmemart.com. Both read on 19 October 2026.
- Tier 2. D&B undated Hindi price sheet and brochures for NSIC members (PDFs held by Rasp International, no public URL found). No price from any D&B sheet is quoted here.
- Tier 2. D&B India, Get a D-U-N-S Number, What is a D-U-N-S Number, Manage Cash Flow and D-U-N-S Registered Solutions, read on 19 October 2026.
- Tier 2. Apple Developer, enrolment page and D-U-N-S help page; Google Play Console Help, required information for a developer account; read on 19 October 2026.
This is general guidance. Rules change. Check the current notification or order, or speak to us, before you act.
Related: Five checks before you ship to a new overseas buyer | IEC registration and yearly update | Free export checklist
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