Why Every Foreign Business Exporting to the US Needs a DUNS Number

The DUNS number is a nine-digit business identifier created by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in 1963. Its original purpose was to give a unique identifier to each business location in D&B's commercial credit database. It became much more than that. US federal agencies adopted DUNS as a standard identifier for contractor and grantee tracking. FDA built DUNS number entry into its food facility and drug establishment registration workflows. The US government's System for Award Management (SAM.gov) requires DUNS numbers for federal contracting entities. If you are a foreign manufacturer that exports to the US, a DUNS number is not optional — it is a prerequisite for entering the registration systems you will need to use.

What a DUNS number identifies

A DUNS number identifies a specific legal entity at a specific physical address. It is not a company-wide identifier — it is a location identifier. If your company has a head office and a factory at different addresses, those are two separate DUNS numbers. D&B's database links related entities through a global hierarchy (the DUNS D-U-N-S linkage system), so parent companies, subsidiaries, and branches can be connected in the D&B data model even though each has its own nine-digit number. For FDA registration purposes, the DUNS number that matters is the one associated with the facility address where your food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held.

How to obtain a DUNS number

D&B provides DUNS numbers through their online request process at dnb.com. The free process takes between five and thirty business days. The information you provide includes: legal business name, doing-business-as name if applicable, physical street address (no P.O. boxes), telephone number, primary business activity, year established, and number of employees. Once submitted, D&B assigns the nine-digit number and adds the entity to their global database. An expedited process is available for a fee if you need the number in one to two business days. Most manufacturers applying for US market entry for the first time should begin the DUNS application several weeks before they intend to file their FDA registration.

DUNS number vs. other business identifiers

Foreign manufacturers encounter several business identifiers when entering the US market. The DUNS number is issued by a private company (D&B) and used by government agencies as a cross-reference. The FDA Establishment Identifier (FEI) number is assigned by FDA after a successful food facility or drug establishment registration — it is FDA's own identifier for a registered facility. The FEI number and the DUNS number are not the same, but both are associated with the same physical facility. US importers may ask for both. Additionally, companies involved in US government contracting need an entity registration in SAM.gov, which has its own UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) that now replaces DUNS for SAM.gov purposes — though DUNS remains required in FDA's FURLS system.

Common mistakes when providing DUNS numbers to FDA

The most common mistake is submitting a DUNS number whose address does not match the address entered in the FURLS registration form. FDA's system cross-references both, and a mismatch causes processing delays or outright rejection. A second mistake is using the DUNS number for a corporate headquarters rather than the manufacturing facility. If the facility where food is made has a different address than the company's registered office, the DUNS number for the facility address — not the corporate address — is what belongs in the FURLS form. A third mistake is using an old DUNS number that D&B has marked inactive due to an address change. Before submitting any FDA registration, confirm that the DUNS number is active and that the address on file with D&B is current.

FDABridge and DUNS number support

FDABridge guides manufacturers through DUNS number acquisition and verifies the D&B record before submitting FDA registrations. This prevents the common errors that delay FDA processing. Our food facility registration service includes DUNS verification and US Agent designation as part of the full registration package. Visit fdabridge.com/duns-number for details or fdabridge.com/food-facility-registration to begin.