Get a DUNS number: legal help in LvivContractualfrom 3 business days
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We help businesses in Lviv and across Ukraine get a DUNS number, and each arrives with its own problem: an exporting LLC holding a supplier questionnaire from a buyer, an IT team about to ship to the App Store, a sole proprietor (FOP) who is not sure a number is needed at all. Below are six situations we see in practice and how we handle each. We re-read the official Dun & Bradstreet, Apple, Google and SAM.gov pages on 21.09.2026 to confirm the rules.
The D&B number in two paragraphs
A D-U-N-S is a nine-digit code that singles out one business in the worldwide Dun & Bradstreet database. The US company issues the codes and keeps the records itself; by its own count the database holds over 600 million firms. Every code is bound to an address, so one firm's Lviv office and Kyiv warehouse appear as two separate records.
Ukrainian requests go to A.B.M. Ryzyk-Inform LLC (dnb.com.ua), which has partnered with D&B since 1994, keeps its Ukrainian database and assigns the codes. D&B says openly that operating a business does not depend on having one. The need appears when a particular buyer, bank or platform asks.
Situation 1. An LLC exports to the EU and the buyer wants a D&B code
Exporters raise this one often. D&B notes that large multinationals frequently put the number into supplier questionnaires and credit applications. Its Ukrainian partner adds local triggers: a bank loan, deferred payment from a counterparty, talks about becoming a supplier or agent of a foreign firm.
Our steps. We first find out whether a code was assigned earlier, through the free search on dnb.com or an enquiry to D&B's Ukrainian office. With no code on file, we gather what the Ukrainian form wants: EDRPOU, full name and its English version, the address where the firm actually operates, VAT payer number, contacts and website. The English name is matched to your export contracts so the buyer finds you in D&B under the same name.
While the request is in progress you can tell the buyer it has been filed and give an expected date. We will help with the wording.
Situation 2. An IT company ships to the App Store and Google Play as an LLC
An organization account in the Apple Developer Program requires the code, issued specifically to the legal entity. Apple turns down a brand, trading name or branch as an organization. Alongside that, Apple looks at the company website (open, working, on its own domain) and at the authority of whoever signs the agreement. The yearly fee is 99 USD. Shoppers later see the name from the D&B record next to the word "Seller" in the App Store.
When the code is requested from inside Apple's enrollment, D&B aims to deliver within 5 business days, and up to 2 more business days pass before Apple sees the record. Paying D&B extra for speed achieves nothing here: Apple warns that its waiting period stays the same.
Google Play opens an organization account only with a code. Google compares the name and address in the payments profile with the D&B record and, when they differ, may lock the account along with every app. Apps distributed around Google Play face Android developer verification: it starts on 30.09.2026 for users in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand and covers the whole world in 2027. Organizations register there with a D-U-N-S as well.
A tip from practice: prepare the website on your domain and the signatory's authority in parallel with the code, or Apple will halt enrollment after the code arrives.
Situation 3. A FOP developer: is a code needed?
A personal account is often enough. Under Apple's rules a sole proprietor enrolls as an individual, with no D&B code involved. In Google Play a personal developer account opens without one too. A FOP will want a code once a foreign client or bank asks for it, and the Ukrainian partner's form covers that case with a field for the individual tax number. In a consultation we weigh which status fits your plans before starting any paperwork.
Situation 4. A US grant: UEI instead of DUNS
For US federal programmes the D&B code lost its role on 4 April 2022, when SAM.gov and the other GSA systems switched to identifying organizations by Unique Entity ID. It is a 12-character alphanumeric code that SAM.gov assigns during registration and charges nothing for. An organization based outside the US needs an NCAGE code before its SAM.gov registration. In Ukraine these codes come from the Ministry of Defence, and a supplier may apply on its own through the NATO web portal. SAM.gov registration is renewed every 365 days. Since 1 July 2025 the US Department of State has carried out many former USAID functions. We handle NCAGE codes too; see the link at the bottom of the page.
Situation 5. The code exists, but the name or address changed
The order matters: fix the D&B record first, then wait for the update to reach the platforms. Apple receives new data within 2 business days. Google pulls it in within up to 5 business days and then asks the developer to pass identity verification again. Skip the first step and Apple's enrollment will greet you with "The information you entered did not match your D&B profile".
Situation 6. A second office or warehouse in another city
Because the code follows the location, each separate place of business receives its own D-U-N-S. For the App Store a second code changes nothing: Apple does not treat a branch as an organization, and the account opens for the parent legal entity. We settle up front which address to use so records never need redoing.
How we get your DUNS number
- A consultation with a lawyer (30 minutes online, €100): we identify your situation and whether you need a code at all.
- The questionnaire on this page: download it and complete it in Word, or complete it online.
- We search for an existing company code and reconcile the details with the registry and your developer accounts.
- We send the request and reply to D&B if it wants to clarify anything.
- We deliver the code and keep helping afterwards, including with record updates.
We see clients at our Lviv office and work remotely, speak the language that suits you, and every order has a personal manager.
Timelines: official and ours
| Route | Time |
|---|---|
| Standard D&B request | in most cases within 30 business days |
| Urgent D&B request for a fee | within 8 business days |
| Via Apple enrollment | up to 5 business days, plus up to 2 business days until Apple sees the record |
| Google Play (Google's own estimate) | up to 30 days |
| With Zakon Lviv | within three days, thanks to an established process |
D&B's Ukrainian partner does not state its turnaround on its website.
Price, contract and payment
D&B charges nothing for the code itself, and Apple specifies that it is free in most jurisdictions. Our work is priced case by case, taking into account the line of business, where the company is based and the citizenship of its beneficial owners. A contract is signed before we start, and money is returned if the task is not done. All payments are transparent, with no hidden commissions. Payment can go by bank transfer to one of our companies in Ukraine, the UK or Canada, by card, in cryptocurrency or via payment services.
The company has been on the market for more than ten years, and our specialists in this area have at least 3 years of experience. Partner terms are available if you refer clients or order several codes. Questions: call +38 (068) 777-22-73 or message us on Telegram.
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- NCAGE code: how to get it in Lviv quickly
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