what is a d&b number

A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identifier for a business created by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) . It is assigned to a single business entity and is used to establish a Dun & Bradstreet business credit. The DUNS number is a random nine-digit number that has no apparent significance and is assigned to each business location in the D&B database, having a unique, separate, and distinct operation for the purpose of identifying them. The DUNS number is used worldwide and is recognized, recommended, or required by more than 50 global industry and trade associations. The DUNS database contains over 300 million entries for businesses throughout the world. The DUNS number is sometimes formatted with embedded dashes to promote readability, such as "15-048-3782". 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.