D-U-N-S® in Vietnam: Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses

A D-U-N-S® Number, short for Data Universal Numbering System, is a unique nine-digit identifier assigned to a business entity by Dun & Bradstreet.

It provides a standardized way to identify businesses and business locations and is widely used in business information, supplier management, due diligence, procurement, and other commercial processes around the world.

For Vietnamese businesses operating internationally, a D-U-N-S® Number can help overseas customers, suppliers, platforms, and other organizations identify the relevant legal entity consistently.

Vietnamese businesses may encounter a D-U-N-S® Number requirement when working with organizations or platforms that use Dun & Bradstreet information as part of their identification or verification processes.

Depending on the specific requirements of the organization involved, common use cases may include:

• onboarding as a supplier or vendor to an international organization
• participating in global supply chains
• establishing relationships with overseas customers or business partners
• supporting business identification and due diligence
• participating in certain international procurement or tender processes
• meeting specific overseas regulatory or administrative requirements
• registering an organizational account on certain digital platforms, including Apple and Google

A D-U-N-S® Number is therefore relevant to many types of businesses, not only technology companies or app developers.

No. A D-U-N-S® Number is not a general statutory requirement for establishing or operating a business in Vietnam.

Vietnamese businesses may, however, be asked to provide a D-U-N-S® Number when dealing with certain international customers, multinational corporations, procurement systems, digital platforms, or overseas regulatory processes.

Whether a D-U-N-S® Number is required therefore depends on the specific business purpose and the requirements of the relevant organization, platform, or authority.

No. They serve different purposes.

The enterprise identification number is issued through Vietnam's enterprise registration framework and is used for statutory and administrative purposes in Vietnam.

The D-U-N-S® Number is a separate nine-digit business identifier developed by Dun & Bradstreet and used internationally to identify business entities.

A D-U-N-S® Number does not replace an Enterprise Registration Certificate, enterprise identification number, tax obligations, licenses, permits, or other requirements under Vietnamese law.

No. Businesses of different sizes may have a D-U-N-S® Number.

For Vietnamese SMEs, it can become particularly relevant when the business begins working with international customers, joining supply chains, registering with overseas platforms, or entering commercial relationships where a standardized international business identifier is requested.

The need for a D-U-N-S® Number is determined more by the business use case than by the size of the company.

Vietnamese exporters and manufacturers increasingly work with international buyers, multinational corporations, distributors, procurement organizations, and overseas business partners.

During supplier onboarding or business verification, the overseas counterparty may need to accurately identify the Vietnamese legal entity it is dealing with.

A D-U-N-S® Number provides a standardized business identifier that can support this identification process and help distinguish the company from businesses with similar names or corporate structures.

Having a D-U-N-S® Number does not, by itself, guarantee acceptance as a supplier or demonstrate the financial strength or creditworthiness of the business.

It depends on the requirements of the individual buyer or procurement organization.

Some multinational companies and procurement systems may use D-U-N-S® Numbers as part of supplier identification, onboarding, or due diligence processes. Other organizations may use different requirements.

Vietnamese businesses seeking to become suppliers to multinational companies should therefore check the onboarding requirements of the specific customer or procurement platform.

Yes, depending on the procurement program.

Certain overseas authorities, organizations, or procurement platforms may use D-U-N-S® or Dun & Bradstreet information as part of their supplier identification or registration processes.

Requirements vary considerably between jurisdictions and organizations. Vietnamese companies should therefore review the requirements stated in the specific tender or procurement documentation rather than assume that a D-U-N-S® Number is required for every tender.

Yes. A D-U-N-S® Number provides a standardized identifier that helps distinguish a specific business entity.

Customers, suppliers, financial institutions, procurement teams, and other organizations may use the identifier alongside other business information when conducting their own onboarding, due diligence, or risk management processes.

However, a D-U-N-S® Number itself is not a credit rating, risk score, financial assessment, certification, or guarantee of a company's creditworthiness.

Yes, in certain U.S. regulatory contexts.

For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes the D-U-N-S® Number as an acceptable Unique Facility Identifier (UFI) for certain food facility registration requirements. This may be relevant to Vietnamese food manufacturers and applicable facilities exporting products to the United States.

Requirements depend on the type of product, facility, and applicable U.S. regulations. Vietnamese exporters should therefore confirm the specific regulatory requirements applicable to their operations directly with the relevant authority.

For certain FDA regulated processes, a D-U-N-S® Number may be used as a facility identifier. In particular, the FDA recognizes the D-U-N-S® Number as an acceptable Unique Facility Identifier for food facility registration.

This requirement should not be generalized to every company, product, or FDA registration process. Vietnamese businesses should determine the requirements applicable to their specific product category and facility before proceeding.

Google uses D-U-N-S® information in certain organization verification processes for Google Play developer accounts.

Vietnamese companies registering or maintaining an organization developer account should review Google's latest requirements and ensure that their legal business information is accurate and consistent with the information associated with their D-U-N-S® Number.

Businesses should always refer to Google's current developer requirements because platform policies and verification procedures may change over time.

Apple uses the D-U-N-S® Number to verify the identity and legal entity status of organizations enrolling in the Apple Developer Program.

Vietnamese organizations enrolling as companies or organizations should ensure that their legal entity information is accurate and that the information provided during enrollment corresponds with their D-U-N-S® record.

Requirements for individual developers differ from those for organizations, so applicants should check Apple's current enrollment requirements before applying.

Yes. A company may already have a D-U-N-S® Number even if it has not previously requested one directly.

Businesses should therefore check whether a D-U-N-S® record already exists for the relevant legal entity before requesting a new number.

This helps avoid duplicate records and ensures that the correct D-U-N-S® Number is used when dealing with customers, platforms, procurement organizations, or other counterparties.

Businesses should ensure that their official company information is complete, accurate, and consistent with their legal documentation.

Information required for identification and verification may include:

• legal company name
• enterprise identification number
• registered business address
• operating address, where applicable
• telephone and contact information
• legal structure and relevant company information
• supporting enterprise registration documentation where required

Additional information or supporting documentation may be requested depending on the individual case and verification requirements.

Consistency is important when a Vietnamese business is being verified by an overseas customer, procurement organization, regulatory body, or digital platform.

Differences in the company's legal name, registered address, business information, or other details may require additional verification and can potentially delay onboarding or registration.

Businesses should therefore ensure that the information associated with their D-U-N-S® record remains accurate and consistent with their current official corporate information.

Yes. If relevant company information changes, the business can request an update to its D-U-N-S® record.

This may be necessary following changes to information such as the legal company name, registered address, operating address, or other relevant corporate details.

Maintaining current information is particularly important when the D-U-N-S® Number is being used for supplier onboarding, business verification, regulatory processes, or digital platform registration.

Not necessarily.

D-U-N-S® Numbers identify specific business entities and locations. Different legal entities or business locations within the same corporate group may therefore have separate D-U-N-S® Numbers.

Vietnamese corporate groups should ensure that they use the D-U-N-S® Number corresponding to the specific legal entity or location involved in the relevant transaction, registration, onboarding, or verification process.

No. A D-U-N-S® Number identifies a business entity.

It should not, by itself, be interpreted as certification, endorsement, regulatory approval, or confirmation of a company's financial strength, creditworthiness, products, services, or business performance.

Organizations requiring deeper assessment of a company may use additional business information, risk management, due diligence, or credit assessment solutions.

A D-U-N-S® Number is a unique nine digit identifier used to identify a business entity.

The D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal is a digital trust mark that eligible businesses can display online to provide a visible connection to verified business identity information.

For Vietnamese businesses operating in B2B and international markets, the D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal can provide an additional way to communicate business identity and transparency to prospective customers and business partners.

When a Vietnamese company approaches a new overseas customer or business partner, the counterparty may have limited prior knowledge of the company.

Displaying the D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal on the corporate website can provide an additional visible trust signal and allow prospective partners to connect the business with verified identity information.

The seal should complement, rather than replace, the broader due diligence and verification processes that a customer or business partner may undertake.

No.

The D-U-N-S® Number identifies the business entity, while the D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal is a separate digital trust mark designed for eligible businesses to display online.

A business can therefore have a D-U-N-S® Number without necessarily subscribing to or displaying the D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal.

CRIF Vietnam is the sole authorized and exclusive issuer of D-U-N-S® Numbers and D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seals in Vietnam, as part of the Dun & Bradstreet Worldwide Network.

Following CRIF's acquisition of Dun & Bradstreet's operations in Vietnam in 2018, CRIF Vietnam serves as the official local point of contact for businesses seeking D-U-N-S® related services, including D-U-N-S® Number registration and verification, business information updates, and D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seals.

CRIF Vietnam also provides D-U-N-S® related services to businesses in nearby markets, including Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Businesses requiring a D-U-N-S® Number for international trade, supplier and vendor onboarding, global supply chains, overseas regulatory requirements, Google Play, Apple Developer, or other applicable business purposes can contact CRIF Vietnam directly for official guidance and support.

To ensure the authenticity and accuracy of D-U-N-S® services, businesses in Vietnam are advised to obtain D-U-N-S® related services through CRIF Vietnam as the authorized local provider.

Businesses can contact CRIF Vietnam to check whether a D-U-N-S® Number already exists for their company and to receive guidance on registration, verification, or updating their business information.

Before submitting a request, businesses should prepare accurate legal entity information and relevant corporate documentation to support the verification process.

For support with a D-U-N-S® Number or D-U-N-S® Registered™ Seal, contact CRIF Vietnam through the enquiry form on the CRIF Vietnam website.