# Our customer says it cannot add us to its CDP request without a DUNS number. What do we do?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/cdp-request-needs-duns-number

Find yours, or apply for one. CDP needs a valid DUNS number for every company on a customer's request list. Search Dun & Bradstreet's lookup tool first; if you are not listed, apply online with your legal name, address, phone, business structure, industry and staff count. Standard processing is free and may take up to 30 business days.

## Why your customer is stuck

A DUNS number is a nine-digit identifier Dun & Bradstreet assigns to businesses. CDP uses it to tell legal entities apart and avoid duplicates. A customer cannot submit its request list to CDP while any company on it is missing a valid DUNS number.

## Getting the number

1. Check Dun & Bradstreet's lookup tool. Your company may already have a number without knowing it.
2. If not, select your region on Dun & Bradstreet's portal and start an online application.
3. Give your legal name, physical address, contact phone, business structure, industry and number of employees.
4. Wait for verification. Dun & Bradstreet may contact you to confirm details.
5. The number arrives by email once approved. A paid expedited service cuts the wait to about eight business days.

## Make sure the customer picks the right entity

- Send the customer your DUNS number with your registered legal name and head office address, exactly as registered.
- Several companies with similar names can match a search. CDP tells customers to compare name, country and address.
- If you belong to a group, the customer may request the parent instead, shown as the 'Ultimate Parent' in the lookup.
- If your number is already attached to another record in CDP, the customer can search CDP by DUNS number to find it.

## Example: how long it can take

- Standard: up to 30 business days, about six weeks with weekends
- Expedited (paid): about 8 business days
- Then your customer adds you and submits its request list

Apply the day the customer asks, and tell the customer the expected date.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible does not issue DUNS numbers. Once the request arrives, it prepares the Scope 1 and 2 figures for your CDP response from your fuel invoices and electricity bills.

- [Supplier evidence for buyers](https://senseible.earth/scope-3-supplier-evidence)
- [What to do with a CDP supply chain request](https://senseible.earth/answers/cdp-supply-chain-request-what-to-do)
- [CDP SME or full questionnaire](https://senseible.earth/answers/cdp-sme-questionnaire-vs-full)

Sources: [CDP Help Center, KA-01009: Resolving issues with DUNS numbers](https://help.cdp.net/en-us/knowledgebase/article/KA-01009)

Last reviewed 2026-11-03. Check Dun & Bradstreet's current processing times in the CDP article.