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DEVELOPER ACCOUNT GUIDE

Apple Developer
Account Setup

To ship an iOS app on the App Store, you must enroll in the Apple Developer Program. We walk you through entity type, payment, and approval in order.

Open Enroll pageView steps

Annual fee

$99

Review time

1–7 days

Documents

DUNS, card

Overview

Check before you ship

Enrolling in the Apple Developer Program involves more than just signing up. The Individual vs Organization choice defines who ships your app and is hard to change later, so run through the checklist first.

Decide Individual vs Organization

This determines the name displayed on the store.

Apple ID + 2FA ready

Domain email recommended, 2FA enabled.

DUNS number (Organization)

Free, 3–7 business days to issue.

International card

Visa/Master/Amex for the $99 fee.

Step by Step

Step-by-step Guide

01

PREREQUISITE

Prepare your Apple ID

Create an Apple ID first if you do not have one. A company email is strongly recommended.

  • Sign up at appleid.apple.com
  • Prefer a domain email over a personal one (e.g. dev@yourcompany.com)
  • Transfers are nearly impossible later, so choose carefully
02

SECURITY

Enable two-factor auth

2FA must be enabled on the Apple ID before enrolling.

  • On iPhone/iPad: Settings > Apple ID > Password & Security > Two-Factor Authentication
  • Register at least two trusted phone numbers
  • Set up a Recovery Contact
03

PORTAL

Go to the Developer Program

Hit the Enroll button on developer.apple.com/programs.

  • Log in and move to the Enrollment page
  • Accept the terms and pick an entity type
  • The session survives if you step away mid-flow
04

ENTITY

Pick entity type (Individual vs Organization)

Choose carefully based on how you want to appear on the App Store — changing later is painful.

  • Individual: app ships under your real name; no resident number needed for Korean residents
  • Organization: app ships under the company name; DUNS required
  • Look up or apply for DUNS for free at developer.apple.com/enroll/duns-lookup/
  • DUNS-to-Apple sync takes 3–7 business days after application
05

ORGANIZATION

Enter organization info (Organization only)

Organization enrollment needs extra details.

  • Legal entity name (must match DUNS exactly)
  • Organization address, representative, and contact
  • Proof of authority to enter contracts (if requested)
  • Apple will phone-verify the entity (Korean supported, 1–5 business days)
06

PAYMENT

Accept terms and pay

Pay the $99 annual fee (same for Individual and Organization) by credit card.

  • Accept the Apple Developer Program License Agreement
  • Use a card that supports international payments (Visa / Mastercard / Amex)
  • For Organization, match the card holder to the legal name when possible
  • Receipt is emailed automatically after payment
07

WAITING

Wait for Apple approval

Once review completes, an approval email is sent.

  • Individual: usually within 24 hours (up to 2 days)
  • Organization: typically 2–7 days (includes DUNS checks and phone verification)
  • Keep both the intake and approval emails
  • Status is shown in the developer.apple.com header during review
08

POST

Set up App Store Connect

After approval, open App Store Connect to prep your app.

  • Log in at appstoreconnect.apple.com
  • Fill in tax and banking info (Paid Apps agreement required)
  • Invite teammates (Developer / App Manager / Admin roles)
  • Sign in Xcode with the same Apple ID and configure Signing

Pitfalls

Common blockers

Individual → Organization is practically impossible

App ownership, reviews, and revenue are all tied together — transfers are very limited. Picking the right type up front matters.

DUNS mismatch

A single character difference between your DUNS and registered company name/address causes rejection. Align your business registration info with DUNS first.

Apple ID without 2FA

Many enrollments stall when 2FA setup is demanded mid-flow. Turn it on beforehand.

Corporate card holder mismatch

If the card is not in the representative's name, phone verification may run longer.

Missing tax/bank info

Paid apps and IAP revenue only disburse after the Paid Apps agreement is fully signed.

Resources

Official links

Apple Developer Enrollment

Start enrolling in the program

DUNS Number Lookup

Look up or apply for a DUNS

App Store Connect

App submission and management console

Apple ID management

Set up 2FA, change passwords

Developer Program License

Official full license terms

App Review Guidelines

Official review guidelines

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