Launching your branded mobile app is a collaborative process. At Plan2Play, we value your input to create an app that truly reflects your vision. Your images, color choices, thoughts, and designs will help us develop a custom mobile app tailored to meet your business's unique needs.
However, our work doesn't stop at app design. According to Apple's release guidelines, there are additional requirements that need to be fulfilled before your app can be available to customers. Specifically, your business must register as an Apple Developer and invite Plan2Play as your publishing partner.
To assist you through these steps, we've structured the following article as a checklist. We recommend following each step sequentially, marking each one as "complete" as you proceed. Once all requirements are fulfilled, including adding Plan2Play to your Developer account, we will take over the responsibility of launching, updating, and maintaining your branded mobile app.
Launch Requirements Summary
The following requirements are mandated by Apple and apply to every business operating within the App Store. These rules are not exclusive to apps developed by Plan2Play—everyone publishing to the App Store must abide by them.
If you already have a custom email address and a website, you've completed the first two steps. Additionally, if your business is registered as a legal entity, such as a limited liability company (LLC), you may already have a D-U-N-S® number as well.
Set Up your Business Email Address
You need a custom email address with your domain name (e.g.,
owner@yourcompany.com) to sign up for an Apple Developer account; Apple does not accept personal email addresses created through free online services such as Gmail or Yahoo.If you have your own website, a custom email address may already be included as part of your website hosting plan. If this isn't the case, you can still purchase a custom address for your organization using services like Gmail for Business or a similar service.
Establish Your Business Website
Your business must have a publicly available website, and the domain name must be associated with your organization. In other words, you need a website hosted outside of Plan2Play where clients can go to find your business.
When applying for a Developer account, use your business website address (e.g., http://www.yourcompany.com) on the application.
Legal Entity Registration Required for Apple Developer Program
Your business must register as a corporation, LLC, or another type of legal entity (e.g., GmbH, AG, KG) to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. Apple does not permit sole proprietorships to launch apps through this program, nor does it allow the use of DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names, or branch names.
We understand that registering as a legal entity is a significant task. Due to the sensitive legal nature of these agreements, Plan2Play representatives are not able to assist with this step. Local laws and the resulting tax implications can vary significantly depending on your business location. Therefore, we strongly recommend reaching out to a qualified legal adviser to discuss the registration requirements in your area.
Note: After completing the legal entity change, please contact our Merchant Support team so we can update your account with the new details.
Create a Business Apple ID
When enrolling in the Apple Developer Program, we recommend creating an Apple ID specifically for your business. This ID should be separate from your personal Apple ID, as Apple uses the linked email address to communicate updates about your app and bill your annual $99 registration fee. For these reasons, consider registering your Apple ID using a private email rather than a general address shared among several employees (e.g.,
owner@yourbusiness.com instead of
info@yourbusiness.com).
If you've previously created an Apple ID for your business—to download the Class Check-in app or play music in your studio, for instance—you can use the same ID with the Developer Program.
To create a new Apple ID, follow these steps:
2. Fill out the form using your company email address and complete all required security questions.
Note: Apple uses this address to communicate updates concerning your app registration, so be sure to check it regularly.
3. Apple sends a six-digit verification code after you fill out the form. You need to enter this code to complete registration.
Apple Support
As this process takes place entirely within Apple's ecosystem, our Support team is limited in the help they can provide. If you encounter trouble with your Apple ID, we recommend using these resources:
Visit this page if you can't remember the email address or password for your Apple ID.Visit this page if you need assistance setting up or managing your Apple ID.Visit this page to contact Apple Support (login and select the Apple ID tile).
How to Find Your D-U-N-S® Number
The Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number is a unique identifier used to verify your business's identity and legal status. Essentially, it shows Apple that your business is legitimate and authorized to publish on its platform. These numbers are automatically issued by a company called Dun & Bradstreet to eligible businesses; if you've registered as a legal entity in the past, you may have already been assigned a D-U-N-S number.
If you do not know your D-U-N-S number or if your business has one, it’s free to acquire and takes just a few minutes to look up on Apple's website.
Here’s what to do:
- Visit the Look Up Your D-U-N-S Number website provided by Apple.
- Log in using your business's Apple ID.
- Complete the form and click Continue at the bottom.
- If your business is found, select it from the list and click Continue once more.
- Check your email for a message from developer@email.apple.com; it may take a few minutes to arrive.
What to Do If Your Business Wasn't Found
If your business wasn't found, you can request a D-U-N-S number directly from the "Your organization was not found" screen.
What to Expect When Requesting a D-U-N-S Number
Here's what you need to know about requesting a D-U-N-S number:
- Registering with Dun & Bradstreet is free.
- After requesting a number, it may take up to five days to receive it from Dun & Bradstreet.
- Note: If you haven't received a reply after five days, please contact Dun & Bradstreet at (800) 234-3867 to check on the status of your request.
- Once you receive your D-U-N-S number, it may take an additional two days for Apple to receive your registration information.
- Apple provides a brief overview of this process in their D-U-N-S Number article.
Given this timeline, we recommend allowing at least one week between requesting a D-U-N-S number and registering with Apple. Because we rely on both Dun & Bradstreet and Apple to complete this process promptly, Plan2Play is unable to assist you during this time.
Enrolling in the Apple Developer Program
If you've completed all the prior steps in this article, you're ready to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. We recommend writing down or copying into a separate file all of the information you need to complete your enrollment. Please note that you need to enroll as an organization when registering with the program; we are not able to launch your app if you register as an individual.
You will also need an Apple device such as an iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer to complete Apple's two-factor authentication process and successfully log in to their developer site. If needed, refer to Apple's Two-factor authentication for Apple ID article.
To recap, here's what's required:
- Your business website URL
- The business email address you use to communicate with Apple
- Your D-U-N-S number (this verifies your status as a legal entity)
- The login information for your business's Apple ID
When you're ready to enroll in the Apple Developer Program, visit Apple's Enrolling in the Apple Developer Program article.
Confirm and Pay for Your Developer Account
After submitting your application, Apple will contact you within two weeks to verify your enrollment. You will then receive a confirmation email at your Apple ID email address with a link to confirm and pay for your developer membership. The cost is $99 USD.
When you receive the confirmation email, complete these steps:
- Click the link enclosed in the email.
- Log in to the App Store with your Apple ID.
- Accept the terms and conditions and click Continue.
- After confirming your information, check the Automatic Renewal option to enroll in yearly renewal and proceed.
- Important note: We strongly recommend enrolling in automatic renewal. Failure to pay your annual fee on time may result in Apple removing your app from the App Store.
- Pay for the enrollment.
You have successfully enrolled in the Apple Developer Program once you see the "Thank you" screen. Apple will send a welcome email and a payment confirmation soon after.
Invite Plan2Play to Your App Account
Lastly, you need to invite Plan2Play to manage your accounts through both the Apple Developer website and App Store Connect. This allows us to publish the branded mobile app on your behalf.
This is a three-step process:
- Log in to your Apple Developer account and add this email address to your account: development@plan2play.com.
- Log in to App Store Connect and add Plan2Play as an admin user.