How to Register in SAM.gov and Get a UEI

Cost to register

Free

Sign-in account

Login.gov

Time to activate

Up to 10 business days

Renewal

Every 365 days, free

Suggested renewal start

45 days before expiration

UEI format

12 letters and numbers

CAGE code

5 characters, assigned in registration

Federal Service Desk

866-606-8220

What SAM.gov registration is and what it costs

SAM.gov is the System for Award Management, the official federal website where businesses sign up to work with the government. Every company that wants to bid on a federal prime contract needs an active registration there. Contracting officers check SAM.gov before they award a contract, and the government pays you using the bank details you enter.

Registration is free. The government does not charge a fee to register, to get a Unique Entity ID, or to renew. You can complete the whole process yourself on SAM.gov, and free help is available from the Federal Service Desk and from APEX Accelerators.

When you register, SAM.gov gives your business a Unique Entity ID, often shortened to UEI. The UEI is a 12-character code made of letters and numbers, and it replaced the old DUNS number in April 2022. It is your company's main identifier across federal contracting and grant systems.

UEI only or full registration

SAM.gov offers two paths. The first is a UEI only request, where you give just your legal business name and physical address and receive a UEI. This option fits a business that only needs an ID number, such as a subcontractor whose prime contractor must report it. A UEI by itself does not let you bid on or win a federal prime contract.

The second path is full entity registration. Full registration is what you need to bid on contracts as a prime contractor or to apply for federal financial assistance. It asks for much more information about your business, and it gives you a UEI and, for most businesses, a CAGE code. If you start with a UEI only and later decide to bid, you can upgrade to full registration and keep the same UEI.

Gather your information before you start

Having your details ready makes the process go faster. You will need your exact legal business name and physical address as they appear on your IRS and state records. You will also need your Taxpayer Identification Number, which is your Employer Identification Number or, for some sole proprietors, a Social Security number. SAM.gov sends your name and TIN to the IRS to confirm they match.

Plan to enter your bank routing number and account number for electronic payments. You will choose your NAICS codes, which describe the industries you work in, and name at least two points of contact for your business. You will also answer a set of representations and certifications, such as your business size and ownership. SAM.gov publishes an Entity Registration Checklist you can use to collect everything in one place.

Step-by-step registration

First, create a Login.gov account. SAM.gov uses Login.gov to manage your username, password and two-factor authentication. Go to SAM.gov, select Sign In, and follow the prompts to create or sign in to your Login.gov account. You then return to SAM.gov to finish your user profile.

Second, open your Workspace on SAM.gov and choose to register your entity. Pick full registration if you plan to bid on contracts. The Entity Validation Service then checks your legal business name and physical address against outside records. If it cannot confirm a match, you can upload documents such as a state business license or an IRS letter for a manual review.

Third, work through the core data, assertions, representations and certifications, and points of contact sections. Assertions include your NAICS codes and size information, and the representations and certifications cover the standard FAR statements that contracting officers rely on. Finally, review everything and submit. SAM.gov confirms by email and lets you track progress with its status tool.

How long activation takes

SAM.gov states that a new registration can take up to 10 business days to become active once you submit it. During that time, the IRS checks your TIN and the CAGE program processes your code. You can follow each step with the entity status tracker on SAM.gov.

Validation can add time when your records need manual review. The Defense Logistics Agency notes that simpler document reviews can finish in about five days, while others take several weeks, and corrected documents take 7 calendar days to process. Registering well before you plan to bid gives you plenty of room for these checks.

Your CAGE code

A CAGE code is a five-character identifier for your business location. CAGE stands for Commercial and Government Entity, and the code is assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency CAGE Program Office. Many agencies use it for contracts, facility clearances and payment records.

You do not apply for a CAGE code separately. If you are in the United States or its territories and do not have one, SAM.gov requests it for you during full registration. If you already have a CAGE code, SAM.gov updates its record with your new information. CAGE processing can take up to 10 business days.

Renew every year

Your registration stays active for 365 days. To keep it active, you renew it every year on SAM.gov through your Workspace. Renewal is also free, and it repeats the validation of your name and address.

The Defense Logistics Agency suggests starting renewal 45 days before your expiration date so a review never causes a gap. You should also update your registration any time your details change, such as your address, bank account or points of contact. Updating a point of contact alone does not count as a renewal, so complete the full renewal each year.

Free help

The Federal Service Desk at FSD.gov answers SAM.gov questions by live chat and by phone at 866-606-8220, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. The Defense Logistics Agency Customer Interaction Center at 1-877-DLA-CALL also helps with registration and CAGE questions around the clock.

APEX Accelerators, formerly called Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, provide free one-on-one help in every state. Counselors can walk you through registration, choosing NAICS codes and your first bids. Your local SBA district office and Small Business Development Center offer free guidance as well.

Sources

https://alpha.sam.gov/entity-registration
https://www.dla.mil/Aviation/Business/Vendor-Information-Hub/Table-of-Contents/Details/Article/3606127/registration-renewal-and-cage-creation-in-system-for-award-management-sam/
https://www.fsd.gov

Checked October 2026. Thresholds and rules change; each source above is the official page.