SAM.gov registration, step by step

Before you start: registration is free, and DUNS is gone

Two facts orient everything else. First, registering in SAM.gov costs nothing — GSA's own checklist says: SAM.gov is FREE to use. There is no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, register your entity, and maintain your entity registration at SAM.gov. Anyone charging you for "SAM registration" is a third party, not the government (see our scam-call explainer).

Second, the DUNS number is retired. Since April 4, 2022, the government's authoritative entity identifier is the Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character identifier generated by SAM.gov itself — not by Dun & Bradstreet. You never need to contact D&B to do business with the federal government.

Decide which registration you need

SAM.gov offers two paths:

• Unique Entity ID only — enough if you will only ever be a subcontractor or sub-awardee. Requires just your legal business name and physical address. No TIN, no CAGE, no reps & certs, and it does not expire. You cannot bid on federal awards directly with this.
• Full entity registration — required to bid on contracts or apply for federal assistance directly. Comes in two flavors: "All Awards" (contracts — this is the one contractors need) and "Financial Assistance Awards Only" (grants; skips most FAR representations).

The steps, in order

1. Create your user account. SAM.gov sign-in runs through Login.gov (username, password, multi-factor authentication), then you complete a SAM.gov profile.
2. Get your UEI — entity validation. You enter your legal business name, physical address (A post office box may not be used as your physical address), date of incorporation, and state of incorporation. SAM.gov's Entity Validation Service checks this against its database. If your entity appears in the list it shows you, you select it and this step is automated. If not, you upload proof documents and a human reviews them — this is where most registrations get stuck; see the entity validation error decoder. You then certify, under penalty of law, that you are authorized to act for the entity, and SAM displays your 12-character UEI.
3. Core Data. Business start date, fiscal year end, your self-created MPIN, addresses, your TIN (EIN, or SSN for some sole proprietors), the IRS consent, CAGE/NCAGE answers, ownership, entity structure, and your banking details for electronic funds transfer (the government pays you through what you enter here — type carefully).
4. IRS TIN match (automated). With your consent under 26 U.S.C. 6103(c), the IRS checks that your TIN and taxpayer name exactly match its files. Per the Federal Service Desk: It may take two to five business days to validate new and updated records with the IRS.
5. CAGE code (automated hand-off). If you don't already have one, SAM sends your record to the Defense Logistics Agency, which assigns your five-character CAGE code at no cost. Foreign entities need an NCAGE code from the NATO tool before starting SAM registration.
6. Assertions. Your NAICS codes, optional PSC codes, and size metrics (annual receipts / employees, per SBA's rules at 13 CFR part 121).
7. Representations and certifications. The FAR questionnaire (debarment status, delinquent taxes, Section 889 covered telecom, and more), plus the DFARS questions if you'll bid DoD work. These become the certifications behind provisions like FAR 52.212-3.
8. Points of contact. Accounts Receivable, Electronic Business, and Government Business POCs are mandatory. Validation-problem emails go to the Government Business POC — use an address someone actually reads, and check spam.
9. Submit and wait for activation. SAM.gov's own guidance: Registration can take up to 10 business days to become active. TIN or CAGE validation failures come back by email with instructions.
10. Renew every year. You must renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active. An expired registration means you are not award- eligible — calendar it.

What is automated vs. manually reviewed

Three checks are automated: the database entity match (when your entity is already in the validation list), the IRS TIN/name match, and the SAM-to-DLA CAGE hand-off. One is human: review of entity-validation documents, which the FSD says takes one to three business days per submission once your ticket is in the queue. Budget your bid timeline accordingly: a clean registration can activate in about two weeks; a validation-document problem can add weeks if you resubmit the wrong document twice.

FAQ

How much does SAM.gov registration cost?

Nothing. GSA states: "There is no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, register your entity, and maintain your entity registration at SAM.gov." Companies that charge for this are unaffiliated third parties.

How long does SAM registration take?

SAM.gov says registration can take up to 10 business days to become active after you submit, with the IRS TIN match alone taking 2-5 business days. Entity-validation document problems add more.

Do I still need a DUNS number?

No. DUNS was retired for federal use on April 4, 2022. The Unique Entity ID (UEI), generated by SAM.gov, replaced it.

How often do I renew my SAM registration?

Every 365 days, per SAM.gov. If it lapses, you are not eligible for award until you renew.