How to register in SAM.gov
Updated November 10, 2026. Facts come from SAM.gov, GSA and SBA pages read on that date (listed under Sources). EasBid is an independent bid search service and is not affiliated with SAM.gov, GSA or any government agency. Registration in SAM.gov is free and is done only on SAM.gov.
To register in SAM.gov, you sign in through Login.gov, choose "Register Entity", and enter your business details, taxpayer number, bank details for payment, NAICS codes and the required representations and certifications. There is no fee. When the registration becomes active, usually at least ten business days after you submit, you have a Unique Entity ID and can bid on federal contracts as a prime contractor. You renew it every 365 days.
What SAM.gov is and who needs a registration
SAM.gov, the System for Award Management, is the federal government's database of businesses and other entities that want federal awards. GSA describes it as the main way the government collects three things: the identifying details it uses to issue your Unique Entity ID and CAGE code, your entity-level representations and certifications, and the information needed to pay you and report on the contract. In most cases an offeror must have an active registration when it submits an offer, when the contract is awarded and for as long as the contract runs.
Not everyone needs the full registration. SAM.gov offers a lighter path for organizations that only need a Unique Entity ID, for example a business that reports as a subcontractor or subawardee but does not bid directly. If you want to bid as the prime contractor, choose the full registration.
Before you start: what to gather
The official Entity Registration Checklist, published by GSA on SAM.gov, lists what the form asks for. Having it ready turns a long session into a short one:
- Legal business name and physical address exactly as your tax records show them. A post office box cannot be the physical address. SAM.gov validates the name and address before it issues your Unique Entity ID.
- Date and state of incorporation, plus your organization's start date and the month your fiscal year ends.
- Taxpayer Identification Number (your EIN, or SSN for some sole proprietors) and the taxpayer name the IRS has on file, since SAM.gov checks it with the IRS and asks for your consent.
- Bank details for Electronic Funds Transfer: account type, routing number, account number and a remittance address, so the government can pay you.
- Your NAICS codes, the industry codes that describe your products and services; Product Service Codes are optional. Our NAICS code lookup helps you find them.
- Size information: average annual receipts and number of employees, which decide whether you count as small for each NAICS code.
- Points of contact for the registration, for electronic business and for past performance.
Step by step: registering in SAM.gov
- Create your sign-in. SAM.gov uses Login.gov for usernames and passwords. Choose Sign In on SAM.gov, create or use your Login.gov account, and you are sent back to SAM.gov to finish your profile.
- Choose Register Entity. Pick the purpose "All Awards" if you want to bid on contracts (the other option, financial assistance only, is for grants and loans), then pick your entity type.
- Get your Unique Entity ID. Enter your legal name, physical address, and incorporation details. Decide whether your record is public; a public record lets state and local buyers and prime contractors find you.
- Fill in core data. Business details, mailing address, taxpayer number with the IRS consent, CAGE code (answer no if you have none and one is assigned later), ownership and any predecessor that held a federal award in the last three years, entity structure, socioeconomic categories, and your payment details.
- Complete the assertions. Add your NAICS codes and optional Product Service Codes, and your size figures.
- Answer the representations and certifications. These are statements the government relies on for every offer you make, such as whether you are a small business for each code. Answer them carefully; they are legally binding.
- Add points of contact and, if you are small, the SBA supplemental page. The SBA page feeds SBA's search of small businesses, which contracting officers and prime contractors use to find suppliers.
- Submit and wait. SAM.gov says to allow at least ten business days for the registration to become active. If the IRS check or the name and address validation fails, fix the details and resubmit; the Federal Service Desk can help with validation problems.
How much does SAM.gov registration cost?
Nothing. The checklist states plainly that SAM.gov is free to use, with no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, to register, or to maintain the registration. Some companies send official-looking letters or emails offering to register or renew you for a fee; you never need them. If you want free hands-on help, SBA points small businesses to its local partners and to APEX Accelerators.
After you are registered
- Renew every 365 days. Put the date on your calendar a month ahead; a lapsed registration can block an award.
- Check whether you qualify as small. SBA assigns a size standard to each NAICS code. As a rough guide SBA says most manufacturers with 500 employees or fewer and most non-manufacturers with average annual receipts under $7.5 million qualify, with many exceptions by industry; its size standards tool gives the answer for your codes.
- Consider SBA certifications. 8(a), HUBZone, women-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned programs can open set-aside contracts. SBA's certification site asks for your SAM.gov registration first. See small business set-asides explained.
- Start watching bids. SBA notes that agencies must use SAM.gov to advertise contracts over $25,000. EasBid lists those federal notices with state and local bids, filtered by your NAICS codes, on the federal bids page.
Common mistakes that slow registration down
- A business name or address that does not match IRS or state records exactly, which makes validation fail.
- A bank account in a different name from the entity.
- Choosing "financial assistance only" when you want to bid on contracts.
- Listing NAICS codes for work you do not do; contracting officers search by code, and a scattered list makes your record less useful.
- Letting the registration expire while a bid is pending.
Frequently asked questions
Is SAM.gov registration free?
Yes. The official SAM.gov checklist says there is no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, to register, or to keep a registration current. Be wary of anyone who charges to do it for you.
How long does SAM.gov registration take?
SAM.gov tells applicants to allow at least ten business days after submitting for a registration to become active, and longer if the IRS check of your taxpayer number or the name and address validation needs another try.
How often do I renew SAM.gov?
Every 365 days. A registration that is not renewed becomes inactive, and in most cases an offeror needs an active registration when it submits an offer, at award and for the life of the contract.
What is the difference between a Unique Entity ID and a registration?
The Unique Entity ID (UEI) is a 12-character identifier. You can get one without registering, for example to report as a subawardee. A full registration is needed to bid on federal contracts as a prime contractor, and it assigns the UEI along the way.
Do I need a CAGE code before I register?
No. If you do not have one, you answer no and a CAGE code is assigned after you submit. Businesses outside the United States need an NCAGE code first.
Does SAM.gov registration help with state or city bids?
Not directly. States, cities and counties run their own vendor registrations. Some local buyers do look at the public SAM.gov records, which is one reason to keep your record public.
Sources
- Entity Registration Checklist (GSA, on SAM.gov) (sam.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Get Started with Registration and the Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov) (sam.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Register your business (GSA) (gsa.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Get started with contracting (SBA) (sba.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- How to win contracts (SBA) (sba.gov, read November 10, 2026)
- Size standards (SBA) (sba.gov, read November 10, 2026)