The Complete Guide to SAM.gov Registration for Government Contractors (2026)

The System for Award Management (known as SAM.gov) is the official government database where contractors register their business information, certifications, and capabilities. It is also where federal agencies post contract opportunities and where award data is tracked.

Despite being a mandatory step, SAM.gov registration trips up thousands of businesses every year. The process has multiple stages, confusing terminology, and enough data entry to make anyone's eyes glaze over.

This guide walks you through the entire SAM.gov registration process for 2026, from getting your UEI number to selecting NAICS codes to avoiding the mistakes that delay or reject applications.

What Is SAM.gov and Why Does It Matter?

SAM.gov is a free, government-operated website that serves multiple purposes:

• Entity registration: Where businesses register to receive federal contracts and grants
• Contract opportunities: Where agencies post solicitations (formerly on FBO.gov / beta.SAM.gov)
• Exclusions: A list of individuals and companies barred from doing business with the government
• Wage determinations: Davis-Bacon and Service Contract Act wage data
• Entity information: Public data on registered businesses

If your company is not registered in SAM.gov, you cannot:

• Receive a federal contract or subcontract
• Receive a federal grant or cooperative agreement
• Bid on posted solicitations
• Be listed as a vendor in government databases

Registration is completely free. Any website or company that charges you to register in SAM.gov is a third-party service, not the government. The official SAM.gov website never charges fees.

Before You Start: What You Need

Gather these items before beginning your registration. Having everything ready will save you hours of frustration.

Required Information

• Legal business name: Exactly as it appears on your tax documents
• Physical business address: P.O. boxes are not accepted as primary addresses
• Mailing address: Can be different from physical address
• Tax Identification Number (TIN/EIN): Your IRS Employer Identification Number
• Banking information: For electronic funds transfer (EFT) setup, including routing number and account number
• NAICS codes: The industry classification codes that describe your business (more on this below)
• Products and services codes: PSC codes that describe what you sell to the government

Required Accounts

• Login.gov account: SAM.gov uses Login.gov for authentication. Create one at login.gov if you do not have one already. You will need a valid email address and a second authentication method (phone, authentication app, or security key).

Your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

In April 2022, the federal government transitioned from DUNS numbers to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) system. Your UEI is now assigned directly through SAM.gov during the registration process. You no longer need to go to Dun & Bradstreet first.

If your company already had a DUNS number and was registered in SAM.gov before the transition, your UEI was automatically assigned. You can look it up in your existing SAM.gov profile.

If you are registering for the first time, SAM.gov will generate your UEI as part of the process.

Step-by-Step SAM.gov Registration Process

Step 1: Create Your Login.gov Account

Go to login.gov and create an account using a business email address. Choose a strong password and set up two-factor authentication.

Tip: Use a shared business email rather than a personal one. If the person who registered leaves the company, you will still have access.

Step 2: Go to SAM.gov and Start Registration

Visit SAM.gov and sign in with your Login.gov credentials. Click "Get Started" under Entity Registration, then select "Register Entity."

You will be asked to identify your entity type. Most businesses choose "Business or Organization." Other options include:

• U.S. State Government
• U.S. Local Government
• Foreign Entity
• Individual

Step 3: Validate Your Entity

SAM.gov will ask for your legal business name, physical address, and an entity start date. The system will check this information against IRS records to validate your entity. This is the step where your UEI gets assigned if you do not already have one.

Common issue: If your business name or address does not exactly match IRS records, validation will fail. Make sure everything matches your most recent tax filing. Even small differences like "LLC" vs "L.L.C." can cause problems.

The validation step can take anywhere from a few minutes to several business days if manual review is required.

Step 4: Enter Core Data

Once validated, you will fill in detailed information about your business across several sections:

Business Information

• Business type (LLC, Corporation, Sole Proprietorship, etc.)
• State of incorporation
• Fiscal year end date
• Company website URL
• Congressional district

NAICS Codes

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes define what industries your company operates in. This is one of the most important parts of registration because agencies use NAICS codes to determine:

• Which businesses qualify as "small" for a given contract
• Which set-aside categories apply
• How to find vendors for specific types of work

You can select multiple NAICS codes, but you must choose one as your primary code. Choose your primary code carefully: it determines your small business size standard.

Here are some common NAICS codes for government contractors:

You can search all NAICS codes at the Census Bureau's NAICS website.

Product and Service Codes (PSC/FSC)

These codes describe the specific products or services you offer. While NAICS codes describe your industry, PSC codes describe what you actually deliver. Select all codes that apply to your offerings.

Step 5: Enter Financial Information

This section collects your banking details for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). The government pays contractors electronically, so this information is required.

You will need:

• Bank name
• Bank routing number (ABA number)
• Account number
• Account type (checking or savings)

Important: Double-check these numbers. Incorrect banking information means delayed payments.

Step 6: Complete Executive Compensation and Proceedings

If your company received over $25 million in federal awards in the prior fiscal year, you must report executive compensation for your five highest-paid officers. Most small businesses do not meet this threshold.

You must also disclose any federal criminal proceedings, civil proceedings, or administrative proceedings your company has been involved in.

Step 7: Certify Representations and Certifications

This is one of the longest sections. You will answer a series of yes/no questions about your business, including:

• Small business status under various categories (WOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB, etc.)
• Ownership and control structure
• Place of manufacture for products
• Telecommunications and video surveillance equipment disclosures
• Various compliance certifications

Take your time here. Incorrect representations can result in penalties including fines and debarment.

Step 8: Assign Roles (Entity Administrators)

You must designate at least one Entity Administrator who will manage your SAM.gov registration going forward. This person has the authority to update information, renew the registration, and grant access to other users.

Designate a backup administrator as well. Losing access to your SAM.gov account because the only administrator left the company is a common and painful problem.

Step 9: Submit and Wait

After reviewing all your information, submit your registration. The processing time varies:

You will receive email notifications at key stages. Check your spam folder, since SAM.gov emails sometimes get filtered.

Keeping Your Registration Active: Renewal Requirements

Your SAM.gov registration must be renewed every 365 days. If it lapses, you cannot receive new awards, and payments on existing contracts may be delayed.

SAM.gov sends email reminders at 60 days and 30 days before expiration, but do not rely solely on these. Set your own calendar reminders.

When renewing, you must review and update all your information. This is a good time to:

• Add new NAICS codes if your business has expanded
• Update your banking information if it has changed
• Review and update your small business certifications
• Correct any errors from the original registration

Pro tip: Renew at least 30 days before expiration to account for processing time. If your registration lapses, it can take weeks to reactivate.

Using SAM.gov to Find Contract Opportunities

Beyond registration, SAM.gov is also the primary place to find federal contract opportunities. The Contract Opportunities section (formerly Federal Business Opportunities / FBO) is where agencies post:

• Presolicitation notices: Early notice that a solicitation is coming
• Combined synopsis/solicitation: The actual opportunity with instructions for bidding
• Sources Sought / RFI: Market research notices where agencies are exploring options
• Award notices: Announcements of who won a contract
• Sole source notices: Notifications that an agency intends to award without competition

Searching for Opportunities

You can search SAM.gov opportunities by:

• Keyword: Search for terms related to your products or services
• NAICS code: Filter by your registered industry codes
• Set-aside type: Find opportunities reserved for small businesses
• Agency: Search specific departments or agencies
• Place of performance: Filter by location
• Posted date and response deadline: Find active opportunities

Setting Up Saved Searches

SAM.gov lets you save search criteria and receive email notifications when new matching opportunities are posted. Set up multiple saved searches with different keyword and filter combinations to catch as many relevant opportunities as possible.

While SAM.gov's built-in search works for basic needs, many contractors find it limited for serious opportunity hunting. The interface can be slow, the search algorithm is basic, and it only covers federal opportunities. Tools like Bidovate aggregate federal, state, local, and international opportunities in one place, with AI-powered matching that goes beyond simple keyword searches to understand the context of what you do and what agencies need.

Common SAM.gov Registration Mistakes

1. Business Name Mismatch

Your SAM.gov business name must exactly match your IRS records. This is the number one cause of validation failures and delays.

2. Wrong NAICS Code Selection

Choosing NAICS codes that do not actually match your work can disqualify you from relevant set-asides. Worse, claiming small business status under a NAICS code where you exceed the size standard is a serious compliance violation.

3. Not Updating Banking Information

If your bank account changes and you do not update SAM.gov, your contract payments will fail. Update banking info immediately when it changes.

4. Letting Registration Expire

An expired registration means you cannot receive awards or payments. Some agencies will not even consider your proposal if your SAM.gov registration is not current at the time of award.

5. Using Personal Instead of Business Credentials

Using a personal email and login creates access problems if that person leaves the company. Always use a business email for your Login.gov account and SAM.gov registration.

6. Paying a Third Party to Register

While some third-party services are legitimate, many charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for what is a free process. Some are outright scams. If you need help, the SBA's Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) offer free registration assistance.

7. Skipping Optional Fields

While some fields are technically optional, completing them makes your profile more visible to contracting officers searching for vendors. Fill out as much as possible, including your capabilities narrative and past performance references.

Getting Help with Registration

If you get stuck during the process, there are free resources available:

• Federal Service Desk: SAM.gov's official help desk at fsd.gov or 866-606-8220
• PTACs: Local Procurement Technical Assistance Centers provide free one-on-one registration help
• SBA District Offices: Local SBA offices can guide you through the process
• SCORE Mentors: Free mentoring for small business owners at score.org

After Registration: What Comes Next

Congratulations, your SAM.gov registration is active. Now what?

1. Start searching for opportunities on SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities section
2. Set up your DSBS profile in the Dynamic Small Business Search if you are a small business
3. Research your target agencies to understand what they buy and how they buy it
4. Build your capability statement: a one-page marketing document for government buyers
5. Consider small business certifications like 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, or SDVOSB
6. Use tools like Bidovate to monitor opportunities across federal, state, and local agencies with AI-powered matching

SAM.gov registration is just the starting line. The real work begins when you start pursuing and winning contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to register in SAM.gov?

SAM.gov registration is completely free. The government does not charge any fee to register, renew, or update your entity information. If a website or company asks you to pay for SAM.gov registration, it is either a third-party service adding a convenience fee or a scam. Always use the official website at sam.gov for registration.

How long does SAM.gov registration take?

The entire process from start to active registration typically takes 7 to 10 business days when all your information matches IRS records. If there are data discrepancies requiring manual review, it can take 3 to 6 weeks. You can speed up the process by making sure your legal business name and address exactly match your IRS records before starting.

What is a UEI number and how do I get one?

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) replaced the DUNS number in April 2022 as the official identifier for entities doing business with the federal government. Your UEI is assigned automatically during the SAM.gov registration process. You do not need to apply for it separately. If you were previously registered with a DUNS number, your UEI was automatically generated during the transition.

Do I need to register in SAM.gov for state and local contracts?

SAM.gov registration is specifically required for federal contracts and grants. State and local governments have their own vendor registration systems. However, many state agencies do reference SAM.gov data, and having an active registration is generally seen as a sign of credibility. If you plan to pursue federal work at any point, register now rather than waiting.

What happens if my SAM.gov registration expires?

If your registration expires, you cannot receive new federal contract awards, and payments on existing contracts may be delayed. Most agencies require an active SAM.gov registration at the time of award and throughout the performance period. If your registration lapses, you will need to log in and renew it, which typically takes 3 to 5 business days to process. Set calendar reminders to renew at least 30 days before your annual expiration date.