Do you need SAM.gov registration to get a UEI?

No. SAM.gov lets some organizations request only a UEI, but a UEI-only record does not let the organization apply directly for federal awards.

What does SAM.gov registration assign?

SAM.gov assigns the Unique Entity ID during registration and records entity details used across federal award systems.

How often does a SAM.gov registration need renewal?

SAM.gov states that registered entities must renew every 365 days to keep the registration active.

Federal Contracting · Fonteum Data GlossaryRegulatory

What is SAM.gov registration?

SAM.gov registration is the federal entity record an organization completes when it wants to bid on contracts or apply directly for federal assistance awards. During registration, SAM.gov assigns the organization a Unique Entity ID. Some organizations can request a UEI only, but they cannot use that alone to apply directly for awards.

Full name: System for Award Management Entity Registration

Short explanation

SAM.gov registration is the U.S. government's registration workflow for entities that want to do business with the federal government as prime awardees or apply directly for federal assistance. Registration creates or updates the entity record, assigns the UEI when needed, and carries fields such as legal name, physical address, registration status, CAGE code, and representations. A UEI-only request is narrower: it creates an identifier without an active award-registration record.

Related use case: Federal contractor profiles

Last updated: 2026-07-11Reviewed by: Fonteum data standards desk — Source-provenance editorial review. Definitions checked against primary federal sources.

How it’s used

Entity registration: SAM.gov assigns a UEI during registration and requires registration for organizations that want to bid on contracts or apply directly for assistance.
Registration status: active, expired, or incomplete status affects whether a federal entity record can be used for current award workflows.
Fonteum's procurement screen reads SAM.gov registration facts by UEI or CAGE and keeps them source-dated beside award, exclusion, and integrity records.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need SAM.gov registration to get a UEI?: No. SAM.gov lets some organizations request only a UEI, but a UEI-only record does not let the organization apply directly for federal awards.
What does SAM.gov registration assign?: SAM.gov assigns the Unique Entity ID during registration and records entity details used across federal award systems.
How often does a SAM.gov registration need renewal?: SAM.gov states that registered entities must renew every 365 days to keep the registration active.

Related terms

Explore in Fonteum

How Fonteum sources, resolves, and publishes data tied to this term.

Authoritative sources

← All glossary terms