How do I get a UEI number?
The Unique Entity ID (UEI) is the free 12-character ID SAM.gov assigns to every business that works with the federal government. How to get one, with or without full registration.
The short answer
You get a Unique Entity ID (UEI) free on SAM.gov. Sign in with a login.gov account, then either request a UEI only (enough to be a subcontractor or subrecipient reported on someone else's award) or register your entity in full, which you need to win federal contracts or grants yourself. Either way SAM.gov assigns the 12-character UEI.
Steps
- Create a login.gov account and sign in to SAM.gov.
- Choose "Get a Unique Entity ID" (the ID only) or "Register Entity" (the full registration, which also assigns the ID).
- Enter your legal business name and physical address exactly as your tax records show them; SAM.gov checks them with its entity validation service, and a mismatch is the usual reason for delays (you may be asked for documents).
- For a full registration, add your taxpayer ID, bank details for payments, NAICS codes and the representations and certifications.
- Renew a full registration every year; a UEI-only record has no renewal date.
UEI only or full registration?
| You want to… | What you need |
|---|---|
| Be paid as a subcontractor or subrecipient that the prime reports | A UEI (UEI only is enough) |
| Bid on and win a federal contract | Full SAM.gov registration (with a CAGE code) |
| Apply for a federal grant or cooperative agreement | Full SAM.gov registration |
Your UEI on SpendQuery
Every federal award names the recipient's UEI, so a company's page on SpendQuery is found by it: open /company?key=<your UEI> to see the awards, agencies and NAICS codes on record, or look up a UEI's public SAM.gov registration on /registration?uei=<UEI>.
On SpendQuery
Official sources
Questions people ask
Is the UEI the same as a DUNS number?
It replaced it. Since April 4, 2022 federal awards use the SAM.gov UEI instead of the DUNS number; existing registrations were given a UEI automatically.
How long does it take to get a UEI?
A UEI-only request can finish the same day when your name and address validate; a full registration usually takes from a few days to several weeks to become active.
Does a UEI cost anything?
No. Getting a UEI and registering in SAM.gov are free.
Do subcontractors need a UEI?
Prime contractors and grant recipients report their first-tier subawards with the subrecipient's UEI, so subcontractors are asked for one. A UEI alone is enough for that; full registration isn't required.
More guides
- How to find government contracts
- What is a small business set-aside?
- How to read a SAM.gov contract notice
- How to register in SAM.gov
- NAICS codes and small-business size standards
- Federal contract types, explained
- How to market your business to government buyers
- Sole-source contracts for small businesses
- Joint ventures and the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program
- Size protests and certificates of competency
- How to decide whether to bid on a government contract
- How to find federal grants
- The federal fiscal year-end spending rush
- What are the easiest government contracts to get?
- FY2026 federal contract spending: which agencies grew and shrank
- Government contract lists: open bids, awards and small business
- Who buys janitorial services from the federal government
- How government contractors get paid: timing, invoices and factoring
- How to respond to RFIs and sources-sought notices
- How to start a government contracting business from scratch
- Subcontracting on federal contracts: finding and vetting subs
- Who won federal IT support contracts in your state
- A free tool to ask government spending questions in plain English
- How to find federal bids your small business qualifies for
- How to find which federal agencies buy your product or service
- Free tools to search state and local government contracts
- How to understand the FAR without reading all of it
- Supplier databases in government buying: how to get listed
- What is a CAGE code?
- What is a capability statement?
Updated 2026-10-22. General information, not legal advice; the solicitation and the FAR govern each purchase.