Do I need SAM.gov registration to bid on federal contracts?

Yes, in most cases. FAR 4.1102(a) requires offerors and quoters to be registered in SAM when they submit an offer or quotation, and the provision at FAR 52.204-7 requires registration when submitting an offer and at time of award. There are listed exceptions, such as micro-purchases paid with a Governmentwide commercial purchase card.

How long does SAM.gov registration take to become active?

SAM.gov guidance says to allow at least ten business days after you submit your registration for it to become active. If the registration fails TIN or CAGE code validation, SAM.gov emails instructions and you must fix the information and resubmit.

How do I know if my SAM.gov registration is active?

Sign in to SAM.gov and use the entity status check: enter your Unique Entity ID or CAGE code and the registration status displays. Under FAR 52.204-7, an entity counts as registered only after the Government has validated the data and marked the record "Active".

Do I need SAM.gov registration to bid on federal contracts?

Yes, in most cases. FAR 4.1102(a) requires offerors and quoters to be registered in SAM when they submit an offer or quotation, and the provision at FAR 52.204-7 requires registration when submitting an offer and at time of award. There are listed exceptions, such as micro-purchases paid with a Governmentwide commercial purchase card.

How long does SAM.gov registration take to become active?

SAM.gov guidance says to allow at least ten business days after you submit your registration for it to become active. If the registration fails TIN or CAGE code validation, SAM.gov emails instructions and you must fix the information and resubmit.

How do I know if my SAM.gov registration is active?

Sign in to SAM.gov and use the entity status check: enter your Unique Entity ID or CAGE code and the registration status displays. Under FAR 52.204-7, an entity counts as registered only after the Government has validated the data and marked the record "Active".

What is a UEI and how do I get one?

As of 12 November 2026: The Unique Entity ID (UEI) is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier that SAM.gov assigns to an entity when it passes validation. You get one in SAM.gov, either as part of a full registration or by requesting a UEI only; a UEI only does not let you bid directly on federal contracts as a prime contractor.

Updated 12 November 2026, checked against the official sources below.

Steps

Sign in to SAM.gov with a Login.gov account (create one if needed).
In your Workspace, select 'Get Started' in the Entities section.
Choose to register your entity (needed to bid) or to get a Unique Entity ID only.
Enter your legal business name and physical address so SAM.gov can validate your entity; submit documents if it cannot find you.
Certify that you are authorized to act for the entity and select 'Receive Unique Entity ID'.

What do the official sources say?

Source	What it says	Read
SAM.gov Quick Start Guide for Contract Registrations (GSA)	"The Unique Entity ID is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier used in SAM.gov and other federal government systems to identify a unique entity."	12 November 2026
SAM.gov, Get Started with Registration and the Unique Entity ID	"If you choose to only get a Unique Entity ID, you cannot apply directly for federal awards."	12 November 2026
FAR 2.101 Definitions	"Unique entity identifier means a number or other identifier used to identify a specific commercial, nonprofit, or Government entity."	12 November 2026

Questions people also ask

Do I need SAM.gov registration to bid on federal contracts?: Yes, in most cases. FAR 4.1102(a) requires offerors and quoters to be registered in SAM when they submit an offer or quotation, and the provision at FAR 52.204-7 requires registration when submitting an offer and at time of award. There are listed exceptions, such as micro-purchases paid with a Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
How long does SAM.gov registration take to become active?: SAM.gov guidance says to allow at least ten business days after you submit your registration for it to become active. If the registration fails TIN or CAGE code validation, SAM.gov emails instructions and you must fix the information and resubmit.
How do I know if my SAM.gov registration is active?: Sign in to SAM.gov and use the entity status check: enter your Unique Entity ID or CAGE code and the registration status displays. Under FAR 52.204-7, an entity counts as registered only after the Government has validated the data and marked the record "Active".

Find open contracts for your trade

Search the open federal contract opportunities on Bid Watch US, read every day from SAM.gov public data. Free, no account; a Monday email for your trade and state if you want one.

More help

All questions in the help center · How to find government contracts to bid on

This page restates official sources; it is not legal advice. Bid Watch US is run by Bikoosh, an independent tracker, not affiliated with SAM.gov or the US government.