SAM.gov (System for Award Management) is the federal government's central database for entities doing business with the government. If you want to apply for federal grants, bid on government contracts, or receive federal payments, you need to be registered here.
The registration is free. It's also notorious for being confusing, slow, and prone to vague error messages. This guide walks through every step so you don't hit the same walls everyone else does.
What SAM.gov Registration Gets You
A completed SAM.gov registration gives you:
- A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) — your 12-character federal identifier, assigned automatically when you start registration
- Eligibility to apply for federal grants on Grants.gov
- Eligibility to bid on federal contracts through SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities module
- Ability to receive federal payments via direct deposit
Without an active SAM.gov registration, federal agencies cannot award you grants or contracts — even if you win the competition.
Before You Start: What You'll Need
Gather these before opening the registration form. Having them ready saves you from losing progress mid-form:
- EIN (Employer Identification Number from the IRS)
- Legal business name exactly as registered with your state
- Physical business address (no P.O. boxes)
- NAICS code(s) for your primary business activity — the North American Industry Classification System code that best describes what you do
- Banking information for electronic funds transfer (routing number and account number)
- Login.gov account — SAM.gov requires authentication through Login.gov; create one first if you don't have it
Step 1: Create or Log In to Login.gov
SAM.gov uses Login.gov for identity verification. Go to login.gov and create an account with your email address. You'll need to verify your identity — have your state ID or passport ready.
This step alone can take 15–20 minutes if it's your first time. Do it before you start the SAM.gov form so you're not stuck mid-registration.
Step 2: Start Your SAM.gov Registration
Go to SAM.gov and click "Sign In" → log in with your Login.gov credentials → select "Register Entity" from your workspace.
Choose "US Entity" for a domestic business, or "Foreign Entity" if you're registering a non-US business.
Step 3: Enter Your Core Data
This section collects your basic business information:
- Legal business name — must match your IRS records exactly (capitalization matters)
- EIN — the system validates this against IRS records; mismatches cause delays
- Physical address — must be a street address
- Congressional district — the system can look this up based on your address
- Business start date
When you enter your EIN and legal name, SAM.gov will automatically assign your UEI (Unique Entity Identifier). Save this number — you'll use it on every federal application.
Step 4: Assertions
The Assertions section collects information about your business type and certifications:
- Entity structure — corporation, LLC, sole proprietor, nonprofit, etc.
- Business types — small business, veteran-owned, woman-owned, HUBZone, 8(a), etc.
- NAICS codes — enter your primary code and any additional applicable codes
- PSC codes — Product and Service Codes if you plan to contract with the government
Take time with the socioeconomic certifications. If you qualify as a small business, woman-owned, veteran-owned, or other set-aside category, checking those boxes makes you eligible for contract set-asides that significantly reduce competition.
Step 5: Representations and Certifications
This is the longest section. You're certifying compliance with dozens of federal regulations — everything from equal opportunity employment to lobbying restrictions to drug-free workplace policies.
Read each one. Most are straightforward yes/no questions. For a typical startup or small business, almost all answers are standard. The ones that require actual attention:
- FAR 52.219-1: Size status certification — verify your employee count and revenue against the SBA size standards for your NAICS code
- DFARS: Only relevant if you plan to bid on defense contracts
Step 6: Points of Contact
Enter the people who will be contacts for government correspondence. At minimum:
- Electronic Business POC — receives contract and grant communications
- Government Business POC — government contracting officers contact this person
These can be the same person for small organizations.
Step 7: Submit and Wait
After submission, SAM.gov sends your registration to the IRS for EIN validation. This process takes 7–10 business days on average, though it can take up to 3 weeks.
You'll receive an email when your registration is active. Check your spam folder — SAM.gov confirmation emails occasionally end up there.
Annual Renewal
SAM.gov registration expires exactly one year after activation. You must renew annually to stay eligible for federal awards. SAM.gov will send reminder emails at 60 and 30 days before expiration.
Don't let it lapse. If your registration expires mid-grant application, the agency cannot make an award to you until you're active again.
Common Problems and Fixes
"EIN does not match IRS records": Your legal name must match exactly what's on your IRS EIN confirmation letter. Check capitalization, punctuation, and abbreviations (Inc. vs Incorporated).
Registration stuck in "Pending IRS Validation": Call the SAM.gov help desk at (866) 606-8220. Sometimes manual intervention is needed.
Login.gov identity verification failing: Use a US-issued ID. Some older or damaged IDs don't scan well — try again with better lighting or use a passport instead.
Founder Kit's federal registration guide walks through each of these steps with state-specific guidance and links to the exact forms you need.