How to register in SAM.gov as a contractor
Create a Login.gov account, start an All Awards entity registration in SAM.gov, get your Unique Entity ID, then complete core data, assertions (NAICS codes and size), representations and certifications, and points of contact. It is free, it can take a few weeks, and it must be renewed every 365 days.
To register in SAM.gov as a contractor, sign in through Login.gov, choose to register your entity for All Awards (the option that lets you bid on contracts), and enter your legal business name and physical address to get a Unique Entity ID. Then complete four main sections: core data (tax ID, banking, ownership), assertions (your NAICS codes and size), representations and certifications, and points of contact. Submit, wait for validation, and set a reminder to renew. SAM.gov states that you must renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.
Registration costs nothing. The General Services Administration's entity registration checklist says plainly that there is no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, register, or maintain a registration. If someone emails asking for a fee, it is not the government.
Do you need a full registration or just a Unique Entity ID?
SAM.gov offers two paths. A full registration is required if you want to bid on federal contracts or receive awards as a prime contractor. A Unique Entity ID alone, which needs only your legal business name and physical address, is enough for some subcontractors and sub-awardees whose prime or agency asks for an identifier. An entity with only a UEI cannot apply directly for federal awards. If you plan to bid federal work yourself at any point, do the full registration.
What to gather before you start
The GSA entity registration checklist lists what an All Awards registration asks for. Pull these together first and the registration goes much faster:
- Legal business name and physical address exactly as the IRS has them (a post office box cannot be used as the physical address).
- Date and state of incorporation, organization start date, and fiscal year end date.
- Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN for most contractors) and consent for the IRS check of your taxpayer name and address.
- Bank routing and account numbers for electronic funds transfer, plus a remittance address.
- Your NAICS codes, and optionally product and service codes.
- Size metrics: annual receipts and number of employees.
- Ownership details, including any parent company, and any predecessor that held a federal contract in the last three years.
- Names and contact details for the required points of contact: accounts receivable, electronic business, and government business.
Step by step: registering your construction company
1. Create your Login.gov account
SAM.gov uses Login.gov for sign-in. Use an email address the company controls long term, not a personal address of an employee who might leave, because that account will own the registration.
2. Get your Unique Entity ID
Choose Get Started, then Register Entity, select All Awards, and enter your legal name, address, and incorporation details. SAM.gov validates the name and address. If it cannot match them, you can open a help ticket with the Federal Service Desk from the page. You will also choose whether your record shows in public search. Keep it public if you want primes and state or local buyers to find you.
3. Complete core data
Enter your tax ID, IRS consent, business type, banking information, and ownership. U.S. companies that do not already have a CAGE code select "No" and one is assigned after submission.
4. Complete assertions: NAICS codes and size
This section matters most for contractors. List every NAICS code you would realistically bid under, not just your primary one. A general contractor might list commercial building (236220), industrial building (236210), and a couple of specialty codes for self-performed work. Your size metrics feed the size standard check for each code. In the U.S. Small Business Administration's table of size standards (effective March 17, 2023), most building construction codes carry a $45 million receipts limit and most specialty trade codes carry $19 million. That status drives which small business set-asides you can bid.
5. Answer representations and certifications
These are formal statements, many tied to FAR clauses: whether you are small, whether the company or its principals are debarred or suspended, tax and legal history, and more. Read each one. They are certified under penalty of law and replace a stack of forms you would otherwise attach to every bid. Small businesses also complete a small business supplemental page.
6. Add points of contact and submit
Name real people for each required role and add a past performance contact if you have federal work history. Submit and save the confirmation. Registration and renewal can take a few weeks, according to a state agency guide, so do not start the week a bid is due.
7. Fill out your small business search profile
Contracting officers and primes search for small businesses by capability. Write a short, specific capability statement: your trades, project sizes, bonding capacity, states served, and certifications. The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that firms must update their SAM.gov profile annually to keep their small business search profile active.
Worked example: a mechanical contractor's registration
Say a mechanical contractor with $11 million in average annual receipts and 52 employees wants to bid VA clinic renovations. In this example, the company:
| NAICS code | Description | Size standard (2023 table) | Small at $11M? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 238220 | Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors | $19.0 million | Yes |
| 236220 | Commercial and institutional building construction | $45.0 million | Yes |
| 238290 | Other building equipment contractors | $22.0 million | Yes |
The office manager gathers the EIN letter, bank details, and incorporation records before starting, makes sure the legal name matches IRS records exactly (including "Inc." and punctuation), and submits on a Monday. The company also adds a calendar reminder 60 days before the 365-day renewal date. When a renovation set-aside under 236220 appears, the company can bid because the registration is already active.
Mistakes that stall SAM.gov registration
- A business name or address that does not match IRS records exactly.
- Using a new EIN before the IRS has it on file.
- Paying a third-party service for something that is free.
- Listing only one NAICS code, which hides you from set-asides you could win.
- Letting the registration lapse. An expired registration is no longer active, and an active one is what lets you bid as a prime.
- Tying the account to one employee's personal email.
What comes after registration
With registration active, start looking for work: how to find federal construction bids. Line up bid bonds and performance and payment bonds, and get ready for certified payroll on Davis-Bacon jobs. The full roadmap is in how to get government construction contracts.
Smart Business Automator helps public works contractors keep compliance documents and certified payroll ready once the federal work starts. See public works contractor automation.
Frequently asked questions
Is SAM.gov registration free?
Yes. There is no charge to get a Unique Entity ID, register, or renew in SAM.gov. Companies that charge for help are private services, and you do not have to use them.
How long does SAM.gov registration take?
It depends on how quickly your information validates. A state agency guide says registration and renewal can take a few weeks. Mismatched IRS information is a common cause of delays.
How often do I renew SAM.gov registration?
Every 365 days. Renew early, and update the registration whenever your business details, banking, or size changes.
Do subcontractors need to register in SAM.gov?
Not always. Subcontractors on federal jobs usually do not need a full registration, but some primes or agencies ask for a Unique Entity ID. If you want to bid as a prime later, do the full registration.
What is a CAGE code?
A CAGE code is an identifier used for federal contractors. U.S. companies that do not have one are assigned one after submitting their SAM.gov registration.
Sources
- SAM.gov: Entity registration
- U.S. General Services Administration: Entity Registration Checklist (copy hosted by Cal OES)
- Montana DNRC: SAM.gov registration guide
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Table of small business size standards (effective March 17, 2023)
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Contracting assistance programs
