Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): What It Is and How to Get One

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is the 12-character alphanumeric code assigned through SAM.gov to every organization that does business with the federal government. Established by the General Services Administration (GSA) as the replacement for the nine-digit DUNS Number in April 2022, the UEI is now the single authoritative identifier required for federal contract awards, grants, and cooperative agreements. This page covers what the UEI is, how the assignment process works, the scenarios that require one, and the distinctions that determine when a new or separate UEI is necessary.

Definition and Scope

The UEI is a fixed-length, 12-character alphanumeric code generated and maintained by SAM.gov, the System for Award Management operated by the GSA. Under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 4.607, contractors must have an active SAM.gov registration — and therefore a valid UEI — before the government may award a contract. The same requirement extends to grant recipients under 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, which covers awards administered by civilian agencies (eCFR, 2 C.F.R. Part 25).

The UEI replaced the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, which had been issued by Dun & Bradstreet since the 1990s. The transition moved the identifier function entirely within the federal government's infrastructure, eliminating the dependency on a private-sector data provider. Entities that held a DUNS Number at the time of transition were automatically assigned a UEI within SAM.gov; no separate application was needed for existing registrants as of April 4, 2022 (GSA SAM.gov UEI Transition FAQ).

The scope of entities required to obtain a UEI includes:

A UEI is tied to a legal entity at a specific physical address. A single parent company with multiple distinct operating locations may hold multiple UEIs — one per registered entity — if those locations independently transact with the federal government.

How It Works

The UEI is obtained exclusively through SAM.gov, the official federal registration portal. The process involves no fee; GSA does not charge for UEI assignment or SAM.gov registration. Third-party services that charge fees to complete SAM registration are not affiliated with the federal government.

The registration process follows this sequence:

1. Create a SAM.gov account — Requires a Login.gov credential linked to a verifiable email address.
2. Initiate entity registration — Select "Register Entity" and choose the appropriate entity type (business, government, individual).
3. Provide legal entity information — Legal business name, physical address, taxpayer identification number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), and NAICS codes relevant to the entity's work. Understanding NAICS codes for government contractors is essential before completing this step.
4. UEI assignment — SAM.gov assigns the 12-character UEI immediately upon successful submission of initial entity data, before the full registration is activated.
5. Complete remaining registration fields — Representations and certifications, financial institution data for electronic funds transfer, and any applicable socioeconomic designations.
6. Activation — Full activation typically takes 7 to 10 business days after submission, during which GSA validates the entity's information against federal databases.

Entities that only need a UEI for subcontracting or grant subaward purposes — and are not themselves seeking prime awards — may obtain a UEI without completing a full SAM.gov registration. A partial registration yields the UEI while bypassing the financial and certification fields required only for prime contractors.

SAM.gov registration and the associated UEI must be renewed annually. A lapsed registration renders a contractor ineligible for new awards until the registration is reactivated. The full SAM registration requirements page covers renewal timelines and data maintenance obligations in detail.

Common Scenarios

New business entering federal contracting — A company with no prior federal contracting history must complete a full SAM.gov registration to obtain its UEI before submitting any bid or proposal. The government contract bidding process requires an active UEI at the time of offer submission for most solicitation types.

Transition from DUNS to UEI — Entities registered in SAM.gov before April 4, 2022 received automatic UEI assignments. Those entities needed only to verify their UEI within SAM.gov and update any internal procurement systems. The DUNS number transition to UEI covers the technical specifics of that migration.

Subsidiary or division seeking independent awards — A wholly owned subsidiary that operates under a separate EIN and legal name registers as a distinct entity in SAM.gov and receives its own UEI. The parent's UEI does not transfer to or cover subsidiaries for award eligibility purposes.

Grant-only organizations — A nonprofit applying for a federal grant through Grants.gov still requires a valid UEI. Grants.gov pulls registration data directly from SAM.gov; a UEI obtained through the partial registration path satisfies this requirement without triggering the full contractor registration workflow.

Decision Boundaries

One UEI vs. multiple UEIs — A single legal entity at a single address needs exactly one UEI. Multiple addresses operating under distinct legal names require separate UEIs. Multiple addresses under a single legal name may use one UEI if the federal awards flow through a single administrative point, or separate UEIs if the locations independently receive and administer awards.

UEI vs. cage code — The UEI identifies the entity for registration and award purposes across all federal agencies. The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency, serves a parallel identification function specifically within defense contracting and is required for classified procurement and certain DFARS compliance obligations. A CAGE code is automatically requested during SAM.gov registration for domestic entities; the two identifiers coexist and serve distinct — but complementary — functions.

Active registration vs. UEI possession — Holding a UEI does not by itself confer award eligibility. The entity's SAM.gov registration must be active and unexpired. Contracting officers are prohibited under FAR 4.1102 from awarding contracts to entities without an active registration, regardless of whether a UEI exists. Entities exploring the full landscape of federal contracting eligibility requirements can find a structured overview at the government contractor resource index.

When a new UEI is required — A new UEI is required when an entity undergoes a legal restructuring that produces a new EIN, when a merger creates a new legal entity rather than a simple name change, or when a previously unregistered foreign entity begins pursuing U.S. federal prime contracts. A name change alone — without an EIN change — does not require a new UEI; the existing registration is updated.