SAM.gov Registration: The Step-by-Step Guide for Nonprofits and Small Businesses
If you want to receive federal grants or government contracts, you must be registered in SAM.gov — the System for Award Management. There is no workaround. No registration, no federal money. Period.
The good news: registration is free. The frustrating news: the process is confusing, the website is government-built, and it can take days to weeks to process. Here's how to get through it without losing your mind.
Before You Start: What You'll Need
- EIN (Employer Identification Number) — your organization's federal tax ID. If you don't have one, get it free at IRS.gov first.
- UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) — SAM.gov now assigns these automatically during registration. You no longer need a separate DUNS number.
- Your organization's legal name and address — must match your IRS records exactly.
- NAICS codes — the industry classification codes that describe what your organization does. Look these up at census.gov/naics before you start.
- Banking information for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) — how the government will pay you.
- A Login.gov account — SAM.gov uses Login.gov for authentication. Create this first at login.gov.
Important: Watch out for third-party sites that charge $300–500 to "help" you register in SAM.gov. Registration is completely free at SAM.gov. These services are legal but entirely unnecessary.
The Registration Process
Create a Login.gov Account
Go to login.gov and create an account with your work email. You'll need to set up two-factor authentication. This is the gatekeeper for SAM.gov — do this before anything else.
Go to SAM.gov and Start a New Registration
Navigate to sam.gov, sign in with your Login.gov credentials, and select "Register Your Entity." Choose "Domestic or Foreign Business/Organization" for most nonprofits and businesses.
Enter Your Entity Information
Enter your legal business name exactly as it appears on your IRS documents. Select your entity type (nonprofit, LLC, sole proprietor, etc.). Enter your physical address — P.O. boxes are not accepted as primary addresses.
Get Your UEI
SAM.gov will assign you a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) — a 12-character alphanumeric code. This is now your permanent federal identifier. Write it down. You'll need it on every grant application.
Complete the Core Data
This is the longest section. You'll enter your NAICS codes, business types, financial information, and answer questions about your organization's size and ownership. Take your time here — errors cause delays.
Enter Your EFT Banking Information
Provide your bank account routing number and account number for electronic payments. This is required. The government will not mail checks for grants.
Complete the Representations and Certifications
This section has dozens of yes/no questions about your organization's compliance with federal regulations. Most nonprofits and small businesses answer "no" to most of them. Read each one — don't just click through.
Submit and Wait
After submission, SAM.gov must validate your information against IRS and other federal databases. This typically takes 3–5 business days but can take up to 2 weeks. You cannot receive awards until your registration is "Active."
Keeping Your Registration Active
SAM.gov registrations must be renewed annually. If your registration lapses, you cannot receive federal payments until you renew. Set a calendar reminder 60 days before your expiration date. Many organizations lose grant eligibility simply by forgetting to renew.
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