If you are trying to figure out how to get a UEI number so you can apply for a federal grant, the first thing worth knowing is that the UEI by itself may not get you where you think. A Unique Entity Identifier is exactly that — an identifier. It replaced the old DUNS number as the government-wide way to name your organization, but having one does not automatically make you eligible to submit an application. On SAM.gov there are two different doors, and walking through the wrong one is the single most common reason first-time applicants stall out.
The short version:
- A UEI is a free, 12-character identifier issued in SAM.gov — it replaced the DUNS number government-wide on April 4, 2022.
- There are two paths: a UEI-only request and a full entity registration. Only a full, Active registration lets you apply for a grant as a prime recipient.
- UEI-only needs just your legal name and physical address. Full registration adds entity validation, NAICS codes, reps & certs, and banking.
- Entity validation — matching your legal name exactly to IRS records — is where most delays happen.
- An active registration expires every 365 days. Let it lapse and your application can be rejected.
The UEI Is an Identifier, Not a Green Light to Apply
The Unique Entity Identifier is the official way the federal government names any organization it does business with. Since April 4, 2022, when the government stopped using the third-party DUNS number, the UEI is generated directly inside SAM.gov at no cost. That change was meant to make life easier: one place, one identifier, one help desk.
What it did not change is the rule underneath. Under 2 CFR part 25, the UEI is the universal identifier for federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, and their first-tier subrecipients. But the same regulation is clear that applying for and receiving an award depends on an active registration in SAM — not merely holding an identifier. In practice this means you can be issued a UEI in a single session and still be unable to submit a grant application, because the identifier and the registration are two separate things. If your goal is to pursue federal grants as the lead applicant, the identifier is only the opening move.
UEI-Only vs. Full SAM Registration: Which One You Need
SAM.gov deliberately offers two options at the start of the workflow, and they serve different people. Choosing correctly saves you either wasted effort or a blocked application.
A UEI-only request gives you the identifier and nothing more. It requires only your legal business name and physical address. This path exists for entities that need a federal identifier for a narrow reason — most commonly reporting as a sub-awardee or lower-tier subrecipient — but do not intend to apply directly for awards. As SAM.gov states plainly, if you choose the UEI-only route, you cannot apply directly for federal awards.
A full entity registration is what actually opens the door. It still assigns you a UEI, but it also runs entity validation, collects your NAICS codes, walks you through Representations and Certifications, and sets up electronic banking for federal payments. The end state you want is an Active entity record. That Active status — not the UEI string itself — is what a grant program office or grant application system checks before it will accept you as a prime recipient. Guidance aimed at small businesses puts it bluntly: a UEI-only record and a full Active registration are different things, and only the latter makes you eligible for grants as a primary recipient.
The quick test: if you are the organization that will receive and manage the grant money, you need full registration. If you are a subrecipient a few tiers down and someone above you simply needs your identifier, UEI-only may be enough — but confirm with the entity requesting it before you assume.
How to Get a UEI Number in SAM.gov, Step by Step
Whichever path you need, the process starts the same way and it is free. Be wary of any website that charges a fee to obtain a UEI or complete registration — that is optional paid assistance, never a requirement.
- Create a Login.gov account. SAM.gov sign-in is handled through Login.gov. Set up your credentials there first, then you are returned to SAM.gov to build your profile.
- Select Get Started, then choose your path. Pick either “Register Entity” or “Get a Unique Entity ID.” If you plan to apply for grants, choose Register Entity — your UEI is assigned during that process anyway.
- Enter your legal entity information. Use your exact legal business name and physical address as they appear on your IRS EIN confirmation letter. This detail matters more than it looks.
- Complete entity validation. SAM confirms your organization is unique and real. For a UEI-only request the identifier is often issued in the same session; for a full registration this is where you continue into NAICS, reps & certs, and banking.
- Record your UEI immediately. Save it and share it with whoever needs it — your program office, your prime, or your internal team.
Before you start, it helps to have three things in front of you: your IRS EIN confirmation letter, a document proving your physical address, and your bank routing and account details if you are going the full-registration route. Gathering these first is the difference between a clean pass and a stalled record. One more distinction worth knowing: the UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric code, and it is not the same as a CAGE code, which the government assigns separately during full registration. Applicants sometimes conflate the two and waste time hunting for a number they have not been issued yet. If your ultimate goal is chasing down opportunities like SBIR and STTR awards, getting these identifiers straight at the outset keeps the paperwork from becoming the bottleneck later.
What Trips People Up: Entity Validation
Entity validation is the step that turns a “quick” registration into a multi-week wait. The system matches the legal name and address you enter against existing records. Any inconsistency — an abbreviation, a former address, a name that does not match your IRS EIN letter character-for-character — can flag your record and force you to submit documentation to prove your entity. This is not a bug; it is the government-run validation service confirming uniqueness before a UEI is assigned. The fix is boring but effective: gather your IRS EIN confirmation letter and a document showing your physical address before you start, and enter your details exactly as they appear there. Nonprofits registering for the first time should treat this the same way, and can pair it with a broader look at nonprofit grant readiness so validation is not the only thing on the checklist.
The 365-Day Renewal Clock Nobody Warns You About
Getting registered is not a one-time event. A SAM registration must be renewed every 365 days to stay Active, and the underlying award rules assume it stays current the entire time. The Federal Register language for federal assistance programs is explicit: registration “must be active with current data at all times, from the application review throughout the active Federal Award,” with annual renewal required. Translated: a lapsed registration can cost you an award you have already won, not just one you are chasing.
This is why treating the UEI as a finish line is risky. The identifier never expires, but the registration that makes it useful does. If you are managing applications across a team or a portfolio of small business grants, put the renewal date on a calendar the day you go Active. Agencies will not chase you to renew, and a rejected application is a painful way to learn the deadline passed.
When a UEI-Only Record Is Genuinely Enough
Not everyone needs the full package, and over-registering wastes time. Under 2 CFR part 25, first-tier subrecipients are required to obtain a UEI but are not necessarily required to complete a full SAM registration. Individuals applying for federal assistance as natural persons — unrelated to any business or nonprofit they own — are generally exempt from the requirement altogether. So if you are a subcontractor being asked only for your identifier, or you are reporting as a sub-awardee, the UEI-only path can be the correct, faster choice. The mistake runs in both directions: some applicants stop at UEI-only when they need full registration, and others grind through full registration when a bare identifier would have satisfied the party asking for it. Match the path to what you will actually do with federal money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is getting a UEI number free?
Yes. Both the UEI-only request and full SAM registration are completely free through the official SAM.gov site. No payment is required for either path. Any service charging a fee is offering optional paid help, not a mandatory step — you can complete everything yourself at no cost.
How long does it take to get a UEI?
A UEI-only identifier is often assigned within the same session once your information passes validation. A full entity registration takes longer — frequently one to several weeks — because entity validation, reps & certs, and banking all have to clear. Start well before any grant deadline.
Do I need a UEI to apply for a grant?
Yes, if you are applying as an organization. Under 2 CFR part 25 the UEI is required for federal financial assistance applicants and recipients. But you also need an Active SAM registration — the UEI alone does not make you eligible to submit as a prime recipient.
What replaced the DUNS number?
The Unique Entity Identifier replaced the DUNS number on April 4, 2022. The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric code generated in SAM.gov, so entities no longer rely on a third-party website to get an identifier. Existing registrants were automatically assigned a UEI.
Can I get a UEI without registering in SAM.gov?
Yes. SAM.gov lets you request a UEI without completing full registration, which suits subrecipients and reporting-only entities. Just remember that a UEI-only record does not let you apply directly for federal awards — for that you need a full, Active registration.
Bottom Line: Get the Identifier, Then Finish the Job
The honest answer to “how to get a UEI number” is that the identifier is the easy part — and, on its own, rarely the part that matters. If you are pursuing grants as the lead applicant, do not stop at the UEI. Choose Register Entity, clear entity validation with details that match your IRS EIN letter exactly, get your record to Active, and put the 365-day renewal on your calendar the same day. Do that once and you have removed the most common reason applications get bounced before an agency ever reads them.
If validation stalls, a deadline is close, or you would rather spend your energy on the proposal than the paperwork, it can be worth bringing in help. OpenGrants connects organizations with vetted specialists through its grant writing and funding services — so you can get registered correctly the first time and move straight to finding and winning the funding you are actually after.