UEI Number Explained: What Replaced the DUNS Number and How to Get Yours

If you searched for "DUNS number" hoping to find out how to get one, here is the short version: that system no longer exists. In April 2022, the federal government retired the DUNS number and replaced it with the Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI number. Every business, nonprofit, and organization that wants to work with the federal government now needs a UEI instead.

This was not a minor rebrand. The government moved away from Dun & Bradstreet entirely, built its own identification system inside SAM.gov, and made the process free. If you had a DUNS number before the switch, your entity was migrated automatically. If you are starting fresh, the UEI is all you need.

This guide covers everything about the UEI number -- what it is, why it replaced the DUNS number, who needs one, and the exact steps to get yours. Whether you are pursuing federal contracts worth a share of the $700+ billion the government spends annually or applying for grants, understanding your UEI is the starting point.

What Is a UEI Number?

A UEI number is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to every entity registered in SAM.gov. It stands for Unique Entity Identifier, and it serves as your organization's official identity across all federal systems.

Think of the UEI as your federal business fingerprint. Contracting officers use it to verify who you are. Grant administrators use it to track awards. Auditors use it to ensure accountability. Every federal transaction tied to your organization flows through this identifier.

Key Facts About the UEI

• Format: 12 alphanumeric characters (letters and numbers)
• Source: Assigned exclusively by SAM.gov
• Cost: Free -- no fees to obtain or maintain
• Replaced: The DUNS number (Data Universal Numbering System) as of April 4, 2022
• Required for: Federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and other federal financial assistance
• Managed by: The General Services Administration (GSA)

Unlike the DUNS number, which was owned and managed by the private company Dun & Bradstreet, the UEI is a government-owned identifier. This distinction matters because it means the government controls the data, sets the rules, and does not charge businesses for access.

Where Your UEI Appears

Once assigned, your UEI shows up across the federal procurement ecosystem. You will see it referenced in:

• Your SAM.gov entity registration profile
• Federal contract solicitations and awards
• Grant applications through Grants.gov
• USAspending.gov transaction records
• Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) reports
• Subcontracting plans and reports

Any time a federal agency needs to identify your organization in an official capacity, they use your UEI.

The DUNS to UEI Transition: Why the Government Made the Switch

For decades, the DUNS number was the standard identifier for government contractors and grant recipients. Dun & Bradstreet assigned these nine-digit numbers, and every entity doing business with the federal government was required to have one.

So why did the government walk away from a system that had been in place for over 40 years?

The Problems With the DUNS System

Cost to taxpayers. The federal government paid Dun & Bradstreet for access to DUNS data. These licensing fees added up to millions of dollars annually -- money spent maintaining a system the government did not own or control.

Cost to businesses. While obtaining a basic DUNS number was technically free, many businesses ended up paying for additional Dun & Bradstreet services during the process. The lines between free and paid services were not always clear, and upselling was common.

Data control. The government relied on a private company to manage critical identification data for every entity in the federal procurement system. This created dependency on a single vendor for a core government function.

Speed and access. Getting a DUNS number could take days or weeks, and resolving issues required going through Dun & Bradstreet's customer service processes rather than a government help desk.

What Congress Did

In 2020, the General Services Administration announced that SAM.gov would take over entity identification duties. The transition plan gave organizations two years to prepare. On April 4, 2022, the DUNS number was officially retired across all federal systems.

The key dates in the transition:

What Happened to Existing DUNS Numbers

If your organization had an active SAM.gov registration before April 2022, you were automatically assigned a UEI. The government migrated all existing entities without requiring any action from registrants. Your old DUNS number still exists in historical records, but it is no longer used for any active federal purpose.

You can find your assigned UEI by logging into SAM.gov and viewing your entity registration. The system will show both your legacy DUNS number (for reference) and your current UEI.

Who Needs a UEI Number?

The short answer: any organization that receives money from or does business with the federal government. The longer answer covers several specific categories.

Federal Contractors

If you want to bid on federal contracts, you need a UEI. This is non-negotiable. Contracting officers verify your SAM.gov registration -- which includes your UEI -- before awarding any contract. No UEI means no contract award.

This applies to businesses of every size. Whether you are a sole proprietor pursuing your first government contract or an established company expanding into federal work, the UEI requirement is universal.

Grant Applicants

Federal grants require a UEI for the same reasons contracts do -- the government needs a reliable way to identify who is receiving funds. If you apply through Grants.gov, your SAM.gov registration (and therefore your UEI) must be active and current before you can submit.

Universities, nonprofits, research institutions, and state agencies pursuing federal grant funding all need UEIs.

Subcontractors

Even if you are not a prime contractor dealing directly with the government, you may need a UEI. Many prime contractors require their subcontractors to have active SAM.gov registrations, particularly on contracts that include subcontracting plan requirements.

If you are a small business looking to get into government contracting through subcontracting relationships, getting your UEI early puts you in a stronger position.

Federal Loan Recipients

Organizations receiving federal loans, cooperative agreements, or other forms of financial assistance typically need a UEI. The specific requirements vary by program, but having your UEI ready prevents delays when funding opportunities appear.

State and Local Considerations

Here is where it gets nuanced. State and local governments set their own vendor identification requirements. Some states have adopted the UEI for their own procurement systems. Others still use their own vendor ID numbers. And many SLED contracts -- state, local, and education -- operate independently of the federal UEI system.

That said, if state or local contract funding flows from a federal source (pass-through grants, federally funded projects), a UEI is often required regardless of the contracting level.

How to Get a UEI Number: Step-by-Step

Getting a UEI is straightforward because it is built into the SAM.gov registration process. There are two paths depending on what you need.

Path 1: UEI Only (No Full SAM Registration)

If you only need a UEI -- for example, to apply for a federal grant but not to bid on contracts -- you can request a UEI-only assignment through SAM.gov. This is faster because it skips the full entity validation process.

Steps for UEI-only registration:

1. Create a Login.gov account. Go to login.gov and set up your account with multi-factor authentication. This is your gateway to all SAM.gov functions.

2. Log into SAM.gov. Navigate to SAM.gov and sign in with your Login.gov credentials.

3. Select "Get Started" under Entity Registrations. On the main dashboard, find the entity registration section.

4. Choose "Get Unique Entity ID only." SAM.gov presents two options -- full registration or UEI only. Select the UEI-only path.

5. Enter your entity information. Provide your legal business name, physical address, and entity type. The system validates this information against public records.

6. Receive your UEI. For UEI-only requests, the identifier is typically assigned within a few business days, sometimes within 24-48 hours.

Path 2: Full SAM.gov Registration (UEI Included)

If you plan to pursue federal contracts, you need full SAM.gov registration. Your UEI is assigned as part of this process. Full registration takes longer because it includes entity validation, CAGE code assignment, and additional data entry.

Steps for full SAM.gov registration:

1. Create your Login.gov account (same as above).

2. Log into SAM.gov and select "Register Entity."

3. Complete the Core Data section. This includes your legal business name, physical address, entity type, and tax information (EIN or TIN). Your UEI is assigned during this step after initial validation.

4. Enter your entity structure and NAICS codes. Select the NAICS codes that describe your business activities. These codes determine which contract opportunities match your profile.

5. Provide financial information. Enter your banking details for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). The government pays contractors electronically, so accurate banking information is essential.

6. Complete the Representations and Certifications. Answer questions about your business size, ownership, and various regulatory certifications.

7. Submit and wait for validation. Full SAM.gov registration takes 10-15 business days when all information is submitted correctly. Complex cases or errors can extend this timeline significantly.

What It Costs

Nothing. Getting a UEI number through SAM.gov is completely free. Full SAM.gov registration is also free. If any website or service asks you to pay for a UEI or SAM registration, they are charging for a service the government provides at no cost.

Third-party registration services do exist and are legal, but they are optional. Some businesses find value in hiring help to navigate the registration process, particularly if they have complex entity structures. Just know that the government itself never charges a fee.

UEI Number vs DUNS Number: Side-by-Side Comparison

For those who worked with the old system and want to understand exactly what changed, here is a direct comparison.

The practical impact for businesses is mostly positive. The UEI system eliminates the private middleman, removes potential cost traps, and keeps identification data under government control. The registration process through SAM.gov also consolidated what used to be multiple steps with multiple organizations into a single workflow.

How to Look Up Your UEI Number

If you already have a UEI but cannot find it, there are several ways to locate it.

Method 1: Log Into SAM.gov

The most reliable method. Sign into SAM.gov with your Login.gov credentials and navigate to your entity registration. Your UEI appears prominently on your entity dashboard.

Method 2: SAM.gov Entity Search

You can search for any entity's UEI through the public SAM.gov entity search tool. Go to SAM.gov, click on "Search" in the navigation, and select "Entity Information." Search by business name, CAGE code, or other identifiers to find the associated UEI.

This is also useful for verifying the UEI of other businesses -- for example, confirming a subcontractor's registration status before including them in a proposal.

Method 3: Check Previous Federal Correspondence

If you have received federal contract awards, grant notifications, or other official communications since April 2022, your UEI is likely referenced in those documents. Check award letters, contract modifications, and SAM.gov notification emails.

Method 4: Contact the Federal Service Desk

If you are having trouble finding your UEI through self-service options, the Federal Service Desk (FSD) provides direct support for SAM.gov users. They can help you locate your UEI, resolve access issues, and troubleshoot registration problems.

Common UEI Issues and How to Fix Them

The transition from DUNS to UEI was a massive undertaking, and not everything went smoothly. Here are the most common issues businesses encounter with UEIs and how to resolve them.

Duplicate UEIs

Some organizations ended up with multiple UEIs -- often because different people within the organization created separate registrations, or because the migration process generated a new UEI alongside an existing one.

How to fix it: Contact the Federal Service Desk and request consolidation. They can merge duplicate records and deactivate the extra UEI. Provide both UEI numbers and documentation showing they belong to the same entity.

Entity Validation Failures

SAM.gov validates your entity information against IRS records and other government databases. If your business name, address, or EIN does not match exactly, validation fails.

How to fix it: Verify that your legal business name matches your IRS records character for character. Use the USPS address lookup tool to confirm your address matches standard formatting. If your IRS records need updating, resolve that first before attempting SAM.gov registration.

Migration Problems

Some organizations that had active DUNS numbers experienced issues during the automatic migration -- missing data, incorrect associations, or registration status problems.

How to fix it: Log into SAM.gov and review your entity registration for accuracy. If the migrated data is incorrect, update your registration with the correct information and resubmit. For persistent migration issues, the Federal Service Desk has specialized support paths for migration-related problems.

Expired Registration

Your SAM.gov registration -- and by extension, your UEI's active status -- must be renewed annually. An expired registration means your UEI is still assigned to you, but it is not active. Contracting officers will not award contracts to entities with expired registrations.

How to fix it: Log into SAM.gov and renew your registration. Set calendar reminders 60 and 30 days before expiration. The renewal process is simpler than initial registration but still requires verification of your information.

Login.gov Access Issues

Because SAM.gov requires Login.gov authentication, losing access to your Login.gov account effectively locks you out of managing your UEI and registration.

How to fix it: Use Login.gov's account recovery process. If you cannot recover access, contact Login.gov support directly. Keep your Login.gov credentials and multi-factor authentication methods current and backed up.

How the UEI Fits Into Your Government Contracting Journey

Getting your UEI is the first concrete step in pursuing government contracts, but it is one piece of a larger process. Here is where it fits in the bigger picture.

Your UEI and SAM.gov registration unlock the ability to find and bid on government contracts. Once registered, you appear in the SAM.gov database that contracting officers search when looking for potential vendors. Your selected NAICS codes help match you to relevant opportunities.

For small businesses, the $700+ billion federal contracting market includes more than $160 billion set aside specifically for small business participation. The SBA administers several certification programs that provide additional competitive advantages, but all of them require active SAM.gov registration with a valid UEI as a prerequisite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a UEI number the same as a DUNS number?

No, but the UEI serves the same purpose. The DUNS number was a 9-digit numeric code assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric code assigned by SAM.gov. The UEI replaced the DUNS number in April 2022 as the official entity identifier for all federal transactions. If you had a DUNS number, your entity was automatically assigned a UEI during the migration.

How long does it take to get a UEI number?

It depends on which path you take. If you request a UEI only (without full SAM.gov registration), you can typically receive it within a few business days. Full SAM.gov registration, which includes UEI assignment, takes 10-15 business days when submitted correctly. Errors or incomplete information can add weeks to the timeline.

Does a UEI number cost anything?

No. Obtaining a UEI through SAM.gov is completely free. Full SAM.gov registration is also free. The government does not charge any fees for entity identification or registration. If a website or service asks you to pay, they are charging for their assistance with the process -- not for the UEI itself.

Do I need a UEI number for state and local contracts?

It depends on the state or locality. Federal contracts and grants always require a UEI. State and local governments set their own vendor identification requirements. Some have adopted the UEI, while others maintain separate systems. If a state or local contract is funded by federal pass-through dollars, a UEI is typically required. Check the specific solicitation requirements for each opportunity you pursue.

Can I still use my old DUNS number?

Not for any active federal purpose. The DUNS number was retired in April 2022 and is no longer accepted in federal systems. Your old DUNS number may still appear in historical records and some legacy databases, but all current transactions require a UEI. If you had a DUNS number, you were assigned a UEI automatically -- use that going forward.

What if I cannot find my UEI number?

Start by logging into SAM.gov with your Login.gov credentials and checking your entity dashboard. If you do not have Login.gov access, use SAM.gov's public entity search to look up your organization by name. You can also check recent federal correspondence (award letters, contract documents) for your UEI. If none of those options work, contact the Federal Service Desk for direct assistance.

Moving Forward With Your UEI

Your UEI number is the key that unlocks the federal marketplace. Without it, you cannot bid on contracts, receive grants, or participate in the $700+ billion federal procurement ecosystem. The good news is that getting one is free, straightforward, and entirely within your control through SAM.gov.

If you already have a UEI and active SAM.gov registration, make sure your registration stays current. Set renewal reminders. Keep your NAICS codes updated. Verify that your entity information matches your IRS records. These maintenance tasks prevent the kind of registration lapses that cost businesses real opportunities.

If you are just getting started, the registration process is manageable but detail-oriented. Small mistakes in your business name, address formatting, or entity structure can delay the process by weeks. For organizations that want expert guidance through SAM.gov registration and the broader government contracting landscape, SLED.AI provides end-to-end support -- from initial registration through contract pursuit. It is one way to ensure your foundation is solid from day one.

The federal government has made it easier than ever to get your entity identifier. The old days of navigating Dun & Bradstreet for a DUNS number are over. Your UEI is waiting for you at SAM.gov -- and with it, access to the largest buyer of goods and services on the planet.