What is a UEI (Unique Entity Identifier)?
A UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned by SAM.gov to every entity registered to do business with the US federal government. It replaced the older DUNS number system in April 2022.
The Unique Entity Identifier is the federal government's replacement for the older Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number. The UEI is assigned automatically when an entity completes SAM.gov registration — there is no separate application or fee.
A UEI is required for every entity that wants to do business with the federal government: contractors, grant recipients, and even subrecipients on federal grants. The UEI is the primary identifier used in federal procurement systems and award reporting.
UEIs are 12 characters, alphanumeric, and case-insensitive. They look like "ABC1234DEFGH". They do not change when ownership or address changes (unlike DUNS, which was tied to D&B's commercial credit reporting).
If you previously had a DUNS number, you can find your UEI in SAM.gov by searching for your entity. The DUNS-to-UEI transition was automatic for entities that were active in SAM.gov at the time.