System for Award Management Renewal: How to Renew SAM

System for award management renewal keeps your federal registration active, and you must renew it every 365 days. To renew, open your entity record at SAM.gov, review and update its information, complete the required representations and certifications, then submit and monitor the renewal.

Check your registration’s expiration date and begin early enough to address verification questions or errors. An expired registration can interrupt your ability to bid on federal prime contracts, so do not wait until the last day.

When is your SAM renewal deadline?

SAM.gov registrations must be renewed every 365 days to stay active. Your entity record shows its current status and expiration date. Use that date as your sam renewal deadline, and plan to submit well before it rather than relying on a last-minute update.

There is no safe assumption that you can keep bidding while a renewal is pending or that an expired registration has a grace period. A full, active SAM registration is required to bid on federal prime contracts. Check the solicitation and confirm your status in SAM.gov before you submit an offer.

• Check the expiration date shown in your SAM.gov entity record.
• Set reminders well ahead of the date and assign someone to own the renewal.
• Allow time to resolve any validation requests or data mismatches.

Prepare before you renew SAM registration

Gather your current business details before starting. Compare the legal business name and physical address with your business records, and confirm your banking, points of contact, ownership details, and business information. SAM.gov may ask you to validate information or provide supporting details.

Review your NAICS codes and make sure they still describe the work your company performs. NAICS codes are six-digit industry codes, and the SBA sets a small business size standard for each one. Your selected codes and size information can affect how buyers identify your business and whether you qualify for a small-business opportunity.

Your Unique Entity ID (UEI) is a 12-character ID assigned by SAM.gov at no cost. It replaced the DUNS number in April 2022. You can learn about your uei number, but a UEI by itself is not a substitute for a full active registration when bidding on federal prime contracts.

• Have access to the business information and records needed to confirm your entity details.
• Review your points of contact and remove or update outdated information.
• Check your NAICS codes, size representations, and other business details for accuracy.
• Make sure the person handling the renewal can access the entity record and respond to any validation requests.

How to renew SAM registration

Renewal takes place in SAM.gov. The exact prompts can change, so follow the current instructions shown for your entity. Read each section before submitting. An outdated answer can cause delays or make your profile inaccurate to contracting agencies.

1. Go to SAM.gov and open the entity registration that is due for renewal.
2. Choose the option to renew or update the registration, then review the entity’s legal name, address, UEI, points of contact, and other requested information.
3. Review and update your banking and business details, NAICS codes, size information, and required representations and certifications. Complete every section that SAM.gov marks as necessary.
4. Check your entries for accuracy, submit the renewal, and save any confirmation or reference information provided.
5. Return to the entity record to monitor its status. Respond promptly if SAM.gov requests clarification or additional information, and confirm the record shows an active status after processing.

What to check after submitting

A submitted renewal is not the same as a completed, active registration. Check the status in SAM.gov and confirm the new expiration date after the renewal is processed. If the record remains in progress, review its messages and respond to any requests rather than assuming the submission is complete.

Confirm that your business details, points of contact, and NAICS codes appear correctly in the record. Keep a copy of the confirmation and note the next expiration date in your calendar. Renewal does not remove the need to keep your information accurate between annual renewals.

If you need help with the system, contact the Federal Service Desk. For broader contracting help, free support is available through APEX Accelerators, Small Business Development Centers, and SCORE mentors.

If your SAM registration expired

If your sam registration expired, start a renewal or update through your SAM.gov entity record as soon as possible. Follow the current prompts, correct any outdated information, and submit all required sections. Check the status regularly until the registration is active again.

While the registration is inactive, you may be unable to bid on federal prime contracts or complete other actions that require an active registration. Do not assume that a renewal submission restores active status immediately. Confirm the status in SAM.gov before relying on the registration for a proposal, award, or contract action.

If the renewal is blocked by a data mismatch, use the sam.gov registration problems page for troubleshooting and contact the Federal Service Desk for help with SAM.gov itself. For a full overview of the initial process and requirements, see sam registration.

Keep your registration useful for bidding

Use renewal as a chance to check that your profile supports the kind of work you want to pursue. Search open federal bids from SAM.gov, filterable by industry, state and set-aside to see current opportunities, and review federal agencies and what they buy to learn which buyers may purchase your services or products.

SAM registration is not the same as finding or winning a contract. Buyers may use your entity information to identify potential vendors, but you still need to read each solicitation, meet its requirements, and submit a complete offer. You can review system for award management for more background on what SAM does.

Renewal is free

Registering and renewing at SAM.gov costs nothing. The UEI is also assigned for free. Third-party companies may advertise registration or renewal services for a fee, but they are not required to keep your registration active. Use SAM.gov directly, and do not pay a company simply to submit a renewal for you.

SBA certifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, EDWOSB, VOSB, and SDVOSB are separate from SAM renewal and are applied for at no cost through MySBA Certifications. Keep any certification details current as required, but do not confuse certification maintenance with renewing your SAM registration.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to renew SAM every year?

Yes. A SAM registration must be renewed every 365 days to stay active. Check the expiration date in your entity record and submit the renewal early enough to address any verification issues.

What happens if my SAM registration expires?

Your registration becomes inactive, which can interfere with bidding on federal prime contracts and other actions that require an active registration. Renew or update the entity record in SAM.gov, respond to requests, and confirm it is active before relying on it.

Is SAM registration free?

Yes. Registering and renewing through SAM.gov is free, and SAM.gov assigns your UEI at no cost. Paid third-party registration services are not required.

How do I renew SAM registration?

Open your entity record at SAM.gov and follow the renewal prompts. Review and update your business information, complete required representations and certifications, submit the renewal, and check the record until its status is active.

What should I do if my SAM registration expired?

Start the renewal or update through your entity record as soon as possible, and correct any outdated or inconsistent information. Monitor the status and confirm it is active before bidding on a federal prime contract.