# How do I check whether a vendor is excluded or debarred with an API? Query the SAM.gov exclusions list, the government-wide record of debarred and suspended parties. The official Exclusions API does it within SAM.gov's daily limits; this API's /exclusions/check?q= answers for a UEI, CAGE or exact name in one 1-credit call against the daily public exclusions file (169,191 records, 13 Nov 2026). FAR 9.405 bars agencies from awarding to excluded parties, and primes must check subcontractors before award.Checked on 2026-11-15.Official source: [open.gsa.gov Exclusions API](https://open.gsa.gov/api/exclusions-api/) | Exclusion records loaded | 169,191 | | --- | --- | | Source file date | 13 Nov 2026 | | Refresh | Daily | | Rule | FAR 9.405 | ## The answer in detail FAR 9.405 bars agencies from awarding to excluded parties, and primes must check subcontractors before award. An exclusion record names the firm or person, the excluding agency, the exclusion type, dates and, where present, the UEI and CAGE code.Exact matching matters. An exclusion may list a UEI, a CAGE, or only a name and address, so a robust check tries all three. A name-only match needs a human to confirm it is the same firm.Here the entity record also carries SAM.gov's own exclusion flag (106 registrations in the 1 Nov 2026 extract are flagged), and the exclusions table is refreshed daily from the public extract. ## How the options compare | Option | Price | Access and limits | Coverage and history | Best for | Checked | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [SAM.gov APIs (official)](https://open.gsa.gov/api/entity-api/) | Free | 10 requests a day with no SAM.gov role, 1,000 with a role or a non-federal system account; keys expire every 90 days | The live, authoritative record: entities, opportunities, exclusions, contract awards, hierarchy, subawards | Anyone who needs the official record itself, at low volume | 2026-11-12 | | [GovCon API (govconapi.com)](https://govconapi.com/pricing) | Developer $19/mo, Pro $39/mo; 14-day trial | 1,000 requests an hour (50 a minute burst); trial 50 a day | 12,265,150 contracts and 758,552 opportunities from FY2025; 904,090 entities, monthly | Developers who want the lowest entry price and FY2025+ history | 2026-11-15 | | [samgovapi.io](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) | Free (100 credits a month, no card); Developer $49/mo, Pro $149/mo, Scale $499/mo | 20 to 180 requests a minute by plan, no daily cap; REST, MCP and keyless MCP search | 881,370 entities (1 Nov 2026 extract), 74,420 notices, 169,191 exclusions, 114,954 awards since 1 Oct 2026 | Developers and AI agents who want entities, bids and exclusions joined in one API | 2026-11-15 | ## Where samgovapi.io is the weaker choice - Exclusions refresh daily, so an exclusion entered today appears tomorrow; for a same-day award decision, check SAM.gov. - samgovapi.io is independent and launched in November 2026. For a legal determination (award eligibility, a debarment), check the official record on SAM.gov. ## Try it Check by UEI, CAGE or exact name; the answer says whether an active exclusion matched and on which field. ``` curl "https://samgovapi.io/api/v1/exclusions/check?q=UAVDK5WWYDZ5" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $SAMGOVAPI_API_KEY" import os, requests r = requests.get( "https://samgovapi.io/api/v1/exclusions", params={"q": "construction", "active": True, "limit": 25}, headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SAMGOVAPI_API_KEY']}"}, timeout=30, ) body = r.json() print(body["meta"]["as_of"], body["meta"]["credits_charged"]) print(body["data"]) ``` ## Questions Is the SAM.gov exclusions list the same as EPLS?Yes. EPLS, the Excluded Parties List System, was folded into SAM.gov in 2012.Does an exclusion check cost credits?1 credit per check here. The official Exclusions API is free within SAM.gov's daily limits. ## Related - [SAM exclusion check](https://samgovapi.io/sam-exclusion-check) - [SAM.gov Exclusions API](https://samgovapi.io/sam-gov-exclusions-api) - [EPLS](https://samgovapi.io/glossary/epls) - [API docs](https://samgovapi.io/docs) - [Pricing](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) - [Answers](https://samgovapi.io/answers)Updated 2026-11-15. Sources checked 2026-11-15.Independent. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by GSA, SAM.gov or any U.S. government agency. Registering in SAM.gov is free at sam.gov.

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