# What is a UEI number? A UEI (Unique Entity ID) is the 12-character alphanumeric identifier SAM.gov assigns to every entity doing business with the federal government. It replaced the DUNS number as the official identifier on 4 April 2022. Getting a UEI is free in SAM.gov. An entity can request a UEI only, which is enough to report as a subrecipient, or complete a full registration to bid on and receive prime awards.Checked on 2026-11-12.Official source: [SAM.gov UEI transition](https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei) | Term | UEI number | | --- | --- | | Source | SAM.gov UEI transition | ## UEI number meaning A UEI (Unique Entity ID) is the 12-character alphanumeric identifier SAM.gov assigns to every entity doing business with the federal government. It replaced the DUNS number as the official identifier on 4 April 2022.Getting a UEI is free in SAM.gov. An entity can request a UEI only, which is enough to report as a subrecipient, or complete a full registration to bid on and receive prime awards. The UEI is the key that joins an entity's SAM.gov registration, its exclusion records and its USAspending award history, which is why lookups by UEI are exact while name searches are not. ## Questions Is a UEI the same as a tax ID?No. The UEI is issued by SAM.gov and is public; the TIN or EIN is an IRS number that SAM.gov validates but never publishes.Can I find a UEI without logging in?Yes. Public entity search on SAM.gov and lookups built on the public extract show the UEI of every registered entity. ## Related - [UEI lookup](https://samgovapi.io/uei-lookup) - [DUNS to UEI](https://samgovapi.io/guides/duns-to-uei) - [Glossary](https://samgovapi.io/glossary)Updated 2026-11-12. Sources checked 2026-11-12.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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