What Is an MPIN in SAM.gov?

If you are registering a business in the System for Award Management, you will meet a short code that causes a surprising amount of confusion: the MPIN. The MPIN, or Marketing Partner Identification Number, is a nine-character code you create during SAM.gov registration. It is not a password, it is not your UEI, and it is not a CAGE code. It is a separate credential that identifies your entity in certain SAM.gov processes, most notably when you apply for grants through Grants.gov and when other systems need to confirm that you are authorised to act for your entity. Understanding what an MPIN is in SAM.gov, how it differs from your SAM.gov password, and how to create, reset, and protect it will save you time, failed logins, and delayed applications.

What Is an MPIN in SAM.gov?

An MPIN is a nine-character alphanumeric password-like code that you choose when you register an entity in SAM.gov. SAM.gov requires the MPIN to be at least nine characters long and to include a mix of character types, typically upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. It functions as a shared secret between your entity and the federal systems that connect to SAM.gov. When you create your SAM.gov entity registration, you are asked to set an MPIN, and that code is stored as part of your entity record. Later, when a connected system asks for your MPIN, it is checking that the person or system entering the code knows a secret that only the entity administrator should know.

The most common place the MPIN appears is in the Grants.gov workflow. If your business or nonprofit applies for a federal grant, Grants.gov uses your SAM.gov MPIN to validate your organisation and to link your grant application to your SAM.gov entity. Without the correct MPIN, that validation can fail, even if your SAM.gov registration itself is active and your Login.gov account works perfectly. That is why many people first discover their MPIN only when a grant application stalls: they have never needed it for ordinary SAM.gov sign-in, so they have never memorised it.

MPIN vs. SAM.gov Password: What Is the Difference?

Your SAM.gov password is the credential you use with Login.gov to sign in to SAM.gov itself. It authenticates you as a person, proves your identity through Login.gov, and gives you access to the SAM.gov website, your entity registrations, and your administrator roles. Your MPIN, by contrast, authenticates your entity to another system. It does not sign you in to SAM.gov, it does not replace your Login.gov password, and changing one does not change the other.

Think of it this way: your Login.gov password opens the front door to SAM.gov for you personally. Your MPIN is a code your entity gives to a trusted partner system, such as Grants.gov, to prove that the application really comes from that entity. Because the two credentials serve different purposes, they should be different values. Reusing your SAM.gov password as your MPIN, or reusing your MPIN as a password anywhere else, weakens both. If one is exposed, the other should still be safe. Keep them separate, store them separately, and never share either by email or in an unsecured message.

Where Is the MPIN Used?

The MPIN is used most often for grant applications, but it can also appear in other entity-related processes where a system needs to confirm entity authority without requiring a full SAM.gov sign-in. For many small businesses that only pursue contracts, the MPIN may sit unused for months or years. That does not mean it is unimportant. The moment you decide to pursue a grant, a cooperative agreement, or another form of federal financial assistance, you may need it immediately, and hunting for it at a deadline is stressful and risky.

It is also important to understand what the MPIN is not used for. It is not your UEI, the twelve-character Unique Entity Identifier that identifies your entity in SAM.gov. It is not your CAGE code, which the Defense Logistics Agency assigns for contracting. It is not a DUNS number, which SAM.gov no longer uses. And it is not a tax identification number. If a form asks for your UEI, do not enter your MPIN, and if a system asks for your MPIN, do not enter your UEI. Mixing these identifiers is one of the most common causes of failed validations. If you are still sorting out identifiers, our guide on how to find any company’s UEI explains where to locate the correct identifier for your entity.

How to Create an MPIN

You create an MPIN during SAM.gov entity registration. As you work through the registration, SAM.gov will prompt you to create a nine-character MPIN that meets its complexity rules. Choose a code that is long enough, includes upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers, and at least one special character, and is not a dictionary word, a date of birth, or a sequence such as 123456789. Write it down immediately in a secure password manager, along with the date you created it and the name of the person who created it, so that a future administrator is not locked out when staff change.

If you are registering for the first time, follow the steps in our SAM.gov registration guide first, and treat the MPIN step as a permanent part of that record, not as a throwaway field to rush through. The entity administrator should be the person who creates and stores the MPIN, and that person should also be the person who can reset it if needed. Do not let a consultant or a temporary helper create an MPIN that only they know, without recording it securely for the entity. That single oversight has delayed many grant applications.

How to Reset or Change Your MPIN

If you have forgotten your MPIN, do not guess repeatedly. Repeated failed attempts can lock a process or create confusion about which code is current. Instead, sign in to SAM.gov with your Login.gov account as an entity administrator, open your entity registration, and look for the option to update your MPIN as part of editing your entity information. The exact labels in SAM.gov change from time to time, but the principle is consistent: only an authorised entity administrator can change the MPIN, and the change must be saved and submitted as part of an entity update.

After you change an MPIN, update every place that stores the old code. That includes your password manager, any grant application system that has the MPIN saved, and any internal procedures document that lists it. Test the new MPIN in the system that needs it before a deadline, not on the day an application is due. If you are also unsure about the status of your registration itself, check our guide on how to check your SAM.gov registration status so you do not confuse an MPIN problem with an expired or inactive registration.

How to Protect Your MPIN

Treat your MPIN like a password, because in practice it is one. Store it in a password manager with strong access controls, limit access to entity administrators, and never send it by ordinary email, text message, or a shared spreadsheet. If someone who knew the MPIN leaves your organisation, change it promptly, just as you would change a shared password. Review who has administrator access to your SAM.gov entity at least once a year, and whenever a key staff member departs.

Be wary of anyone who asks for your MPIN outside a legitimate federal system. SAM.gov will not ask you to send your MPIN by email, and a genuine grant system will ask for it inside a secure application workflow, not in an unsolicited message. If you receive a suspicious request, do not reply with the code. Sign in to SAM.gov directly, verify your entity, and contact the relevant help desk through official channels. Scams targeting new federal contractors often focus on credentials, because a stolen MPIN, UEI, or administrator account can be used to impersonate a business.

Common MPIN Mistakes to Avoid

• Using your SAM.gov or Login.gov password as your MPIN, so one breach compromises both.
• Choosing a short, simple, or predictable MPIN that fails SAM.gov complexity rules or is easy to guess.
• Entering your UEI, CAGE code, or tax ID where a system asks for an MPIN.
• Letting only one departed employee or consultant know the MPIN, with no secure record for the entity.
• Guessing the MPIN repeatedly in a grant system instead of resetting it through SAM.gov as an administrator.
• Forgetting to update Grants.gov and internal records after an MPIN change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an MPIN if I only pursue contracts? You will still create one during registration, even if you rarely use it. Keep it secure anyway, because a future grant or assistance opportunity may require it.

Can I use the same MPIN for multiple entities? Each entity should have its own MPIN. Reusing a code across entities creates confusion and increases risk if one entity’s code is exposed.

What if I cannot sign in as an administrator to reset it? First, resolve the administrator access problem in SAM.gov. Only an authorised administrator can update entity information, including the MPIN, so restoring that role is the necessary first step.

Is the MPIN the same as a password for Grants.gov? No. Grants.gov has its own accounts and passwords. The MPIN is an additional entity validation code that Grants.gov checks against SAM.gov.

Related Guides

• SAM.gov Registration: How to Register Your Business Step by Step (2026)
• How to Check Your SAM.gov Registration Status
• UEI Number Lookup: How to Find Any Company’s UEI

MPIN: Keep It Safe and Update It Fast

A lost or shared code is the fastest way to stall a grant application. Store it in a password manager, limit it to the people who actually submit applications, and change the MPIN the day anyone with access leaves the team. An MPIN that is easy to find by the wrong person is worth less than the nine characters it is made of.

The workflow around the code lives on Grants.gov: the Grants.gov applicant pages explain how the MPIN is used to validate your entity when you apply. And because the code is set during registration, read our SAM.gov registration guide if you are starting from scratch — it covers the step where the MPIN is created.