UEI vs DUNS is a question many federal contractors still ask, years after the change. If you have an old DUNS number on a capability statement, a proposal, or a vendor profile, you may wonder whether it still works. The short answer is that DUNS has been replaced. Since April 4, 2022, the Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI, is the identifier the federal government uses in SAM.gov and in federal award systems.
This guide explains what DUNS was, what the UEI is, why the government made the switch, and what contractors need to do today.
What Was DUNS?
DUNS stands for Data Universal Numbering System. It was a nine-digit number issued by Dun & Bradstreet, a private company, to identify businesses and other organizations. For decades, federal agencies required entities to have a DUNS number before they could register in SAM.gov and receive federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.
The DUNS number appeared on registrations, contract files, and award records. Contracting officers, grant officers, and prime contractors used it to look up an entity and confirm that it was the right organization.
What Is the UEI?
The Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI, is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier issued by the federal government itself. It is assigned automatically when an entity registers in SAM.gov. There is no separate UEI application, and there is no fee to obtain one.
Your UEI appears in your SAM.gov entity record. You can find it by signing in to SAM.gov, opening your entity registration, and checking the entity information section. It is also shown on your entity’s public record once your registration is active.
Why Was DUNS Replaced?
The government replaced DUNS with the UEI for several practical reasons. First, DUNS was owned and controlled by a private company. The government wanted an identifier it owned and managed directly, so it would not depend on a commercial provider for a core part of federal award administration.
Second, the old process created friction. Entities sometimes had to contact Dun & Bradstreet separately, wait for a number, and then return to SAM.gov to complete registration. The UEI removes that extra step: SAM.gov assigns the identifier as part of registration.
Third, the change simplified data management across federal systems. With a government-issued identifier, agencies can link entity records more consistently across SAM.gov, USAspending.gov, and other award systems.
When Did the Change Happen?
The transition took effect on April 4, 2022. From that date, SAM.gov stopped using DUNS numbers as the primary entity identifier and began using the UEI instead. Existing entities that were already registered were assigned a UEI automatically, based on their existing registration information.
That date matters because any guide, template, or form written before April 2022 that asks for a DUNS number is out of date. If you still see a DUNS field on an old form or vendor profile, check whether the system has been updated to ask for the UEI instead.
UEI vs DUNS: Key Differences
- Issuer: DUNS was issued by Dun & Bradstreet, a private company. The UEI is issued by the federal government through SAM.gov.
- Format: DUNS was a nine-digit number. The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric code.
- Application: DUNS required a separate request to Dun & Bradstreet. The UEI is assigned automatically during SAM.gov registration.
- Cost: A DUNS number for federal contracting was free, but the process involved a third party. The UEI is free and built into SAM.gov.
- Use today: DUNS is no longer the federal identifier. The UEI is the identifier used in SAM.gov and federal award records.
What Changed for Existing Contractors?
If your entity was registered in SAM.gov before April 2022, you did not need to apply for a new identifier. SAM.gov assigned your UEI automatically and linked it to your existing registration, including your CAGE code, NAICS codes, and banking information.
What you did need to do was start using the UEI in place of DUNS wherever the federal government asks for an entity identifier. That includes SAM.gov itself, federal solicitations, and systems that pull entity data from SAM.gov.
What About New Entities?
New entities do not apply for a DUNS number at all. When you start a SAM.gov registration, SAM.gov assigns a UEI as part of the process. You should not pay anyone to obtain a UEI for you, and you should not buy a DUNS number in order to register. If a service offers to sell you an identifier for federal contracting, treat that as a warning sign.
What Did Not Change?
The UEI replaced DUNS only as the entity identifier. It did not replace other parts of registration. You still need a CAGE code, which SAM.gov assigns as part of registration for US entities. You still select NAICS codes that describe your work. You still need a Login.gov account and an Entity Administrator to manage the registration, and you still must renew your SAM.gov registration each year to keep it active.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not keep using your old DUNS number as if it were still the federal identifier. Update capability statements, vendor profiles, and internal records to show your UEI. Do not enter a DUNS number in a field that asks for a UEI, and do not leave the UEI blank because you cannot find a DUNS number.
Also, do not confuse the UEI with the CAGE code. The UEI identifies the entity in SAM.gov. The CAGE code is a separate five-character code used by the Department of Defense and federal agencies to identify entities for contracting and logistics purposes.
How to Find Your UEI
Sign in to SAM.gov with Login.gov, open your entity registration, and look for the Unique Entity ID field in the entity information section. Copy it exactly, including any letters, and use that value on federal forms and in your SAM.gov profile. If you manage multiple entities, make sure you use the UEI for the correct legal entity, because each registered entity has its own UEI.
Conclusion
UEI vs DUNS comes down to a simple change: the government replaced a privately issued nine-digit number with its own 12-character identifier in April 2022. DUNS is no longer the identifier for federal contracting. If you are registered in SAM.gov, find your UEI, use it consistently, and remove old DUNS references from your contracting materials. That one update keeps your records aligned with the systems contracting officers actually use today.
UEI vs DUNS: Use the Right Identifier
The UEI vs DUNS question is settled, but old habits are not. If an old capability statement, proposal template or vendor profile still shows a DUNS number, update it now: the firms that win work are the ones whose records already match what SAM.gov expects. The UEI vs DUNS change also means the identifier follows the entity automatically, so there is no separate application, no third-party request and no fee to obtain one.
If you still need to look up an identifier, start with our UEI number lookup guide, then work through the federal contractor registration checklist so the rest of your SAM.gov record is current. Confirm the official process on SAM.gov — the UEI vs DUNS change is a reminder that registration details are worth checking before every bid.