Is SAM.gov registration free?
What it costs to register or renew in SAM.gov, what a paid letter is selling, and where free help already exists.
Updated
Registering in SAM.gov is free at sam.gov, and so is renewing. There is no fee for a UEI and no fee for a CAGE code. A letter or website that quotes a price is selling someone's help with the work, not a government charge.
Does it cost anything to register in SAM.gov?
No. Registration in SAM.gov is free at sam.gov. Creating the record, obtaining a UEI as part of that path, and receiving a CAGE code when one is assigned for your path are not government fees you pay to a private company.
Does renewing cost anything?
No. Renewing is free at sam.gov, the same as the first registration. You sign in yourself, review the record, answer the certifications yourself, and submit.
Why do some letters and websites quote a price?
They are selling help — someone's time to sit with you through the work — not a government charge. That help can be legitimate; plenty of owners are glad to pay for company through a hard form. What has to stay clear is that the underlying filing is free, and that you still answer every certification yourself.
A letter that looks like government paperwork, quotes your expiration date, and does not say the filing is free is a sales letter. There is a separate guide on how to read those.
Where can I get free help instead of paying?
APEX Accelerators, Small Business Development Centers, and SCORE counsel small businesses at no charge, and the Federal Service Desk answers questions about the system itself. The guide on free help that already exists names each one.
Free help also exists: APEX Accelerators (DoD-funded, free) and the Federal Service Desk will help you at no charge. We built Firmenza to be useful alongside them.
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Check your own record
The free health check reads the public SAM.gov record and tells you what it says — status, expiration date, and what is worth a second look.