How to check your SAM registration status
Every SAM.gov registration expires 365 days after it was last activated — and an expired registration means no new awards and possible payment holds. Here are the three ways to check where you stand, fastest first.
Option 1: Instant UEI lookup (fastest)
Enter your 12-character Unique Entity ID below. Status and expiration date come straight from the official SAM.gov Entity Management API. Free, no signup.
Option 2: SAM.gov entity search
Go to sam.gov/search, choose the “Entity Information” domain, and search by legal business name, UEI, or CAGE code. No login is required. Two caveats: entities that opted out of public search won't appear, and expired registrations drop out of public search entirely — so “not found” can actually mean “expired.”
Option 3: Your SAM.gov workspace (most complete)
Sign in at sam.gov and open your entity workspace. This is the only view that shows registrations in every state — including Work in Progress, Submitted, and expired registrations — plus any pending validation issues. Use this when the public search comes up empty or when a renewal is mid-flight.
What each status means
- Active — validated and eligible for awards and payments until the expiration date shown.
- Submitted / Pending — a renewal or update is in review (IRS TIN match and CAGE validation). You keep your current status until review completes, but new validation issues can surface here.
- Work in Progress — someone started a renewal or update but never submitted it. This does not stop the expiration clock.
- Inactive / Expired — the 365 days ran out. The entity is ineligible for new awards and drops out of public search. Here's what happens and how to fix it →
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check my SAM registration status for free?
- Use a UEI lookup tool like the free checker on this page, or go to SAM.gov and use the entity search (no login needed unless the entity opted out of public search). Both show status and expiration date.
- What does 'Active' mean in SAM.gov?
- Active means the registration is complete, validated, and eligible for federal awards and payments. It stays Active until the expiration date — exactly 365 days after the last submission was activated.
- Why can't I find my company in SAM.gov search?
- Either the registration has expired (expired registrations drop out of public search), the entity opted out of public display, or the registration was never fully activated. Check your SAM.gov workspace to be sure.
- How often should I check my SAM registration status?
- Your registration expires every 365 days, and renewals take 2–6 weeks to fully process. Check at least quarterly, or use a monitoring service that emails you automatically at 90, 60, 30, 14, 7, and 1 days before expiration.