The DUNS to UEI Transition: Key Information for Contractors

Compiled & reviewed by the EntityCodes Editorial Team (Tech Labs FZ LLC) · Data verified: 2026-06-28

In April 2022, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) transitioned from the proprietary D&B DUNS number to the government-owned Unique Entity ID (UEI) on SAM.gov.

Why the Federal Government Replaced the DUNS Number

For decades, the federal government relied on the proprietary Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) administered by Dun & Bradstreet ^[1]. This required the government to pay licensing fees to distribute or analyze entity data. In April 2022, the GSA officially completed the transition to the Unique Entity ID (UEI) to establish government ownership of registration data.

The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric string generated directly by SAM.gov during registration. Unlike the DUNS, the UEI utilizes the Crockford Base32 character set, omitting the letters I and O to prevent character transcription errors ^{[crockford-base32][1]}.

Federal Procurement & Contractor Registries

To support the core compliance tasks detailed in this guide on The DUNS to UEI Transition: Key Information for Contractors, compliance officers and corporate attorneys must consult several government contractor registries. CAGE codes are issued and verified through the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) CAGE Search and Registration. The central platform for all entity registrations is the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Unique Entity ID Guide. Details regarding the unique entity ID format are outlined in the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) GSA Unique Entity Identifier Transition Guidance. Procurement programs and set-asides are regulated under the Acquisition.gov Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19 - Small Business Programs. SAM registration requirements are codified under Acquisition.gov FAR Subpart 4.11 - System for Award Management Registration, while CAGE code reporting requirements are codified under Acquisition.gov FAR Subpart 4.18 - Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE). Foreign companies must register following the NATO Codification System (AC/135) NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Registration Rules. The official timeline for retiring legacy numbers is published in the Federal Register Transition from DUNS Number to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Notice. Registration workflows are checked via the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) SAM.gov Entity Registration Checklist and Directives, and audit integrity guidelines are outlined in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Federal Contractor Registry: Improvements Needed in SAM.gov.

💡 Expert Guidance: DUNS-only Legacy System Submission

Using a legacy Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number in federal subcontracts or grant applications after the April 2022 transition is a frequent administrative error. The federal registry has completely migrated to GSA-issued Unique Entity IDs. Listing a DUNS number in current reporting templates will result in systemic validation errors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need a DUNS number for government contracts? ▾

No. The DUNS number was officially retired for federal contracting in April 2022, replaced entirely by the SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI).

Where can I find my business Unique Entity ID? ▾

Your UEI is displayed on your active company registration card inside your SAM.gov profile dashboard.

When did the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) retire the DUNS number? ▾

The GSA officially retired the DUNS number for all federal contracting and award systems on April 4, 2022, completing the transition to the government-owned Unique Entity ID (UEI).

Why did the GSA transition from DUNS to the Unique Entity ID (UEI)? ▾

The transition was implemented to eliminate the government's reliance on a proprietary identification system owned by Dun & Bradstreet, thereby avoiding licensing fees and allowing the public to analyze federal award data freely.

Do I need to update active federal contracts with my new UEI? ▾

No, federal systems automatically mapped existing active contracts from their historical DUNS number to the corresponding UEI, so contractors did not need to modify active awards.

Does the UEI utilize a specific checksum or base format? ▾

Yes, the UEI utilizes the Crockford Base32 alphanumeric format. It consists of 12 characters, including a check digit at the end, and excludes the letters I and O to ensure readability and accuracy.

How can I find my company's UEI if we had a DUNS number before 2022? ▾

If you had an active registration in SAM.gov before April 2022, the GSA automatically assigned a UEI to your entity. You can find it by logging into your SAM.gov dashboard or searching your company record.

Does the retirement of DUNS affect commercial credit reporting? ▾

No. Dun & Bradstreet continues to issue and maintain the DUNS number for commercial credit scoring, B2B marketing, and private transactions, as the transition only applies to U.S. federal systems.

Is the UEI structure standard across all federal databases? ▾

Yes, all active federal databases (including SAM.gov, FPDS, USAspending, eSRS, and CPARS) have transitioned to use the 12-character UEI as the primary key for entity identification.

Can I obtain a UEI without completing a full SAM.gov registration? ▾

Yes, SAM.gov allows entities to request a 'UEI Only' verification to secure the identifier for sub-contracting reporting or grant applications without completing the full registration needed for prime contracts.