Independent help. Not the government.
$0.00 due
SAM.gov is free. Do not pay a middleman for the form.
A lot of what ranks for “SAM.gov registration” is a paid walkthrough that never says the form is free. This site says it on the door, then walks the same steps without an invoice.
Get the papers straight first
Eight checks. Progress stays on this device. Most rejections are a name mismatch you can catch before you start.
Open the free checklist
A renewal fee letter is the tell
SAM.gov does not invoice you to stay active. If the envelope wants money, it is not SAM.gov.
See the scam patternsGet an identifier without buying one
- DUNS is retired. You want a UEI.
- CAGE code, assigned with registration
- Login.gov before you touch the form
- Entity Validation Failed
Stay active, stay eligible
- Renew every year, still $0
- What actually decides the wait
- Submitted, Active, Expired
- Name or address changed
- Reps and certs, inside the free form
- NAICS codes you do not purchase
- Banking / EFT, still free
Stuck states and mix-ups
- Grants need the same free UEI
- The Entity Administrator left
- Do subcontractors need SAM.gov?
- SAM.gov is not a GSA Schedule
- SBA certifications sit on top
After you are in the database
- Where opportunities are posted
- Set-asides and the Rule of Two
- Simplified acquisition threshold
- FAR overhaul, 2026
- No past performance yet
- Veteran programs
- Shutdowns and your contract
Quick answers
- Does SAM.gov registration cost money?
- No. Registration and yearly renewal are free. Federal law requires that.
- Are you SAM.gov?
- No. ZeroGov is independent. Register only at sam.gov.
- Why do ads charge hundreds of dollars?
- They walk you through a free form. They cannot skip entity validation.
- What should I do first?
- Match your legal name to the IRS letter, set up Login.gov, then use the free checklist.