SAM.gov registration is always free: how to spot renewal scams

Registering and renewing in SAM.gov costs nothing. GSA says it plainly: "Registration in SAM.gov is always free," and "any email or website that asks for money, no matter how official it looks, is not a government message or site" (GSA bulletin).

Yet small contractors still get emails, letters and calls every year warning that their registration is about to expire, with an offer to renew it for a fee.

Signs it isn't the government

• It asks for payment. Any request for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or a wire transfer.
• It creates urgency. "Your registration will be deactivated in 48 hours."
• It comes from a look-alike address or site. The real site is sam.gov. Government email comes from .gov addresses.
• It asks for your Login.gov password or codes. SAM.gov never needs them from you.

Some paid services are legitimate businesses that fill out the forms for you. That's legal, but it's never required, and it isn't the government. SAM.gov warns about phishing that imitates these messages (SAM.gov alert).

What to do instead

1. Look up your expiration date yourself by signing in to SAM.gov, or enter your UEI on our home page.
2. Renew 30 to 60 days early. See the SAM.gov renewal guide for the steps.
3. If you get stuck, the Federal Service Desk is free. So is your local APEX Accelerator, which helps small businesses with government contracting.

After you renew, check the date

In July 2025, a SAM.gov error set some firms' expiration dates to 90 days instead of a year (SAM.gov alert). GSA fixed it, but it's a reminder to confirm the new expiration date every time you renew.