What Is a CAGE Code? The Complete Guide for Federal Contractors

If you have ever submitted a bid on SAM.gov, searched FPDS for contract awards, or tried to verify a subcontractor, you have encountered a CAGE code. These five-character alphanumeric identifiers are issued by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and serve as a unique fingerprint for every entity registered in the federal procurement system. Without a valid CAGE code, your company cannot receive a federal award.

What Does CAGE Stand For?

CAGE stands for Commercial and Government Entity. The code itself was originally developed for the Department of Defense to track suppliers of military hardware, but it has since expanded to cover every organization — large and small — that does business with any U.S. federal agency. Nonprofits, universities, foreign firms, and sole proprietors all receive CAGE codes alongside Fortune 500 defense primes.

How CAGE Codes Are Structured

A CAGE code is always exactly five characters long. The first character is always a digit (1–9), and the remaining four characters are alphanumeric, with the letters O, I, and Q excluded to avoid confusion with the numbers 0 and 1. Examples include 7RFJ5 or 2HHW3. The codes are assigned sequentially, so older contractors tend to have lower-numbered prefixes.

The DLA CAGE program maintains a publicly searchable database at cage.dla.mil, and SAM.gov surfaces this information in entity profiles. You can also look up any CAGE code instantly on our CAGE Code Decoder to see the company name, address, SAM registration status, and business type.

Why CAGE Codes Matter for Contracting

Federal contracting officers use CAGE codes for a variety of essential functions:

• Award tracking: Every contract award in FPDS is linked to a CAGE code, enabling historical performance analysis. You can explore this data on FedAtlas.com.
• Subcontractor verification: Prime contractors confirm subcontractor CAGE codes during proposal preparation to ensure all team members are registered.
• Socioeconomic certification: Set-aside status (small business, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB) is tied to the CAGE code.
• International trade: NATO member nations use an allied version called the NCAGE code for cross-border procurement.

CAGE Code vs. UEI

Since April 2022, the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) replaced the DUNS number as the primary business identifier for federal awards. However, the CAGE code remains a required and distinct identifier. The UEI is issued by SAM.gov and used for financial and award tracking; the CAGE code is issued by DLA and used for contractor cataloging and logistics. A single company will have both. See our detailed comparison in CAGE Code vs. UEI: What Is the Difference?

How Long Does a CAGE Code Last?

A CAGE code itself does not expire, but your SAM.gov registration — which activates the code — must be renewed every 365 days. If your registration lapses, your CAGE code becomes inactive and you cannot receive new awards until you renew. Learn more in our guide on CAGE code expiration and renewal.

Getting Started

The fastest way to get a CAGE code is to register your entity in SAM.gov. You will need your legal business name, physical address, taxpayer identification number, and NAICS codes. The DLA assigns the CAGE code automatically as part of the registration workflow — you do not apply for it separately. Review our step-by-step guide to getting a CAGE code for the full walkthrough.

Ready to look up a CAGE code right now? Use our free CAGE Code Decoder to decode any five-character code instantly.