USDA eAuth Registration Job Aid

USDA eAuthentication
Account Registration Aid
Updated: March 5, 2012

This document details how USDA customers and employees can obtain a USDA eAuthentication
account that allows access to USDA Web applications and services protected by
eAuthentication. Customers may obtain an account with Level 1 or Level 2 access while USDA
federal employees and contractors may obtain an account with Level 2 access. These accounts
are obtained through an electronic self-registration process.

Customer Level 1 Access Self-Registration Process ......................................................... 2
Customer Level 2 Access Self-Registration Process ......................................................... 4
Employee Account Self-Registration Process ................................................................... 7
Additional assistance.......................................................................................................... 9

Page 1 of 9

Customer Level 1 Access Self-Registration Process
To obtain a Level 1 USDA eAuthentication account, all customers must go to:
https://eauth.sc.egov.usda.gov/eAuth/selfRegistration/selfRegLevel1Step1.jsp.

The four (4) steps to self-register are:
STEP 1 of 4: Registration Form Completion
STEP 2 of 4: User Information Verification
STEP 3 of 4: Activation Instructions Notification
STEP 4 of 4: Account Activation
STEP 1 of 4: Registration Form Completion
You are required to fill out the following fields:
DATA POINT
CRITERIA
First Name, Last
Please enter exactly as on your State Driver’s License, State
Name
Identification Card, or Passport.
E-Mail
Please enter a valid working E-Mail address.
Login
User ID must be 6-20 characters in length.

Password

Note: Select your User ID carefully - do NOT include your SSN for
example - once your User ID is created you will be unable to modify it.
• Minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 characters long
• Contains at least one uppercase letter
• Contains at least one lowercase letter
• Contains a number
• Can contain a special character.
• May not contain your first name, last name, or User ID.
• Should not contain your Mother’s Maiden Name, Date of Birth, 4-digit
PIN, or security questions /answers.
• May not contain words that can be found in a dictionary, spaces, tabs,
or any other special characters not listed above.

Security Questions
& Answers

Please note: Your password will expire after 60 days.
Choose security questions from the pull-down list. Then type answers
that only you would know.

You can optionally fill out the following fields:
DATA
CRITERIA
POINT
Middle
Please enter exactly as on your State Driver’s License, State Identification Card,
Initial
or Passport.
After entering the information on the initial screen, click Continue.

Page 2 of 9

Figure 1: Registration Form
STEP 2 of 4: User Information Verification
The next screen will allow you to verify the information. Once verified, click Submit.
SECURITY CAUTION!
Once you have confirmed your eAuthentication credential, it will become your official electronic
identity online throughout USDA. Please take great care in protecting your password - it is your
responsibility to keep this electronic identity private to prevent identity theft. Please do not share
your password or write it down in an insecure location.
STEP 3 of 4: Activation Instructions Notification
After submitting your account information, the next screen informs that an activation email will
be issued to you, communicating your registration status and the necessary steps to complete the
USDA Level 1 Credentialing process. Print this page for your future reference and verify your
email address.
STEP 4 of 4: Account Activation
You must verify your email address by clicking on the ACTIVATE MY ACCOUNT link within
the email.
Once you have completed this step, you have a valid Level 1 access USDA Account.

Page 3 of 9

Customer Level 2 Access Self-Registration Process
To obtain a Level 2 USDA eAuthentication credential, all customers must go to
https://eauth.sc.egov.usda.gov/eAuth/selfRegistration/selfRegLevel2Step1.jsp.
The five (5) steps to self-register are:
STEP 1 of 5: Registration Form Completion
STEP 2 of 5: User Information Verification
STEP 3 of 5: Activation Instructions Notification
STEP 4 of 5: Account Activation
STEP 5 of 5: In-Person Identity Proofing
STEP 1 of 5: Registration Form Completion
You are required to fill out the following fields:
DATA POINT
CRITERIA
First Name, Last
Please enter exactly as on your State Driver’s License, State
Name
Identification Card, or Passport.
Address, City, and
Please enter your current home address, city, and state.
State
Postal/ZIP Code
Please enter your current home postal/ZIP code.
Country
Please select the country you currently reside in.
E-Mail
Please enter a valid working E-Mail address.
Login
User ID must be 6-20 characters in length.

Password

Note: Select your User ID carefully - do NOT include your SSN for
example - once your User ID is created you will be unable to modify it.
• Minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 characters long
• Contains at least one uppercase letter
• Contains at least one lowercase letter
• Contains a number
• Can contain a special character.
• May not contain your first name, last name, or User ID.
• Should not contain your Mother’s Maiden Name, Date of Birth, 4-digit
PIN, or security questions /answers.
• May not contain words that can be found in a dictionary, spaces, tabs,
or any other special characters not listed above.

Mother’s Maiden
Name:
Date of Birth
4 Digit PIN:

Please note: Your password will expire after 60 days.
Please enter your mother’s maiden name for security verification
purposes.
Please enter exactly as on your State Driver’s License, State
Identification Card, or Passport.
Please enter a PIN number

Page 4 of 9

DATA POINT
Security Questions
& Answers

CRITERIA
Choose security questions from the pull-down list. Then type answers
that only you would know.

You can optionally fill out the following fields:
DATA POINT
CRITERIA
Middle Initial
Please enter exactly as on your State Driver’s License, State
Identification Card, or Passport.
Home Phone
Please enter your current home phone.
After entering the information on the initial screen, click Continue.

Figure 1: Registration Form

Page 5 of 9

STEP 2 of 5: User Information Verification
On the following screen, verify the information and then click Submit.
SECURITY CAUTION!
Once you have confirmed your eAuthentication credential, it will become your official electronic
identity online throughout USDA. Please take great care in protecting your password and the
security questions that you stored - it is your responsibility to keep this electronic identity private
to prevent identity theft. Please do not share this password or write it down in an insecure
location.
STEP 3 of 5: Activation Instructions Notification
After submitting your account information, the following screen informs that an activation email
will be issued to you. This activation email will contain instructions for completing the USDA
Level 2 Credentialing process. Print this page for your future reference.
STEP 4 of 5: Account Activation
You must confirm your account by clicking on the ACTIVATE MY ACCOUNT link within this
email.
NOTE: Once you have completed this step, you have a valid Level 1 account. In order to
obtain an activated Level 2 account you will need to complete Step 5.
STEP 5 of 5: In-Person Identity Proofing
The final step to obtain Level 2 access will require you to be identity-proofed: take your
government-issued photo ID (e.g. state issued drivers license) and present it in person to a USDA
Service Center where a USDA employee who is a Local Registration Authority (LRA) can
activate your account with Level 2 access. To find the nearest USDA Service Center with an
LRA, go to http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?type=lra. We recommend calling ahead to
schedule an appointment.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Before you visit a USDA Service Center, please verify that all of your information on file with
USDA is correct. Incorrect data will result in failure of the in-person Identity Proofing Process.
To verify or update your information, go to the eAuthentication web site at
www.eauth.egov.usda.gov and click on “Update your account”, then log in with your User ID
and password. Select “Modify my profile” and make any needed changes.

Page 6 of 9

Employee Account Self-Registration Process
To obtain an Employee Level 2 USDA eAuthentication account, a USDA federal employee must
receive a Registration Invitation email.
Pre-requisites:
1.
Your HR record must be completed by your HR representative, and you must have
a valid email address.
2.
You must receive the Registration Invitation email from [email protected]
and click on the link within the email.
Once you have clicked on the link within the Registration Invitation, the steps to register are:
STEP 1 of 6: Identity Verification
STEP 2 of 6: User Information Verification
STEP 3 of 6: Security Question Selection
STEP 4 of 6: Security Question Confirmation
STEP 5 of 6: New User ID and Password
STEP 6 of 6: Activation Successful
STEP 1 of 6: Identity Verification
You are required to fill out the following fields:
DATA POINT
CRITERIA
Last 4 digits of SSN
Please enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security
Number
Date of Birth
Please enter your date of birth, using the pull down menus
After entering the information on the initial screen, click Continue.
STEP 2 of 6: User Information Verification
On the next screen, verify the information that is displayed.
•
If any of your HR information is not correct, please note which information is not
correct and close your browser window (click on the red “x”). Contact your HR
rep and ask them to review the items you’ve noted.
•
If your email address is not correct, please close your browser window (click on
the red “x”) and contact your Agency Registration Lead for assistance:
http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov/AgencyRegistrationLeads.html.
•
If ALL of your information is correct, click Continue.
STEP 3 of 6: Security Question Selection
On the next screen, you are required to fill out the following fields:
DATA POINT
CRITERIA
Questions
Select 4 different security questions using the pull-down menus.
Answers
Type an answer that only you would know (i.e., information that
is non-researchable.) Answers are not case sensitive, however
spaces and spelling do matter, so please enter something that is
easy to remember.
Page 7 of 9

DATA POINT
4 Digit PIN
Mother’s Maiden
Name

CRITERIA
Please enter a 4 digit PIN number. Note: You cannot use a zero
“0” as the first digit.
Please enter your mother’s maiden name for security verification
purposes.

After entering the information, click Continue.
STEP 4 of 6: Security Question Confirmation
Verify the information that you entered and click Continue. To change any of the information
click on the Back button.
STEP 5 of 6: New User ID and Password
The system will generate a new User ID and present it to you on the next screen.
You will need to create a password for your account in accordance with the guidelines.
DATA
CRITERIA
POINT
Password
• Minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 characters long
• Contains at least one uppercase letter
• Contains at least one lowercase letter
• Contains a number
• Can contain a special character.
• May not contain your first name, last name, or User ID.
• Should not contain your Mother’s Maiden Name, Date of Birth, 4-digit
PIN, or security questions /answers.
• May not contain words that can be found in a dictionary, spaces, tabs, or
any other special characters not listed above.

Confirm
Password

Please note: Your password will expire after 60 days.
Re-type your password

After entering the password, click on Continue.
STEP 6 of 6: Activation Successful
In the final step, you will receive an “Activation Successful” message on the screen. Your
account is now active. You will also receive an email message confirming the creation of your
account.
Note: We recommend waiting 10 minutes before you attempt to log in to other websites, to allow
for system propagation.

Page 8 of 9

Additional assistance
For additional assistance with the eAuthentication account self-registration process, please
contact the ITS Service Desk at: [email protected]
Please include:
•
Your name and contact information
•
Agency (if you are a USDA federal employee)
•
Description of the issue:
o
Type of account you are trying to create (Level 1 Customer, Level 2
Customer, or Employee account)
o
If you have received an error message, please also include the exact text of
the error message.

Page 9 of 9