OMB publishes anticipated memo enforcing Login-dot-gov use

The Office of Management and Budget has officially released a memo directing agencies to expand the use of login.gov for user identity verification in a push to make it the universal sign-on for public services.

In a six-page document dated Monday, OMB Director Russell Vogt told agencies the absence of a clear strategy has led to agencies deploying various sign-on solutions and taking different approaches to digital identity management.

Per the memo, that means users often need multiple sign-ons and the government pays more.

Vogt said in the memo, quote, this policy enforces login.gov as the universal sign-on for accessing public services online, enabling more seamless and efficient service delivery while safeguarding user privacy and supporting resilience against fraud and security threats, unquote.

Official release of the policy comes after OMB recently circulated a draft version of the document to leaders for feedback.

FedScoop obtained a copy of that draft and first reported on its contents last week.

At the time, current and former officials viewed the policy as an effort to continue a long-standing push to establish a single sign-on for government.

Login.gov, which is run by the General Services Administration, was first envisioned under President Barack Obama, launched in 2017 during President Donald Trump's first term, and continued under President Joe Biden.

It was created after Congress required that agencies establish a single sign-on platform for government website logins.

As of late last year, login was used at over 50 federal and state agencies per a 2025 roadmap.

While the memo enforces use of login for public-facing websites, it doesn't prohibit the use of other identity verification services.

It allows other services to help the agency either meet needs that login can't fill or to avoid burdening certain populations, such as those that currently rely on another sign-on service.

The Office of Management and Budget has officially released a memo directing agencies to expand the use of login.gov for user identity verification in a push to make it the universal sign-on for public services.

In a six-page document dated Monday, OMB Director Russell Vogt told agencies the absence of a clear strategy has led to agencies deploying various sign-on solutions and taking different approaches to digital identity management.

Per the memo, that means users often need multiple sign-ons and the government pays more.

Vogt said in the memo, quote, this policy enforces login.gov as the universal sign-on for accessing public services online, enabling more seamless and efficient service delivery while safeguarding user privacy and supporting resilience against fraud and security threats, unquote.

Official release of the policy comes after OMB recently circulated a draft version of the document to leaders for feedback.

FedScoop obtained a copy of that draft and first reported on its contents last week.

At the time, current and former officials viewed the policy as an effort to continue a long-standing push to establish a single sign-on for government.

Login.gov, which is run by the General Services Administration, was first envisioned under President Barack Obama, launched in 2017 during President Donald Trump's first term, and continued under President Joe Biden.

It was created after Congress required that agencies establish a single sign-on platform for government website logins.

As of late last year, login was used at over 50 federal and state agencies per a 2025 roadmap.

While the memo enforces use of login for public-facing websites, it doesn't prohibit the use of other identity verification services.

It allows other services to help the agency either meet needs that login can't fill or to avoid burdening certain populations, such as those that currently rely on another sign-on service.