Frequently Asked Questions

OFAC itself does not seize or hold blocked funds. To comply with U.S. sanctions regulations administered by OFAC, U.S. financial institutions are required to block or "freeze" certain property (e.g., funds, accounts) in their possession or control and report such blocked property to OFAC. Even… Read more

Case Identification Number: Once OFAC receives and begins to process your specific license application, OFAC's Licensing Division will assign a case identification ("Case ID") number. This number will be in the Year-Case ID format (i.e., YYYY-9999999). Note the Case ID number is different from the… Read more

OFAC encourages applicants to file an electronic license application, available via the OFAC Specific Licenses and Interpretive Guidance page on OFAC's website. It is essential to follow instructions and include all necessary information in your application, as detailed in the online application… Read more

Some OFAC sanctions programs that broadly prohibit transactions involving an entire jurisdiction have exemptions or general licenses for certain donated goods, such as humanitarian articles, to relieve human suffering. For information on the exemptions and general licenses under a particular OFAC… Read more

An OFAC license is an authorization from OFAC to engage in transactions that otherwise would be prohibited by U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC. There are two types of OFAC licenses: general licenses and specific licenses. General License: A general license authorizes certain categories of… Read more

OFAC reviews each specific license application on a case-by-case basis, generally in the order in which they are received. The review process for each license application may vary, which will affect the length of the review. For example, in some instances, OFAC may require additional information… Read more