Frequently Asked Questions

11 … All U.S. persons must comply with OFAC sanctions, including all U.S. citizens and permanent residents regardless of where they are located, all individuals and entities within the United States, and all U.S. incorporated entities and their foreign branches. Terms such as "U.S. person" and "… Read more

12 … Violations of OFAC-administered sanctions programs may result in civil and, in some cases, criminal penalties. Penalties for violations can be substantial. Civil penalties vary by sanctions program, and the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal… Read more

13 … OFAC encourages anyone who may have violated OFAC-administered sanctions programs, or anyone who is aware of potential violations, to disclose the apparent or potential violation to OFAC. Voluntary self-disclosure to OFAC is considered a mitigating factor by OFAC in enforcement actions, and… Read more

14 … Great care should be taken when placing reliance on such materials to ensure that the transactions in question fully conform to the letter and spirit of the published materials and that the materials have not been superseded. … Can I regard previously issued and published opinion letters,… Read more

15 … Yes. OFAC, therefore, strongly encourages parties to exercise due diligence when their business activities may touch on an OFAC-administered program and to contact OFAC if they have any questions about their transactions. … Can OFAC change its previously stated, non-published interpretation or… Read more

468 … If you have questions about the authenticity of an OFAC-issued document that is not publicly posted on OFAC’s website, you may contact OFAC and reference the specific case ID or FAC number that is included on the document. For specific licenses, please visit OFAC’s Licensing Portal and select… Read more

469 … No. OFAC does not issue non-inclusion certificates to show an entity or individual is not listed on one of OFAC’s sanctions lists, nor does OFAC publish a “safe list.” For questions regarding whether a specific entity or individual may be a positive match to an entry on one of OFAC’s… Read more

91 … OFAC publishes lists of individuals and entities that are subject to OFAC-administered sanctions. One such list is known as the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, or "SDN List," which is available on OFAC’s website . Property and interests in property of the… Read more

126 … A package may be blocked or rejected for multiple reasons. U.S. persons, including shipping companies, are required to "block" packages in which a person blocked by OFAC-administered sanctions has an interest. When a package is required to be "blocked" due to sanctions, the shipper must… Read more

74 … A license is an authorization from OFAC to engage in a transaction that otherwise would be prohibited. There are two types of licenses: general licenses and specific licenses. A general license authorizes a particular type of transaction for a class of persons without the need to apply for a… Read more