Frequently Asked Questions

Consistent with FAQ 865 , which clarifies that market intermediaries and other participants may engage in ancillary or intermediary activities that are necessary to effect divestiture during the relevant wind-down periods or that are not otherwise prohibited under E.O. 13959, as amended,… Read more

As part of its enforcement efforts, OFAC publishes a list of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries. It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not… Read more

All changes for the current calendar year are cumulatively available in the SDN List PDF file . The entire list may also be browsed using OFAC's Sanctions List Search Tool ​. Cumulative changes for prior years back to 1994 are also available in ASCII format on the Archive of Changes to the SDN List… Read more

The best way to get the SDN list is from OFAC's website . The list is disseminated in a number of different formats, including XML and fixed field/delimited files that can be integrated into databases. …

The SDN list is frequently updated. There is no predetermined timetable, but rather names are added or removed as necessary and appropriate. …

If you have checked a name manually or by using software and find a match, you should do a little more research. Is it an exact name match, or very close? Is your customer located in the same general area as the SDN or another entry on one of OFAC's sanctions lists? If not, it may be a "false hit… Read more

For historical information about names that have been added to, updated, or removed from OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List or one of OFAC’s other sanctions lists , please see our Archive of Changes page . Designation, removal, and update information is organized chronologically by list and… Read more

Yes, OFAC does maintain its own web-based search service. It can be accessed by clicking here . …

In addition to returning results that are exact matches (when the match threshold slider bar is set to 100%), Sanctions List Search can also provide a broader set of results using fuzzy logic. This logic uses character and string matching as well as phonetic matching. Only the name field of… Read more

The wind-down period has ended and the United States intends to fully enforce the sanctions that have come back into effect. The provision or delivery of goods or services and/or the extension of additional loans or credits to an Iranian counterparty after November 4, 2018 — even pursuant to… Read more