The exportation of defense articles requires a license or license exemption authorized by the U.S. Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Requirements for the exportation of defense articles are contained in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) in 22 CFR Part 120–130. Further information, including the ITAR, is available at the DDTC Web site at pmddtc.state.gov.
See certain sections of the CFR for specific information relating to defense articles, as follows:
- For information concerning defense articles subject to the license requirement, see 22 CFR Part 121.
- For information concerning licenses for the export of defense articles, see 22 CFR Part 123.
- For information concerning license exemptions for the export of defense articles, see 22 CFR Part 126.
The exportation of “technical data” as defined in 22 CFR §120.10 requires a license issued by the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Information related to DDTC is available at its Web site at pmddtc.state.gov.
Information concerning licenses for the export of technical data is available online in 22 CFR Part 125 of the ITAR.
Technical data that has been published or that is otherwise exempt from licensing under 22 CFR Part 125 of the ITAR does not require a Department of State license for exportation. However, the sender must mark the outside of the mailpiece, identifying the specific subsection under which the exemption is claimed (for example, “22 CFR 125.4...APPLICABLE,” if 22 CFR §125.4 is the citation for the relevant exemption).
Neither export licenses nor license exemptions are available for items to certain prohibited countries. These countries are listed in 22 CFR § 126.1 of the ITAR. As of November 2017, these countries include the following:
- Belarus.
- Burma.
- China.
- Cuba.
- Iran.
- Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of (North Korea).
- Syria.
- Venezuela.
Note: Mailers are advised to check the current version of 22 CFR § 126.1 of the ITAR for an updated list before mailing, as the list is subject to change.
License exemptions are not available to certain restricted countries, although export licenses may be approved in certain circumstances that vary by country. These countries and the license conditions for each country are listed in 22 CFR § 126.1 of the ITAR. As of March 2021, these countries include the following:
- Afghanistan.
- Central African Republic.
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the.
- Cyprus.
- Eritrea.
- Haiti.
- Iraq.
- Lebanon.
- Libya.
- Russia.
- Somalia.
- South Sudan, Republic of.
- Sudan.
- Zimbabwe.
Note: Mailers are advised to check the current version of 22 CFR § 126.1 of the ITAR for an updated list before mailing, as the list is subject to change.
Shipments mailed by or for any U.S. government agency do not require an individual license from the Department of State so long as all requirements of 22 CFR §126.4 can be met. The sender must mark the mailpiece with the applicable subsection of §126.4 (e.g., “22 CFR 126.4(a) APPLICABLE”).
The sender may obtain information from the DDTC Response Team, regarding the applicability of the Department of State requirements and application for an individual license. In addition, the DDTC Response Team handles process and status questions, and it assists mailers and other exporters with more complex questions involving export control issues. The DDTC Response Team should provide substantive responses within 24 hours of receiving inquiries. The DDTC Response Team can be contacted by telephone at 202-663-1282 or by e-mail at DDTCResponseTeam@state.gov.
