International Trade Blog

Product classification codes, which are used by the Census Bureau through the Automated Export System (AES) for trade statistic purposes and are also used at the country of import for assessing duties and taxes, are required for most exports.

For some exporters, getting started with product classification can be difficult. “I need a Schedule B number. How do I find the right number?” “Should I just start Googling?” “Is there recommended place to start?” are all questions we’ve been asked, and today, we’ll address them.

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We live in a scary world. We have to protect our country, particularly when it comes to exporting defense-related products including weaponry and military equipment (and components, parts, accessories, etc.) to other countries.

By regulating the export of these products, the U.S. State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) helps protect U.S. national security so this sensitive information and technology does not get into the wrong hands. Details are found primarily within the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

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Export compliance isn’t one big thing—it’s a million little things. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have a solid understanding of the the components; if you miss one, you could set off a chain reaction.

While this list is by no means exhaustive, by making sure you thoroughly understand these 10 terms, you can save yourself a lot of trouble (and potentially, a lot of money).

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Whenever you work on an export transaction, there are dozens of steps you must follow to successfully complete the process. One of these steps is issuing a commercial invoice. That is true whether your firm sells hundreds, thousands or millions of dollars worth of merchandise.

Occasionally, you may have a customer who requests that you ignore export compliance regulations and alter the invoice value to allow them to save money on import duties.

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Does my product require an export license? That's a question you should ask before every export.

In order to find the answer, you first need to answer two preliminary questions:

• What is the Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) of the product?
• What is the destination country?

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Are you ready and waiting for your next export compliance audit?

“Now, that’s a dumb question,” you might be thinking. “No one wants—much less eagerly awaits—the imposing entry of Office of Export Enforcement officials into their offices.”

And of course, you’re right! While you certainly don’t look forward to an export compliance audit, it’s absolutely something you should prepare for.

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A customer service representative recently approached me at a seminar and told me about a phone conversation she had with one of her U.S. customers who was looking to export a product they sell. Her customer asked if she had an ECCN for her product since it seemed to be a dual use item that might need an export license.

She needed help understanding what her customer meant.

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In today's global supply chain, it's rare for a product to come entirely from one place. Unless you’re a farmer who’s planting seeds grown in the U.S. and harvested from your own land or a miner who's extracting elements from the earth, it’s likely that at your goods contain parts from multiple countries or that you make a part that is one piece of a larger good.

For this reason, it’s crucial that you determine which of your parts and finished goods are subject to U.S. export regulations. These regulations might make it illegal for your products to be shipped to certain individuals and organizations or to certain countries. In other cases, you may be required to obtain an export license before you, or another party, can ship the goods to a certain destination.

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For national security and foreign policy reasons, the United States maintains controls on the export and re-export of U.S.-origin goods and technology to all destinations around the world. The broadest range of these export controls are found in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

In this article, we’ll discuss the background of export regulations, look at the various agencies that control exports, and provide an overview of the EAR.

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While the majority of goods exported from the United States don’t require an export license, those that do require some extra work. This can be confusing to exporters who are going through the process of obtaining an export license for the first time.

The first step in ensuring export compliance is determining who has jurisdiction over your goods. While most items are controlled by the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), your items may not be, especially if they have a direct military application. In that case, they may fall under the jurisdiction of the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).

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