SanctionsAI › Glossary › Strict Liability

What is Strict Liability?

OFAC sanctions are enforced on a strict-liability basis for civil penalties: a person can be held liable for a violation even without knowledge or intent that the transaction was prohibited. This is why proactive screening — not good faith alone — is essential.

Screening for Strict Liability-related risk is exactly what SanctionsAI automates — a single API (HTTP, CLI, or MCP) that screens names and wallets against OFAC lists before your agent pays. Free tier, no key: see the docs →

Related terms

OFAC · SDN List · Blocked Person · OFAC 50 Percent Rule · Secondary Sanctions · Facilitation · Sanctions Screening · Consolidated Sanctions List · False Positive · Fuzzy Matching

This glossary is general information for educational purposes, not legal or compliance advice. Sanctions rules change; always verify against the official source (OFAC / FinCEN / your regulator) and consult qualified counsel. Definitions summarize public guidance from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and FinCEN.