By The Data Nerd, Founder & Compliance Engineer ·
BIS Entity List
Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List · Jurisdiction: United States (export control)
The BIS Entity List restricts export, re-export, and transfer of items subject to US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Primarily targets dual-use technology transfers to Russia, China, and other restricted parties.
Screen against BIS Entity List (free, no API key)
curl "https://sanctionsai.dev/sanctions?name=Counterparty+Name"Free tier: 5 checks/day by IP. Real OFAC data, refreshed daily.
List at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| List name | BIS Entity List |
| Full name | Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List |
| Jurisdiction | United States (export control) |
| Entry count | ~2,500 entities |
| Update frequency | Frequently (often weekly) |
| Official source | https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/lists-of-parties-of-concern/entity-list |
Scope and application
All exporters of US-origin items; license requirements vary per entity.
How sanctionsai.dev screens this list
sanctionsai.dev ingests OFAC SDN data daily from the US Treasury and vile/ofac-sdn-list GitHub releases. Every screening call checks your counterparty against the full SDN index in under 100ms, with an audit-ready receipt showing timestamp and list version.
Why this list matters for AI agents
AI agents that transact autonomously inherit strict liability for sanctions violations. Before any payment, your agent must screen the recipient against BIS Entity List (and ideally all applicable lists). One API call before every transaction is the minimum viable compliance posture.
Frequently asked questions
How often is BIS Entity List updated?
Frequently (often weekly). The sanctionsai.dev API refreshes its index daily so every screening call reflects the latest designations.
Who must comply with BIS Entity List?
All exporters of US-origin items; license requirements vary per entity.
What is the penalty for violating this list?
For OFAC SDN, civil penalties start at $356,571 per violation or twice the transaction value. Criminal penalties reach $20 million and 30 years for willful violations. Other jurisdictions have comparable regimes.
How do I screen against this list?
Use the sanctionsai.dev API: GET /sanctions?name=...&wallet=...&country=... — returns matches with confidence scores in under 100ms.