US exporting: classification, licensing & trade finance basics
Covers the core compliance steps for exporting from the United States: classifying items as EAR99 or under an ECCN, determining when a BIS export license or license exception applies, Electronic Export Information (AES) filing thresholds and exemptions, Schedule B numbers, screening buyers against the Consolidated Screening List, EAR recordkeeping, FTA certificates of origin, and the main export payment and financing options (letters of credit, Incoterms, EXIM working capital guarantees and export credit insurance). Built for export managers at US SMBs, freight forwarders, and trade compliance officers who need concrete thresholds and procedures rather than general trade advice. Curated by Kopik from public sources: Bureau of Industry and Security, International Trade Administration (Trade.gov), U.S. Census Bureau, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), and the Office of the Federal Register/GPO (eCFR) (US federal public domain works, 17 U.S.C. § 105).
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Free account requiredAnswers are written by a language model solely from this base's documents, with numbered sources. They can be wrong and aren't legal, medical or financial advice: check the sources before any important decision.
This assistant answers practical questions about exporting goods from the United States: export classification, licensing, export filings, buyer screening, recordkeeping and how to get paid. It is built for export managers at small and mid-sized companies, freight forwarders and trade compliance officers. Every answer comes from official US sources: the Bureau of Industry and Security, the International Trade Administration, the Census Bureau, EXIM and the Export Administration Regulations in the eCFR.
Start with classification: ECCN or EAR99
Whether you need a Department of Commerce export license depends first on whether your item is described by an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) on the Commerce Control List. An ECCN is a five character code: the first digit (0 to 9) gives the broad category, the second character (a letter from A to E) gives the product group, and the last three digits point to a specific entry.
BIS describes three ways to find it: ask the manufacturer, producer or developer; self-classify using the Order of Review in supplement no. 4 to part 774, which requires a technical understanding of the item; or request an official classification from BIS under section 748.3, submitted through SNAP-R.
If the item is subject to the EAR but not described in any ECCN, it is designated EAR99. An ECCN is unrelated to a Schedule B number or an HTS code.
From classification to a license decision
Part 732 of the EAR frames the analysis around a few questions: what is the item, where is it going, who will receive it, what will they do with it, and what else do they do. Once you know the item is subject to the EAR, you review the ten general prohibitions in part 736. For an export from the United States, if none of them applies, no license from BIS is required and you do not need a License Exception.
The destination is checked against the Country Chart together with the item's ECCN. If the Commerce Control List and the Country Chart point to a license requirement, the next step is to see whether a License Exception under Part 740 removes that requirement.
The outcome must be reported on the export filing with the correct license code: a license, a license exception, or NLR (No License Required). By reporting NLR, the exporter certifies that no license is required for the export.
Schedule B numbers for export statistics
A Schedule B number is the Census Bureau's commodity code for goods exported from the United States. It is used in export filings, and it is a different thing from the ECCN used for export controls.
To find the right code, the Census Bureau offers a Schedule B Commodity Search Tool that interprets common product descriptions, and the full Schedule B book can be browsed by year. Codes change: the Census Bureau publishes lists of obsolete Schedule B codes, usually in January and July, so a code that was valid last year should be checked again.
Records, origin and terms of sale
Records required by the EAR must be kept for five years, counted from the latest of the events listed in Part 762. The assistant can tell you which events start that clock and which documents are covered.
Free trade agreement certificates of origin are self-certified by a party who knows the transaction, and they should only be issued if the goods actually qualify, not just because someone asks. All goods go on the invoice, but only qualifying products belong on the certificate. Each agreement has its own rules: a preference criterion used for USMCA, for example, should not be copied onto a Korea FTA form.
Incoterms 2020 contain 11 rules, seven for any mode of transport and four for sea and inland waterway transport. They define who handles carriage, insurance, export and import formalities, and when risk passes to the buyer, but they do not set the price, the payment method or when ownership of the goods passes.
Frequently asked questions
What does EAR99 mean for my product?
EAR99 is the basket category for items that are subject to the EAR but not listed under any ECCN. In most situations EAR99 items do not need a license. They can still require one if they go to a prohibited or restricted end user, end use or destination of concern.
Can I rely on the ECCN my supplier gave me?
Asking the manufacturer or developer is one of the ways BIS suggests to find an ECCN. BIS also notes that ECCNs can change over time, so you should check the code against the current Commerce Control List.
Do I need a certificate of origin for every shipment to an FTA partner?
FTA certifications are optional and not required for goods to clear customs under the agreement texts, although practice can differ. Without one, the goods may be charged the standard tariff rate. If the importer plans to claim the preference, you must give them the origin information as a certificate or declaration.
Can a producer be asked for an FTA certificate even if it is not the exporter?
Yes. Any party to the export transaction may ask for an FTA certificate or declaration, so a producer may be asked for one. All FTAs also allow you to request an advance ruling from the national customs authority on whether a good qualifies.
Which sources does the assistant use?
It answers from 17 official documents, including 15 CFR Parts 732, 740, 758 and 762, the Census Bureau guide to the Foreign Trade Regulations, the Trade Finance Guide and EXIM program pages. It does not give legal advice and points you to the rule it relies on.
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