The export control regulations govern laboratory instruments, equipment, materials, software, technology, and technical data that can be transferred out of the country by any means (e.g. cargo shipment, hand-carried laptop content, courier, e-mail, and spoken communication), as well as that, can be accessed by foreign nationals present at our laboratories for whom certain export restrictions apply. In certain cases, these situations require prior authorization (an export license) from one of the applicable governing agencies. These agencies include the Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury, Defense, Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

What is an Export?

• Physical shipment of goods out of the United States:
  • U.S. materials to another country
  •  U.S. materials from one foreign country to another or from a foreign country back to the U.S. (re-export)
• Electronic or digital transmission of any covered items or data out of the United States:
  • Any media (phone, fax, e-mail, chat programs, cloud, etc.)
• Release or disclosure by visual of technology to a foreign nation in the United States (deemed export):
  • Lab tours, presentations, discussions at meetings, etc.

Activities that May Raise Export Control Concerns

Please contact the Office of Research Compliance and Outreach if you are conducting the following activities:

• Research using export controlled materials
• Technology Licensing
• International Collaborations (Foreign Nationals/Institutions)
• International Financial Transactions
• International Shipping
• Hiring of Foreign Nationals
• International Research with Students or Faculty
• Purchases with restrictions on the export or use of the item
• International travel – Traveling overseas with high tech equipment, confidential, unpublished, or proprietary information or data
• Hosting international visitors