EXPORT CONTROL
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER
- ECCN
by Luke Daniel
Rollins
Trade Information
Center
WHAT IS AN ECCN?
The first time that
an exporter hears
about an "ECCN
Number" is often
from a freight
forwarder or courier
service such as FedEx,
DHL or UPS. If a
product is subject to
the Export
Administration
Regulations (EAR), the
federal regulations
that specify which
exports require a
license from the
Department of
Commerce, it may
require an export
license. To determine
if a license is needed
to export your
product, exporters
must first determine
whether an Export
Control Classification
Number (ECCN) fits
their product. The
Commerce
Department’s Bureau
of Industry and
Security (BIS) has the
licensing authority
over the export and
reexport of items
considered to be
"dual-use."
Dual-use items
generally have both
commercial and
military applications.
These items are
controlled to further
the national security,
foreign policy, and
nonproliferation
interests of the
United States. The
five character
alphanumeric ECCN
identifies the
technology level and
the capabilities of an
item which, in
combination with the
country of
destination, customer,
and the intended
application determine
if an export license
is required for a
specific transaction
or whether an item can
be exported without a
license. The ECCN must
be determined prior to
shipment.
Once the ECCN has been
identified, an
exporter can consult
the Commerce Control
List (CCL) and the
Country List,
contained in the
Export Administration
Regulations, to find
out if the product
requires a license,
why the product is
controlled, and
whether a license
exception or NLR will
apply.
Firms exporting
products that are
subject to EAR must
apply for an export
license, unless the
transaction qualifies
for a license
exception or "No
License Required"
(NLR) treatment. When
a Shippers Export
Declaration (SED) is
required for the
export transaction
(for shipments over
$2,500 value, those
requiring an export
license or those going
to countries that have
been designated as
terrorist supporting
countries), the ECCN
must be provided. If
an export license is
not required, then the
NCR is entered on the
SED unless the item is
controlled for
anti-terrorism or is
EAR99.
HOW DO I GET AN
ECCN?
There are several
ways to determine the
ECCN for your product:
Contact the
manufacturer, producer
or developer of the
product. If the item
has been exported in
the past, the producer
may already know the
ECCN or whether the
item qualifies for a
license exception.
Consult the Export
Administration
Regulations (EAR),
which can be found at
the BIS website, http://www.bis.doc.gov,
and in most libraries,
in the Code of Federal
Regulations, 15CFR
Parts 730- 774. You
can also connect
directly to the EAR
database at http://www.access.gpo.gov/bis/ear/ear_data.html.
The Commerce Control
List (CCL) is located
within the EAR, Part
774, Supplement 1.
Consult the CCL and
determine your ECCN by
finding the
appropriate category
and group that most
accurately describe
your product. Begin
with a review of the
general
characteristics of
your item, which will
guide you to the
appropriate section of
the CCL. After you
have identified the
category and group,
match the specific
characteristics of
your item to an ECCN.
[Note: For ease of
reference and
classification
purposes, items
subject to the EAR
which are not listed
in the CCL under a
specific ECCN are
designated as EAR99].
(see more details on
ECCN categories below)
Request an official
ECCN classification on
the BXA Multipurpose
Application form
BXA-748P.
Classification
requests are processed
within three to four
weeks but vary on a
case-by-case basis.
Only typed original
copies are accepted.
Form BXA-748P can be
obtained by contacting
the BIS's Form Request
Service at (202)
482-3332. Fax requests
may be sent to (202)
219-9182. Include your
name, address,
telephone number and
specify which forms
are needed.
(If you need to
request additional
forms, use the address
below and make the
request to the Forms
Distribution Unit)
Mail your completed
BXA-748P Form to: U.
S. Department of
Commerce, Bureau of
Industry and Security
(BIS) Office of
Exporter Services P.
O. Box 273,
Washington, D. C.,
20044. Attn:
Classification
Request. It is
strongly recommended
that your request be
sent in by courier to
the address on the
reverse of the BXA
748P.
Request an ECCN
electronically through
the Electronic Request
for Item
Classification (ERIC),
which is available
through the Electronic
Licensing Application
Information Network (ELAIN).
Prior to submitting an
electronic request,
you must first obtain
a PIN number.
Information on all
electronic services,
including receiving a
PIN, can be found on
the BIS Website http://www.bis.doc.gov,
or by contacting the
BIS Operations Support
Division at (202)
482-3290.
After determining an
ECCN you may apply for
a license using the
Simplified Network
Application Process
(SNAP) through which
exporters can submit
license applications
directly to BIS via
the Internet.
Additional information
on SNAP and how to
request a PIN can be
found on the BIS
website, http://www.bis.doc.gov/snap/index.htm.
SNAP is a free service
to the exporting
community.
ARE THERE ANY
REQUIREMENTS FOR
CLASSIFICATION
REQUESTS?
Each request is
limited to five items.
Exceptions may be made
on a case-by-case
basis for several
related products if
the relationship
between the products
is substantiated and
documented.
Attach descriptive
literature, brochures,
technical papers or
specifications to
assist licensing
officials in
determining the
correct ECCN. On form
BXA- 748P, complete
Blocks 1 through 5,
Block 14, Block 22(b)
(only if the item is a
computer), Block
22(c), Block 22(i) and
Block 22(j). If more
space is needed for
the technical
description required
in Block 22(j), use
Appendix Form 748PA
for additional space.
An attempt should be
made to identify the
item. Once completed,
the form should be
signed and submitted
to BIS at the above
address.
To submit the
classification request
or license application
electronically, access
the ELAIN or SNAP
services via the BIS
website or call the
Export Counseling
service at (202)
482-4811.
The only formal
classification is
through this process.
You can also self
classify by using the
Commerce Control List
although you may need
to defend your choice
if questioned by law
enforcement
authorities or Federal
Court.
HOW DO I FIND MY
PRODUCT ON THE
COMMERCE CONTROL LIST
(CCL)?
The CCL is divided
into 10 categories.
The first (numerical)
character in the ECCN
identifies the
category within which
the entry falls, for
example: 3A001 is in
Category 3,
Electronics. The
following is a list of
CCL categories:
0 Nuclear Materials,
Facilities and
Equipment and
Miscellaneous
1 Materials,
Chemicals,
Microorganisms, and
Toxins
2 Materials Processing
3 Electronics
4 Computers
5 Telecommunications
and Information
Security;
6 Sensors
7 Navigation and
Avionics
8 Marine
9 Propulsion Systems,
Space Vehicles and
Related Equipment.
Within each category,
items are arranged by
group. The second
(alpha) character
indicates under which
of the five groups the
item is listed, for
example, 3A001 would
be in group A,
Equipment, Assemblies
and Components. Each
category contains the
same five groups,
which are:
A Equipment,
Assemblies and
Components
B Test, Inspection and
Production Equipment
C Materials
D Software
E Technology
The remaining digits
identify the reasons
for control associated
with the item. It is
not essential that you
be able to identify
which reasons for
control are associated
with which digits.
However, if
interested, you can
find an explanation in
738.2(d) of the EAR.
A brief description of
the product is
provided next to each
ECCN. Following this
description are the
"License
Requirements,"
"License
Exceptions," and
"List of Items
Controlled"
sections.
After you have
determined where your
product fits within
the CCL, use the
information in the
"License
Requirements"
section to determine
if a license is
required. You also
must check the Country
Chart (Supplement 1 to
Part 740 of the EAR)
to ensure that a
license is not
required for shipments
going to that country.
It is possible that
the product itself may
not require a license,
but due to the country
of destination or
enduser, the shipment
may still need an
export license.
For products that do
require a license, the
CCL also lists the
reasons for control of
the product: AT is
Anti-Terrorism; CB is
Chemical and
Biological Weapons; CC
is Crime Control; EI
is Encryption Item; MT
is Missile Technology;
NS is National
Security; NP is
Nuclear
Nonproliferation; RS
is Regional Stability;
SS is Short Supply; XP
is High Level
Computers; and SI is
Significant Items.
WHERE CAN I GO FOR
FURTHER ASSISTANCE?
For additional
information concerning
export licenses,
determining an ECCN
and/ or filling out
Form 748P, you may
contact the BIS Office
of Exporter Services,
Outreach and
Educational Services
Division at (202)
482-4811, or by fax at
(202) 482-3617. The
BIS Western Regional
Offices can be reached
at (949) 660-0144 in
Southern California or
at (408) 271-7300 in
Northern California.
Additional assistance
is available through
you local US
Department of Commerce
Office.
Date Updated: March 27, 2007
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