BIS Entity List

The Entity List is maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) within the US Department of Commerce.

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Overview

Attribute	Value
List ID	bis_entity
Authority	Bureau of Industry and Security
Entities	~500
Update Frequency	Weekly
Legal Basis	Export Administration Regulations (EAR)

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What is the Entity List?

The Entity List identifies foreign parties that pose a risk to US national security or foreign policy interests. Exports to listed entities require a license from BIS.

Key Differences from OFAC

Aspect	OFAC Lists	BIS Entity List
Authority	Treasury	Commerce
Focus	Asset blocking	Export controls
Primary Effect	Transaction prohibition	License requirement
Scope	Financial transactions	Goods & technology

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Entity Types

Type	Description
organization	Companies, research institutions
individual	Scientists, executives
government	Government agencies, military

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Data Fields

{
  "entity_id": "bis_456",
  "name": "Example Technology Corp",
  "type": "organization",
  "country": "CN",
  "addresses": [
    {
      "street": "456 Tech Park",
      "city": "Shenzhen",
      "country": "CN"
    }
  ],
  "license_requirement": "For all items subject to the EAR",
  "license_policy": "Presumption of denial",
  "federal_register_citation": "85 FR 12345",
  "date_added": "2023-05-15",
  "source": {
    "list_id": "bis_entity",
    "entry_id": "456",
    "last_updated": "2025-12-08T00:00:00Z"
  }
}

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License Requirements

Standard Requirements

Requirement	Description
All items subject to EAR	License needed for any controlled item
Specific ECCN	License for certain classification numbers
Technology only	License for technical data/software

License Policies

Policy	Meaning
Presumption of denial	License likely rejected
Case-by-case review	Individual assessment
Presumption of approval	License likely granted

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Screening Considerations

Name Variations

BIS entities often have:

• Multiple language versions (English, Chinese, etc.)
• Abbreviated forms
• Parent/subsidiary relationships

{
  "name": "Example Technology Corp",
  "aliases": [
    "Example Tech",
    "示例科技公司",
    "Example Technology Corporation Ltd"
  ]
}

Address Matching

Address information helps confirm matches:

curl -X POST https://api.orchestraprime.ai/sanctionswise/screen/entity \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Example Technology",
    "entity_type": "organization",
    "address": {
      "city": "Shenzhen",
      "country": "CN"
    },
    "lists": ["bis_entity"]
  }'

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Common Industries

Entities on BIS Entity List by sector:

Sector	Description
Technology	Semiconductors, AI, quantum
Aerospace	Aircraft, satellites, components
Telecommunications	Network equipment, 5G
Defense	Military suppliers, contractors
Research	Universities, institutes

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API Examples

Screen Against BIS Only

curl -X POST https://api.orchestraprime.ai/sanctionswise/screen/entity \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Example Corporation",
    "entity_type": "organization",
    "lists": ["bis_entity"]
  }'

Get BIS List Info

curl -X GET "https://api.orchestraprime.ai/sanctionswise/lists/bis_entity" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Response:

{
  "list_id": "bis_entity",
  "name": "BIS Entity List",
  "authority": "Bureau of Industry and Security",
  "description": "Export control list for parties posing national security risk",
  "entity_count": 523,
  "last_updated": "2025-12-08T00:00:00Z",
  "update_frequency": "weekly",
  "source_url": "https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/lists-of-parties-of-concern/entity-list"
}

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Export Compliance Integration

Workflow Example

def check_export_compliance(buyer_name, destination_country, product_eccn):
    """Check if export requires BIS license."""

    # Screen against BIS Entity List
    result = sanctionswise.screen_entity(
        name=buyer_name,
        entity_type="organization",
        address={"country": destination_country},
        lists=["bis_entity"]
    )

    if result["status"] == "match":
        return {
            "export_allowed": False,
            "reason": "Buyer on BIS Entity List",
            "license_required": True,
            "license_policy": result["matches"][0]["license_policy"]
        }

    return {"export_allowed": True, "license_required": False}

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Data Source

Attribute	Value
Source	BIS Website
URL	bis.doc.gov/entity-list
Format	PDF, Excel
Update Day	Mondays

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Related Resources

• Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
• BIS Entity List Search
• License Application Process

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SanctionsWise API is a product of OrchestraPrime LLC