Code of Federal Regulations (alpha)

CFR /  Title 22  /  Part 123  /  Sec. 123.22 Filing, retention, and return of export licenses and

(a) Any export, as defined in this subchapter, of a defense article controlled by this subchapter, to include defense articles transiting the United States, requires the electronic reporting of export information. The reporting of the export information shall be to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection using the Automated Export System (AES) or directly to the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Any license or other approval authorizing the permanent export of hardware must be filed at a U.S. Port before any export. Licenses or other approvals for the permanent export of technical data and defense services shall be retained by the applicant who will send the export information directly to DDTC. Temporary export or temporary import licenses for such items need not be filed with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but must be presented to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for decrementing of the shipment prior to departure and at the time of entry. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection will only decrement a shipment after the export information has been filed correctly using the AES. Before the export of any hardware using an exemption in this subchapter, the DDTC registered applicant/exporter, or an agent acting on the filer's behalf, must electronically provide export information using the AES (see paragraph (b) of this section). In addition to electronically providing the export information to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection before export, all the mandatory documentation must be presented to the port authorities (e.g., attachments, certifications, proof of AES filing; such as the Internal Transaction Number (ITN)). Export authorizations shall be filed, retained, decremented or returned to DDTC as follows:

(1) Filing of licenses and documentation for the permanent export of hardware. For any permanent export of hardware using a license (e.g., DSP-5, DSP-94) or an exemption in this subchapter, the exporter must, prior to an AES filing, deposit the license and provide any required documentation for the license or the exemption with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, unless otherwise directed in this subchapter (e.g., Sec. 125.9). If necessary, an export may be made through a port other than the one designated on the license if the exporter complies with the procedures established by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

(2) Presentation and retention by the applicant of temporary licenses and related documentation for the export of unclassified defense articles. Licenses for the temporary export or temporary import of unclassified defense articles need not be filed with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but must be retained by the applicant and presented to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the time of temporary import and temporary export. When a defense article is temporarily exported from the United States and moved from one destination authorized on a license to another destination authorized on the same or another temporary license, the applicant, or an agent acting on the applicant's behalf, must ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection decrements both temporary licenses to show the exit and entry of the hardware.

(b) Filing and reporting of export information--(1) Filing of export information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Before exporting any hardware controlled by this subchapter, using a license or exemption, the DDTC registered applicant/exporter, or an agent acting on the filer's behalf, must electronically file the export information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection using the Automated Export System (AES) in accordance with the following timelines:

(1) Filing of export information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Before exporting any hardware controlled by this subchapter, using a license or exemption, the DDTC registered applicant/exporter, or an agent acting on the filer's behalf, must electronically file the export information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection using the Automated Export System (AES) in accordance with the following timelines:

(i) Air or truck shipments. The export information must be electronically filed at least 8 hours prior to departure.

(ii) Sea or rail Shipments. The export information must be electronically filed at least 24 hours prior to departure.

(2) Emergency shipments of hardware that cannot meet the pre-departure filing requirements. U.S. Customs and Border Protection may permit an emergency export of hardware by truck (e.g., departures to Mexico or Canada) or air, by a U.S. registered person, when the exporter is unable to comply with the Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing timeline in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section. The applicant, or an agent acting on the applicant's behalf, in addition to providing the EEI using the AES, must provide documentation required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and this subchapter. The documentation provided to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the port of exit must include the Internal Transaction Number (ITN) for the shipment and a copy of a notification to the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls stating that the shipment is urgent and must be accompanied by an explanation for the urgency. The original of the notification must be immediately provided to the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. The AES filing of the export information must be made at least two hours prior to any departure by air from the United States. When shipping via ground, the AES filing must be made at the time when the exporter provides the articles to the carrier or at least one hour prior to departure from the United States, when the permanent export of the hardware has been authorized for export:

(i) In accordance with Sec. 126.4 of this subchapter, or

(ii) On a valid license (i.e., DSP-5, DSP-94) and the ultimate recipient and ultimate end user identified on the license is a foreign government.

(3) Reporting of export information on technical data and defense service. When an export is being made using a DDTC authorization (e.g., technical data license, agreement or a technical data exemption provided in this subchapter), the DDTC registered exporter will retain the license or other approval and provide the export information electronically to DDTC as follows:

(i) Technical data license. Prior to the permanent export of technical data licensed using a Form DSP-5, the applicant shall electronically provide export information using the system for direct electronic reporting to DDTC of export information and self validate the original of the license. When the initial export of all the technical data authorized on the license has been made, the license must be returned to DDTC. Exports of copies of the licensed technical data should be made in accordance with existing exemptions in this subchapter. Should an exemption not apply, the applicant may request a new license.

(ii) Manufacturing license and technical assistance agreements. Prior to the initial export of any technical data and defense services authorized in an agreement the U.S. agreement holder must electronically inform DDTC that exports have begun. In accordance with this subchapter, all subsequent exports of technical data and services are not required to be filed electronically with DDTC except when the export is done using a U.S. Port. Records of all subsequent exports of technical data shall be maintained by the exporter in accordance with this subchapter and shall be made immediately available to DDTC upon request. Exports of technical data in furtherance of an agreement using a U.S. Port shall be made in accordance with Sec. 125.4 of this subchapter and made in accordance with the procedures in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section.

(iii) Technical data and defense service exemptions. In any instance when technical data is exported using an exemption in this subchapter (e.g., Sec. Sec. 125.4(b)(2), 125.4(b)(4), 126.5) from a U.S. port, the exporter is not required to report using AES, but must, effective January 18, 2004, provide the export data electronically to DDTC. A copy of the electronic notification to DDTC must accompany the technical data shipment and be made available to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon request.

Note to paragraph (b)(3)(iii): Future changes to the electronic reporting procedure will be amended by publication of a rule in the Federal Register. Exporters are reminded to continue maintaining records of all export transactions, including exemption shipments, in accordance with this subchapter.

(c) Return of licenses. Per Sec. 123.21 of this subchapter, all DSP licenses issued by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) must be disposed of in accordance with the following:

(1) A DSP-5 license issued electronically by DDTC and decremented electronically by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the Automated Export System (AES) is not required to be returned to DDTC. If a DSP-5 license issued electronically is decremented physically in one or more instance the license must be returned DDTC. A copy of the DSP-5 license must be maintained by the applicant in accordance with Sec. 122.5 of this subchapter.

(2) DSP-5, DSP-61, DSP-73, and DSP-85 licenses issued by DDTC but not decremented electronically by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection through AES (e.g., oral or visual technical data releases or temporary import and export licenses retained in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section), must be returned by the applicant, or the government agency with which the license was filed, to DDTC upon expiration, to include when the total authorized value or quantity has been shipped. A copy of the license must be maintained by the applicant in accordance with Sec. 122.5 of this subchapter. AES does not decrement the DSP-61, DSP-73, and DSP-85 licenses. Submitting the Electronic Export Information is not considered to be decremented electronically for these licenses.

(3) A DSP-94 authorization filed with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection must be returned by the applicant, or the government agency with which the authorization was filed, to DDTC upon expiration, to include when the total authorized value or quantity has been shipped, or when all shipments against the Letter of Offer and Acceptance have been completed. AES does not decrement the DSP-94 authorization. Submitting the Electronic Export Information is not considered to be decremented electronically for the DSP-94. A copy of the DSP-94 must be maintained by the applicant in accordance with Sec. 122.5 of this subchapter.

(4) A license issued by DDTC but not used by the applicant does not need to be returned to DDTC, even when expired.

(5) A license revoked by DDTC is considered expired and must be handled in accordance with paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section. [68 FR 61101, Oct. 27, 2003, as amended at 70 FR 50962, Aug. 29, 2005; 76 FR 68312, Nov. 4, 2011; 77 FR 16599, Mar. 21, 2012]