31 CFR 501.801 – Licensing
(a) General licenses. General licenses may be issued authorizing, under appropriate terms and conditions, certain types of transactions that are subject to the prohibitions contained in this chapter. General licenses also may be issued authorizing, under appropriate terms and conditions, certain types of transactions that are subject to prohibitions contained in economic sanctions programs the implementation and administration of which have been delegated to the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) but which are not yet codified in this chapter. General licenses are set forth in subpart E of each part contained in this chapter or made available on OFAC’s website: https://www.treasury.gov/resourcecenter/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx. It is the policy of OFAC not to grant applications for specific licenses authorizing transactions to which the provisions of a general license are applicable. Persons availing themselves of certain general licenses may be required to file reports and statements in accordance with the instructions specified in those licenses. Failure to file timely all required information in such reports or statements may nullify the authorization otherwise provided by the general license and result in apparent violations of the applicable prohibitions that may be subject to OFAC enforcement action.
(b) Specific licenses—(1) General course of procedure. Transactions subject to the prohibitions contained in this chapter, or to prohibitions the implementation and administration of which have been otherwise delegated to the OFAC Director, that are not authorized by general license may be effected only under specific license.
(2) Applications for specific licenses. Applications for specific licenses to engage in any transactions prohibited by or pursuant to this chapter, or sanctions programs that have been otherwise delegated to the OFAC Director for implementation and administration, must be signed, either manually or electronically, and filed through OFAC’s Reporting and License Application Forms page (https://licensing.ofac.treas.gov/) or, if that option is unavailable, by mail, addressed to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Licensing Division, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Freedman’s Bank Building, Washington, DC 20220. Applications for the unblocking of funds may be submitted via OFAC’s Reporting and License Application Forms page (https://licensing.ofac.treas.gov/) or, if that option is unavailable, by using Form TD-F 90-22.54, “Application for the Release of Blocked Funds,” or via a submission that otherwise contains all of the information provided for in Form TD-F 90-22.54. Form TD-F 90-22.54 may be obtained from OFAC’s Reporting and License Application Forms page, or by mail at the address above.
(i) Additional conditions. Applicants should submit only one copy of a specific license application to OFAC; submitting multiple copies may result in processing delays. Any person having an interest in a transaction or proposed transaction may file an application for a specific license authorizing such a transaction.
(ii) Information to be supplied. The applicant must supply all information specified by relevant instructions (available on OFAC’s Reporting and License Application Forms page at https://licensing.ofac.treas.gov) and/or forms, and must fully disclose the names of all parties who are concerned with or interested in the proposed transaction. If the application is filed by an agent, the agent must disclose the name of his or her principal(s). Such documents as may be relevant shall be attached to each application as a part of such application, whether filed electronically or by mail, except that documents previously filed with OFAC may, where appropriate, be incorporated by reference in such application. Applicants may be required to furnish such further information as is deemed necessary to assist OFAC in making a determination. Any applicant or other party in interest desiring to present additional information may do so at any time before or after OFAC makes its decision with respect to the application. In unique circumstances, OFAC may determine that an oral presentation regarding a license application would assist in OFAC’s review of the issues involved. Any requests to make such an oral presentation must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Director, but are rarely granted.
(3) Issuance of specific license. Specific licenses normally will be issued by OFAC. Specific licenses also may be issued by the Secretary of the Treasury acting directly or through any specifically designated person, agency, or instrumentality.
(4) Reports under specific licenses. As a condition for the issuance of any specific license, the licensee may be required to file reports with respect to the transactions authorized by the specific license in such form and at such times and places as may be prescribed in the license or otherwise. Reports should be sent in accordance with the instructions provided in the applicable specific license.
(5) Effect of denial. The denial of a specific license does not preclude the reconsideration of an application or the filing of a further application. The applicant or any other party in interest may at any time request, by written correspondence, reconsideration of the denial of an application on the basis of new facts or changed circumstances.
(6) Rules governing availability of information. OFAC records are made available to the public in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. § 552) and the provisions of 31 CFR part 1. See 31 CFR 1.5 for provisions pertaining to business information. License applications submitted to OFAC and specific licenses issued by OFAC are subject to the FOIA and generally will be released upon the receipt of a valid FOIA request, unless OFAC determines that such information should be withheld in accordance with an applicable FOIA exemption.
OFAC views information submitted in furtherance of an application for a specific license pursuant to this paragraph (b) to be required information for purposes of Exemption 4 of the FOIA.