Shipping Compliance

It is the responsibility of KU employees who are shipping items outside the United States including hand-carrying items such as research equipment, materials, data, or biological materials to comply with export control laws and regulations. Any transfer of information, equipment, materials, or technology out of the U.S. by any method may be subject to export control restrictions and require an export license or be prohibited depending on the item, destination, recipient, and end-use. Even if an item is cleared through Customs, it may still require an export control license.

The simple act of sending a package to a foreign collaborator can result in a violation of export controls. Also, shipping to countries subject to embargoes must first be cleared by the OEC. KU personnel who are responsible for shipping packages out of the country should obtain a list of contents before shipping and contact the OEC with any questions. Shipping regulated items out of the U.S. without a license can result in significant individual fines of up to $250,000 and up to ten (10) years imprisonment. This applies to the individual, although there may be fines for KU as well. One should not ship an item without taking the time to find out if a license is required.

Mislabeling the package or misrepresenting the classification of the item is illegal. Violations may result in civil penalties of up to $32,500 per violation, and deliberate violations may result in criminal prosecution of up to $500,000 and five (5) years in prison. Under-invoicing or undervaluing an exported item is also against the law. Reporting an incorrect export value on a Shippers Export Declaration is a violation of export regulations. Any potential export control issues regarding shipping should be referred to your shipping coordinator, Purchasing Department, or the OEC.