How to Check a Person or Company Against OFAC Sanctions Lists

The OFAC sanctions list, primarily known as the SDN List (Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List), is not just a collection of names and entities. It is a powerful tool of U.S. foreign policy and national security, designed to isolate individuals and organizations whose activities are deemed threatening. The functions of this list are multifaceted as it blocks access to the American financial system, prohibits any transactions involving “U.S. Persons,” and freezes all assets of sanctioned individuals located within U.S. jurisdiction.

The consequences of being included in the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List are total in nature. A company or individual is effectively cut off from global trade denominated in dollars and becomes toxic for any international partner.

The most reliable way to perform an OFAC sanctions check on a counterparty is to use the official search tool on the website of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This free tool, the official OFAC checker, is called Sanctions List Search and can be found at sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. It’s the primary source for anyone wondering how to check the OFAC list and guarantees the most up-to-date information.

The interface of the search form is quite simple. Users are prompted to enter known data about the person or company being checked. It is important to pay attention not only to the exact match of the name but also to other identifiers provided by the system.

The official website is the best way to get a definitive answer about the status of a person directly from the regulator. You can also customize sanctions dataset tools for creating custom data sets for searching selected sanctions lists or sanctions programs.

Individuals check themselves the same way as a company checks a counterparty: follow the steps below, and if the search shows a match, see what to do after an OFAC hit.

There are several registers, but two are key for verification. The first and most critical is the SDN List (Specially Designated Nationals). Individuals and organizations included in this list are subject to blocking sanctions. Their assets within US jurisdiction are frozen, and American citizens and companies are prohibited from conducting any business with them. In practice, the ban is also adhered to by European and Asian banks, fearing secondary sanctions.

The second register is the Consolidated Sanctions List. This includes lists not associated with full blocking (Non-SDN), such as sectoral sanctions (SSI). Individuals on this list may face restrictions on raising financing or exporting technologies, but their assets are not always subject to freezing. Being included in the SDN puts an end to the possibility of opening an account in a reliable bank, using Visa/Mastercard cards, or conducting SWIFT transfers. U.S. crypto platforms, like other U.S. persons, must block SDN property; many SDN entries list digital currency addresses, which can be searched in the ID # field.

The verification procedure (OFAC verification) requires accuracy, as the search algorithm uses fuzzy logic. This means that the system looks not only for 100% matches but also for similar spellings.

To perform the OFAC check correctly, follow the algorithm:

Sanctions List Search returns potential matches from two sources: the SDN List and OFAC’s Consolidated (Non-SDN) Sanctions List, which includes the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List, the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, the Non-SDN Menu-Based Sanctions List and other OFAC lists. Each record shows the program codes behind the listing, and OFAC asks users to pay close attention to them, because the same tool now holds many different lists with different legal consequences.

A person or company is added when the Treasury Department — or the State Department under some programs — determines that it meets the criteria of a sanctions program, such as acting for a sanctioned government, supporting terrorism or narcotics trafficking, or evading sanctions. There is no court hearing and usually no advance notice: designation is published on the SDN List and takes effect immediately. Entities owned 50% or more by blocked persons are blocked automatically without being listed. Read more about who is on the SDN List and what designation means.

A match in an OFAC search does not always mean that you are under sanctions: most alerts are false positives caused by common names, and banks stop payments “for manual review” until they are cleared, which is why funds can be held for weeks.

If you are sure that the match is false, it is necessary to provide the bank with documents confirming your identity: a scan of your passport, proof of address, and possibly a letter explaining that you are not the person from the SDN list. In complex cases, it may be required to obtain a special certificate or a legal opinion (Legal Opinion) proving the absence of any connection with the sanctioned person.

For a step-by-step response to a screening alert — how to confirm or clear it and what to tell your bank — see what to do after an OFAC hit.

Understanding the jurisdiction of sanctions helps assess risks. The OFAC list is formed by the United States and has extraterritorial effect due to the dominance of the dollar. Any transaction in USD passes through an American correspondent account, which gives the US leverage over any bank in the world.

The European Union maintains its consolidated lists (EU Consolidated List). They are mandatory for compliance by EU citizens and companies. Unlike the USA, European sanctions are less frequently applied extraterritorially; however, major banks observe them globally.

The United Kingdom keeps its own designations on the UK Sanctions List (the single source of UK designations since 28 January 2026); it overlaps with the EU and U.S. lists but has its own entries. The UN Security Council Consolidated List binds all UN member states and covers terrorism, non-proliferation and a number of country regimes (e.g. Libya, Somalia, DRC, Yemen, Haiti).

Banks rarely tell the client directly: “We have blocked you due to a match with OFAC SDN.” This is related to the prohibition on disclosing information , which applies in many jurisdictions when there is suspicion of money laundering or sanctions evasion.

Usually, the client receives a dry notification about a “compliance decision” or that the account is under review. Indirect signs of problems with OFAC may include:

The real reason can only be understood through an independent audit of your connections and checking against databases. If the bank closes the account without explanation, there is a high probability that internal compliance has detected a toxic trace.

Poor quality checks create a false sense of security. Many users make mistakes that later cost them frozen funds.

Typical oversights during screening:

If you have found yourself or your partner on the list, or faced a funds freeze, do not attempt to bypass restrictions through shell companies. This is interpreted as sanctions evasion and may lead to criminal prosecution in the USA. The best solution would be to consult specialized lawyers to obtain an OFAC license or go through the delisting procedure.

Beyond the SDN List itself, OFAC’s search tool also covers OFAC’s own Consolidated (Non-SDN) Sanctions List. Export-control lists such as the Commerce Department’s Entity List and Denied Persons List are not in OFAC’s tool: they are searched together with OFAC’s lists through the U.S. government’s Consolidated Screening List. Separately, the Sectoral Sanctions Identification (SSI) List applies more targeted restrictions — governed by specific Directives — rather than a full blocking of all transactions, which is an important distinction from full SDN designation.

Other jurisdictions maintain their own equivalent lists worth checking in parallel: the UK Sanctions List (the single source of UK designations since 28 January 2026), the EU Consolidated List of Sanctions, and the UN Security Council Consolidated List — a clean OFAC result doesn’t guarantee a clean result elsewhere.

For comprehensive verification, there are commercial databases that aggregate information from multiple sources. The most well-known of them are:

These platforms support a single sanctions list search across all significant global lists, providing a more complete picture of the risks associated with a potential partner. They are the standard for large companies and financial institutions, for whom maximum depth of verification is important.

Navigation through the maze of sanctions legislation requires specialized knowledge. Misinterpreting search results, dealing with false positives, or, even worse, detecting an actual match are situations where a mistake could cost a company its future. A professional OFAC sanctions attorney can not only conduct a thorough OFAC check correctly but also build an internal compliance system that will protect your business from unintentional violations. If you are facing difficulties with an OFAC sanctions check or want to be confident in your counterparties, schedule a consultation with a specialist. This is an investment in the stability and security of your business.