The U.S. government controls the export of a wide variety of physical items (equipment, materials, systems) across several lists.  Additionally, any technical data / technology which provides information about the development, production, or Use of a controlled physical item is also controlled, as is certain software associated with these items. 

Items developed or modified for military or space applications are controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and will likely need a license to be exported. Controlled goods, technical data, and software subject to the ITAR are considered Defense Articles and are listed on the U.S. Munitions List (USML). When determining whether or not a particular item is export controlled, the USML must be searched first. 

A broader set of commercial or "dual use" goods, technology, and software are controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) which is part of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The Commerce Control List Index can be a helpful guide to indicate what types of goods and technology are controlled generally; however, this index is not comprehensive and does not serve as a substitute for searching the full CCL. 

The list of "Critical and Emerging Technologies" (CETs) are a subset of advanced technologies that are potentially significant to U.S. national security.

For a list of export controlled chemicals, click here.

Examples of Export Controlled Items

This list provides example items, including but not limited to the following, that likely carry export control restrictions. Note: this list is not intended to be all-inclusive.

  • Arms and ammunition
  • Biological agents
  • Body armor and protective gear
  • Cameras
  • Ceramic based materials & fibers
  • Chemical warfare precursors
  • Countermeasure technology for controlled goods
  • Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) equipment
  • Composite materials and structures
  • Computers (rad hard, high temp, high performance, digital, systolic, neural & optical)
  • Cryptographic enabling systems, equipment, integrated circuits, software or technology
  • DACs (Digital-to-analog converters)
  • Digital array / digital signal processors
  • Electromagnets, superconductive
  • Electro-optical materials & integrated circuits
  • Endangered species
  • Epitaxial growth equipment
  • Explosives detection equipment
  • Fiber optic cables and filaments
  • Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA)
  • Field programmable logic arrays (FPLA)
  • Fingerprint and identification retrieval
  • Focal plane arrays
  • Frequency analyzers / signal analyzers
  • Gallium organo-metallic compounds; Gallium nitride (GaN) “substrates”
  • Gas centrifuges
  • Gas monitoring/filtration devices
  • GPS technology
  • Gravimeters
  • Gyroscopes
  • High strength materials
  • Infrared sensors & cameras
  • Integrated circuit computer-aided-design (CAD) software
  • Lasers and sensors
  • Laser acoustic detection equipment
  • Laser diodes
  • Lithography equipment and software
  • Marine vessels
  • Mass spectrometers
  • Metals or carbon coated fibers
  • Microwave circuits & frequency extenders
  • Military communications systems/high frequency radio apparatus
  • Military electronics/ruggedized components
  • Missile technology
  • Multichip integrated circuits
  • Navigation systems, equipment & components
  • Neural network integrated circuits & computers
  • Night vision or infrared cameras and equipment
  • Nuclear materials and technology
  • Optical components & equipment
  • Optical lens or photonics instruments or components
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Quantum cryptography
  • Radar equipment
  • Reinforced composite materials
  • Remotely operated vehicles
  • Resin impregnated fibers
  • Satellite parts & components
  • Select agents (and other pathogens)
  • Semiconductors and microprocessors
  • Sensors
  • Silicon carbide (SiC) substrate blanks
  • Solid-state imaging devices
  • Solid-state power semiconductor switches, diodes, or modules
  • Sonar
  • Sonobuoys and submersible vessels
  • Source code for restricted items or encryption
  • Spectrometers
  • Superconductive materials, devices or circuits
  • Telecommunications and encryption software
  • Test equipment for semiconductor devices
  • Thermal imaging cameras
  • Toxicological agents
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
  • Waveform digitizers

In addition to items / technology / software previously specified as export controlled, there are a number of areas that have been designated by the US government as "Critical and Emerging Technologies." Researchers working within these areas can expect that items / technology / software related to these areas not currently under export control are more likely to become controlled in the future. Additional information may be required in order to determine whether a project qualifies for a "fundamental research exclusion" from federal export controls.

For more information, please see the 2024 report by the National Science and Technology Council on Critical and Emerging Technologies

  • Advanced Computing
    • Advanced supercomputing, including for AI applications
    • Edge computing and devices
    • Advanced cloud services
    • High-performance data storage and data centers
    • Advanced computing architectures
    • Advanced modeling and simulation
    • Data processing and analysis techniques
    • Spatial computing
  • Advanced Engineering Materials
    • Materials by design and material genomics
    • Materials with novel properties to include substantial improvements to existing properties
    • Novel and emerging techniques for material property characterization and lifecycle assessment
  • Advanced Gas Turbine Engine Technologies
    • Aerospace, maritime, and industrial development and production technologies
    • Full-authority digital engine control, hot-section manufacturing, and associated technologies
  • Advanced and Networked Sensing and Signature Management
    • Payloads, sensors, and instruments
    • Sensor processing and data fusion
    • Adaptive optics
    • Remote sensing of the Earth
    • Geophysical sensing
    • Signature management
    • Detection and characterization of pathogens and of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons and materials
    • Transportation-sector sensing
    • Security-sector sensing
    • Health-sector sensing
    • Energy-sector sensing
    • Manufacturing-sector sensing
    • Building-sector sensing
    • Environmental-sector sensing
  • Advanced Manufacturing
    • Advanced additive manufacturing
    • Advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques including those supporting clean, sustainable, and smart manufacturing, nanomanufacturing, lightweight metal manufacturing, and product and material recovery
  • Artificial Intelligence
    • Machine learning
    • Deep learning
    • Reinforcement learning
    • Sensory perception and recognition
    • AI assurance and assessment techniques
    • Foundation models
    • Generative AI systems, multimodal and large language models
    • Synthetic data approaches for training, tuning, and testing
    • Planning, reasoning, and decision making
    • Technologies for improving AI safety, trust, security, and responsible use
  • Biotechnologies
    • Novel synthetic biology including nucleic acid, genome, epigenome, and protein synthesis and engineering, including design tools
    • Multi-omics and other biometrology, bioinformatics, computational biology, predictive modeling, and analytical tools for functional phenotypes
    • Engineering of sub-cellular, multicellular, and multi-scale systems
    • Cell-free systems and technologies
    • Engineering of viral and viral delivery systems
    • Biotic/abiotic interfaces
    • Biomanufacturing and bioprocessing technologies
  • Clean Energy Generation and Storage
    • Renewable generation
    • Renewable and sustainable chemistries, fuels, and feedstocks
    • Nuclear energy systems
    • Fusion energy
    • Energy storage
    • Electric and hybrid engines
    • Batteries
    • Grid integration technologies
    • Energy-efficiency technologies
    • Carbon management technologies
  • Data Privacy, Data Security, and Cybersecurity Technologies
    • Distributed ledger technologies
    • Digital assets
    • Digital payment technologies
    • Digital identity technologies, biometrics, and associated infrastructure
    • Communications and network security
    • Privacy-enhancing technologies
    • Technologies for data fusion and improving data interoperability, privacy, and security
    • Distributed confidential computing
    • Computing supply chain security
    • Security and privacy technologies in augmented reality/virtual reality
  • Directed Energy
    • Lasers
    • High-power microwaves
    • Particle beams
  • Highly Automated, Autonomous, and Uncrewed Systems (UxS), and Robotics
    • Surface
    • Air
    • Maritime
    • Space
    • Supporting digital infrastructure, including High Definition (HD) maps
    • Autonomous command and control
  • Human-Machine Interfaces
    • Augmented reality
    • Virtual reality
    • Human-machine teaming
    • Neurotechnologies
  • Hypersonics
    • Propulsion
    • Aerodynamics and control
    • Materials, structures, and manufacturing
    • Detection, tracking, characterization, and defense
    • Testing
  • Integrated Communication and Networking Technologies
    • Radio-frequency (RF) and mixed-signal circuits, antennas, filters, and components
    • Spectrum management and sensing technologies
    • Future generation wireless networks
    • Optical links and fiber technologies
    • Terrestrial/undersea cables
    • Satellite-based and stratospheric communications
    • Delay-tolerant networking
    • Mesh networks/infrastructure independent communication technologies
    • Software-defined networking and radios
    • Modern data exchange techniques
    • Adaptive network controls
    • Resilient and adaptive waveforms
  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technologies
    • Diversified PNT-enabling technologies for users and systems in airborne, space-based, terrestrial, subterranean, and underwater settings
    • Interference, jamming, and spoofing detection technologies, algorithms, analytics, and networked monitoring systems
    • Disruption/denial-resisting and hardening technologies
  • Quantum Information and Enabling Technologies
    • Quantum computing
    • Materials, isotopes, and fabrication techniques for quantum devices
    • Quantum sensing
    • Quantum communications and networking
    • Supporting systems
  • Semiconductors and Microelectronics
    • Design and electronic design automation tools
    • Manufacturing process technologies and manufacturing equipment
    • Beyond complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology
    • Heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging
    • Specialized/tailored hardware components for artificial intelligence, natural and hostile radiation environments, RF and optical components, high-power devices, and other critical applications
    • Novel materials for advanced microelectronics
    • Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS)
    • Novel architectures for non-Von Neumann computing
  • Space Technologies and Systems
    • In-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing as well as enabling technologies
    • Technology enablers for cost-effective on-demand, and reusable space launch systems
    • Technologies that enable access to and use of cislunar space and/or novel orbits
    • Sensors and data analysis tools for space-based observations
    • Space propulsion
    • Advanced space vehicle power generation
    • Novel space vehicle thermal management
    • Crewed spaceflight enablers
    • Resilient and path-diverse space communication systems, networks, and ground stations
    • Space launch, range, and safety technologies