A shipment of any tangible item being sent outside the U.S. is considered an export and requires a compliance review to ensure it complies with applicable U.S. controls. Additionally, the shipment or transport of materials like laptops, GPS units, scientific instruments, or prototypes outside of the U.S. for the purposed of research, conference demonstrations, or peer collaboration is considered an export will also require a review and export license determination.
Shipments controlled under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) must be handled in strict compliance with the export regulations. Failure to obtain appropriate export licenses or other government approval, failure to file correct export documentation or shipping documents can result in severe fines and other penalties.
International shipments require complex processing and should not be attempted by individuals. Contact the UT Export Control Team prior to engaging in any type of international shipping of items, software, technology, or technical data related to UT activities to any location outside the U.S.
Overseas Shipping
There are many rules and regulations pertaining to the shipment of goods from the U.S. to a foreign country. Sending or taking export-controlled information, technology, and items outside of the U.S., whether temporarily or permanently, is considered an export and may require a license of authorization.
Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) identifying foreign organization or foreign national recipients must undergo compliance review by the Export Controls team following submission to the Division of Research Administration.
Depending on the goods and the destination, vendors may not be able to ship goods to UT based on specific restrictions or customs fees may be prohibitive and buying locally may be a more suitable option.
UT’s Export Controls Officer is available to help UT researchers navigate the international shipping and procurement process, contact Chris Godfrey at jgodfre8@utk.edu.