What Are the Penalties for Violating Export Control Rules?

A willful violation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) can bring a criminal fine of up to $1,000,000 and, for an individual, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both (50 U.S.C. 4819(b)). Civil penalties can reach the greater of a set dollar amount or twice the value of the transaction (50 U.S.C. 4819(c)).

Civil penalty amount. The statute sets the civil maximum at $300,000 per violation or twice the transaction value, whichever is greater. That dollar figure is adjusted for inflation in 15 CFR 6.3. In the October 2026 eCFR text, the adjusted maximum is $374,474 per violation (15 CFR 6.3(c)(6)).

Other civil sanctions. BIS may also revoke export licenses and deny export privileges, which bars a person from taking part in export transactions (50 U.S.C. 4819(c)). A civil penalty may be imposed only after notice and the chance for a hearing.

Who is liable. The penalties apply to companies and individuals, including employees who release controlled technology to a foreign person without the required license. A release inside the United States can be a deemed export, explained in the FAQ on deemed exports under the EAR.

Denial orders in practice. The news posts on the four-year denial order against Arthur Gau and the 10-year denial order against Richard Shih show how BIS uses export denial orders after criminal convictions.

Related topics. The FAQ on what compliance training is describes how training is recorded.