WooCommerce US Export Compliance 1.0.8

WooCommerce US Export Compliance refers to the legal requirements and specialized software tools used by U.S.-based online stores to ensure they are not shipping restricted goods to sanctioned individuals, entities, or countries.

Failure to comply with these regulations (set by the Department of Commerce, Treasury, and State) can lead to massive fines, even if the violation was accidental.

⚖️ The 3 Pillars of Export Compliance

To be compliant, a WooCommerce store must address three main areas:

Restricted Party Screening (RPS): Checking your customers against "denied persons" or "specially designated nationals" lists (e.g., the OFAC list).

Product Classification (ECCN): Determining if your product has an Export Control Classification Number. Most consumer goods are "EAR99" (no license required), but technical or "dual-use" items require strict tracking.

Destination Control: Blocking sales to sanctioned countries (e.g., North Korea, Iran, or certain regions of Russia/Ukraine) and monitoring for high-risk transshipment hubs.

🔌 Top Compliance Plugins (2025)

1. US Export Compliance (Official WooCommerce Marketplace)

This is the most direct solution for automated screening.

How it Works: It scans every order's "Ship To" and "Bill To" name and address against over 30,000 entries in the official U.S. Consolidated Screening List.

The "Hold" System: If a customer matches a restricted party, the order is automatically placed "On Hold" for manual admin review instead of "Processing."

Daily Updates: It automatically pulls daily updates from official government sources (OFAC, BIS, etc.) to ensure your list is never outdated.

2. ShipRestrict (ECCN & Location Logic)

While the official plugin focuses on people, ShipRestrict focuses on products.

Best For: Stores selling electronics, software, or specialty hardware.

Feature: It allows you to add an ECCN field to your products. You can then create rules such as: "If a cart contains an item with ECCN 3A001, block shipping to Country X."

3. Anti-Fraud for WooCommerce

While primarily for credit card safety, this plugin includes Geolocation and IP screening.

Compliance Use: It can block users based on their IP address location, preventing users in sanctioned regions from even attempting a purchase, which is a key requirement for OFAC compliance.

🛠️ Essential Compliance Checklist

If you are selling internationally from the U.S. in 2025, ensure your store does the following:

[ ] Commercial Invoices: Use a shipping plugin (like PluginHive or Official UPS/FedEx) that generates commercial invoices with 10-digit HS Codes and Country of Origin.

[ ] Denied Party Screening: Use an automated plugin to check names against the Consolidated Screening List.

[ ] Record Keeping: Ensure you keep transaction records for at least 5 years (a requirement under EAR §762).

[ ] ECCN Labels: If your products are specialized, store the ECCN in a "Custom Field" for your own auditing purposes.

⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: I am an AI, not an attorney. Export laws are complex and change frequently. For high-risk industries (defense, aerospace, advanced encryption), you should consult with a dedicated export compliance officer.

Would you like me to help you set up a Custom Field for ECCNs in your WooCommerce products, or do you need help configuring a "Hold" status for restricted matches?