Everything that crosses the border is an export, even if the item is abroad only temporarily, or if the item is used exclusively for research. All physical items are subject to export control regulations and may require export licenses and/or other appropriate documentation prior to being shipped or hand-carried abroad.

The term “items” includes:

• commodities
• equipment
• materials
• food
• medicine
• information and software on physical media
• portable electronic devices, etc.

Submit an International Shipment/Hand-carry Request at least 30 days prior to the date of export and receive approval from the Export Compliance Office before the items leave the country. If there is a need for an export license (e.g., for shipping pathogens and chemicals or shipping to a comprehensively sanctioned destination), it could take several weeks or longer to obtain the license from the appropriate federal agency.

For more information on UNC-Chapel Hill processes for shipping and receiving, please refer to the University Shipping & Receiving Guidebook.

Electronic Export Information (EEI) Filing

The U.S. export control and foreign trade regulations often require filing EEI with the U.S. Census Bureau when shipping or hand-carrying items internationally to collect trade statistics and to enforce export control laws. EEI filings are typically required when shipping or hand-carrying University-owned items (including laptops and smart devices) that fall into one of the two categories:

1. The total cash value of the items classified under each individual Schedule B number* is higher than $2,500, or
2. The items are destined for China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Russia, or Venezuela, regardless of the shipment’s cash value.

*A U.S. Census Bureau export classification code for each item. The Export Compliance Office will identify the Schedule B number(s) for your EEI filing.

For more information, please refer to the EEI Workflow.