Export controls
OGEL vs SIEL: choosing a UK export licence
If your goods, software or technology are on the UK Strategic Export Control Lists, you need a licence to export them. For most manufacturers the choice comes down to two routes: register for an open general export licence that already covers the export, or apply for a standard individual export licence. Here is how to tell which applies, and what each one commits you to.
Not legal advice. Export control breaches are criminal offences. The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) decides licensing questions, and each licence's own text sets its conditions. Read the licence, not a summary of it.
Before choosing a licence: classify the item
Licensing starts with a rating: the control list entry that describes your item. Without it you cannot tell whether a licence is needed, or whether an open licence covers it. See classifying goods on the UK control lists. Items not on the lists can still need a licence under end-use ("catch-all") controls, for example where you know or are told the item is for a military end use in an embargoed destination.
The licence types at a glance
| Licence | What it covers | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Open general export licence (OGEL) | Pre-published licences covering specified items to specified destinations, under fixed conditions | Register to use it. Most can be used as soon as registration is complete |
| Standard individual export licence (SIEL) | Specific items, in stated quantities, to a named consignee and end user | Apply with a case-by-case assessment by ECJU and advisory departments |
| Open individual export licence (OIEL) | Multiple shipments of specified items to specified destinations or consignees | Apply; issued to a named exporter in certain circumstances |
| Trade control licences (SITCL, OITCL, OGTCL) | Brokering: arranging the movement of controlled goods between overseas countries | Apply or register, depending on the type |
| F680 approval | Promoting or releasing classified equipment or information to overseas parties | Apply; not an export licence, but often needed before one |
OGEL vs SIEL compared
| OGEL | SIEL | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Any exporter who registers and can meet every condition | Only the exporter named on the licence |
| Scope | Fixed by the published licence text: items, destinations, end uses, exclusions | Written for your transaction: items, quantities, consignee, end user |
| Assessment | None per shipment; eligibility is your responsibility | Case by case, against the licensing criteria |
| Speed | Available once registered | Takes the processing time for the case; plan for it |
| Supporting documents | Records proving each condition was met | Usually an end-user undertaking and technical details |
| Main risk | Using it when one condition is not met, which means exporting without a valid licence | Delays; exporting outside the stated quantities or parties |
How to check whether an OGEL covers your export
- Find candidate OGELs. GOV.UK publishes the full list. ECJU's online checker tools can suggest OGELs for a given rating and destination. Military OGELs include, among others, the OGEL for military goods, a version for government or NATO end use, an OGEL for access overseas to software and technology for military goods, and an OGEL for exports to the AUKUS nations.
- Read the licence text in full. Check that your rating is listed, that the destination is permitted, and that no exclusion applies, such as destinations under embargo or items with particular sensitivity.
- Check every condition. Conditions may cover the end user, the purpose, prior registration, documentation, and whether you have been told the goods may be used for weapons of mass destruction purposes.
- Register. Registration is through ECJU's online licensing system. SPIRE has long been the system of record; ECJU is moving services to its newer system, LITE, in stages (F680 applications moved to LITE for submissions after 31 July 2026). Check GOV.UK for which system handles your registration today.
- Quote the reference. GOV.UK guidance says to state the licence reference on shipping documentation. It also goes on the customs declaration.
- Keep the records. OGEL holders must keep the records the Export Control Order 2008 requires, and some OGELs ask for periodic reports of use.
How a SIEL application works
- Gather technical information: specifications, ratings and, where needed, brochures or drawings that show why each rating applies.
- Confirm the parties: consignee, end user and any intermediaries, with full names and addresses. ECJU's end-user advisory service can help where you have doubts about a party.
- Obtain an end-user undertaking signed by the end user, in the form ECJU requires, stating the intended use.
- Apply online and answer any follow-up questions quickly; incomplete applications take longer.
- Read the licence when it is issued. It may carry conditions, validity limits and quantity or value limits. Exports outside those limits are unlicensed.
Intangible transfers count
Controlled technology and software can be exported without anything being shipped: by email, by sharing a cloud folder, by giving an overseas colleague remote access, or by carrying a laptop abroad. These transfers need licence cover in the same way as physical goods. Several OGELs exist specifically for software and technology, with their own conditions.
Compliance visits and enforcement
ECJU carries out compliance visits to check that open licences are being used correctly. Problems found can lead to warnings, and failure to correct them can lead to suspension of the right to use a licence. HMRC enforces export controls and can seize goods, offer compound penalties or prosecute. GOV.UK publishes a checklist of internal export control compliance procedures that is a useful model for a small firm's own process.
Common questions
Can I use an OGEL for a one-off export?
Yes, if every condition is met. Registration is still required first, and the record-keeping obligations apply from then on.
Is a SIEL safer than an OGEL?
It is more specific. A SIEL has been assessed for your transaction, so there is less room for misreading conditions. An OGEL is faster, but the exporter carries the full burden of checking eligibility.
Do UK export licences cover US-origin content?
No. US rules may apply separately to US-origin items and technology inside a UK product. See AUKUS and export controls.
Do I need a licence to send drawings to a supplier overseas?
If the drawings are controlled technology, yes, unless an open licence covers the transfer. Check before sending, not after.
Where can a small exporter get help?
ECJU publishes guidance and runs advisory services. The UK Defence and Security Exports export faculty supports SMEs in defence and dual-use sectors, and trade associations run export control training.
Last reviewed 2026-09-17