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  1. Fonteum
  2. /
  3. Glossary
  4. /
  5. SDN
Federal Contracting · Fonteum Data GlossaryRegulatory

What is an SDN?

An SDN is a Specially Designated National: an individual, entity, vessel, or aircraft listed by OFAC under a sanctions program. SDN-listed property is blocked when it is under U.S. jurisdiction, and U.S. persons are generally barred from dealing with listed parties unless OFAC authorizes the activity.

Full name: Specially Designated National

Short explanation

A Specially Designated National (SDN) is a party listed on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. The list can include individuals, companies, groups, vessels, and aircraft. When a party is listed, property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons generally may not deal with that party unless a license or other authorization applies.

Related study: OFAC and EU sanctions list growth study

Last updated: 2026-07-11Reviewed by: Fonteum data standards desk — Source-provenance editorial review. Definitions checked against primary federal sources.

How it’s used

  • Financial screening: banks and payment processors check customers and transactions against the SDN List before moving funds.
  • Export and trade screening: companies check counterparties, vessels, and intermediaries against the SDN List and related screening lists.
  • Fonteum sanctions studies count aggregate SDN-list composition and overlap with other public lists; they do not make determinations about any named party.

Frequently asked questions

What does SDN stand for?
SDN stands for Specially Designated National, a party listed by OFAC under a U.S. sanctions program.
What happens when a party is on the SDN List?
Property subject to U.S. jurisdiction is blocked, and U.S. persons are generally barred from dealing with the listed party unless OFAC authorizes the activity.
Can an entity or vessel be an SDN?
Yes. The SDN List can include individuals, entities, groups, vessels, and aircraft.

Related terms

  • OFAC
  • Consolidated Screening List
  • Denied Persons List
  • Exclusion Screening
  • SAM Exclusion

Explore in Fonteum

How Fonteum sources, resolves, and publishes data tied to this term.

  • StudyOFAC and EU sanctions list growth study
  • StudyCross-list sanctions overlap study
  • Use caseExclusion & sanctions screening

Authoritative sources

  • OFAC SDN List↗
  • OFAC Sanctions List Service↗
  • OFAC Sanctions List Search↗
← All glossary terms

What’s on file, by the numbers

Platform snapshot · 2026-07-15

13.4Mproviders & companiesProviders, organizations, owners, and facilities on file
26.2Msource-linked factsSource-linked field facts in the dated platform snapshot
—sources liveCrosswalk-resolved sources with a proved content transition in the preceding 45 days
111sources integratedActive registry rows; integration does not establish a load
13state Medicaid jurisdictionsDistinct states represented in the state-exclusions serving table

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These are the federal agencies whose public datasets Fonteum ingests and attributes — the issuing authorities, not customers or partners. Every figure on the site links back to one of them.

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Named medical review

Reviewed by Jennifer Montecillo, MD, medical reviewer. Non-practicing medical reviewer.

Read the full provenance and attestation methodology →

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Reviewed by Jennifer Montecillo, MD, medical reviewer. Non-practicing medical reviewer.

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A public-records graph that exposes source and observation metadata where supplied.

Fonteum's provenance ledger contained 26.2M source-linked facts on July 12, 2026. All but 14 carried a source-file SHA-256; 0 linked deterministically to a signature. Inspect a supplied snapshot id at fonteum.com/verify · source-mark coverage and limitations.
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