BIS Accepting Export License Extension Requests, Due to Pandemic

The Bureau of Industry and Security is allowing exporters to request a six-month extension for their export licenses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BIS said in an Oct. 17 notice. Licenses are eligible for the extension if they expire on or before Dec. 31, BIS said, adding that extensions will be granted in “most cases.” Exporters can apply for the extension by emailing LicenseExtensionRequest@bis.doc.gov and can expect to hear back from BIS within two to three business days.

The move is aimed at granting more time for exporters who may “not have been able to ship orders due to resource constraints during the pandemic,” said Acting BIS Undersecretary Cordell Hull. After it receives an extension request, BIS said, “the original license will be reviewed and, in most cases, the validity extended.”

“With the majority of the world’s consumers located outside of the United States, exports are a vital source of growth and revenue for American companies,” Hull said. He said Commerce is “committed to cutting red tape and making it easier for exporters to drive our nation’s economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.”