UAE sanctions screening for traders
UAE rules on targeted financial sanctions (Cabinet Decision No. 74 of 2020) apply to every person in the UAE, not only banks: nobody may deal with funds of anyone on the UN Consolidated List or the UAE Local Terrorist List. Screen each counterparty before you deal and keep the record.
Check this offer free
Banks and regulated businesses have formal screening duties; traders need to know who they deal with too. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, breaking the instructions on targeted financial sanctions can be punished with imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 20,000 (EOCN). Our free Screening Record gives you a dated, verifiable record of each screening.
5 steps
- List every party. The counterparty, its beneficial owners, directors, the agent and the vessel.
- Screen against the right lists. The UN Consolidated List and the UAE Local Terrorist List, plus OFAC, EU and UK lists if you deal in dollars, with Europe or the UK.
- Review possible matches. A name match is not a confirmed match. Compare date of birth, nationality and registration numbers.
- Keep the record. Keep a dated record of each screening with the lists and their dates. Our record has an ID and a QR code to verify it.
- Screen again. Lists change. Rescreen regularly — our Broker and Company plans rescreen every 30 days and e-mail you.
Red flags
- A counterparty that refuses to name its beneficial owners
- Payment routed through unrelated third parties
- Vessels with recent flag or name changes
- Goods or routes linked to sanctioned countries
- Pressure to skip checks to "save time"
- A possible list match that nobody has cleared
Documents to ask for
- Full legal name and registration number. For every company you deal with, as on its registry record.
- Beneficial owners and directors. Names, nationalities and dates of birth where you can get them.
- Vessel IMO number. Name changes and flag changes are easier to follow with the IMO number.
- Your screening records. Dated, with the lists screened and the list dates, kept for at least five years.
What a sound deal looks like
Good screening practice is simple to describe: know every party, screen each one against the lists that apply before you deal, clear possible matches with identifiers, keep the record and screen again when the lists change. A dated record with the lists and their versions shows what you checked and when. Our record states which lists were included and says so plainly when a list could not be loaded. Possible matches are reviewed with identifiers before any decision. Banks and regulated businesses may have further duties, and your own legal advisers can tell you which apply to your business.
FAQ
Which lists apply in the UAE?
The UN Security Council Consolidated List and the UAE Local Terrorist List. OFAC, EU and UK lists matter if your deal touches those jurisdictions or currencies.
Is the Screening Record free?
Yes, one record per party. Rescreening every 30 days comes with the broker plans (25 parties) or the Company plan (unlimited).
Does the record replace my legal obligations?
No. It is evidence of a screening performed on the date shown. It does not replace your own legal obligations.
What if a list could not be loaded?
The record says so for that list ("not included in this record"). We never skip a list silently.
Related
General information, not legal or financial advice. Vanguard Trade Capital Goods Wholesalers DWC-LLC, Dubai South, UAE · [email protected]