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ITAR United States Munitions List (USML) Categories Reference

The US Munitions List in 22 CFR 121.1 sets what is controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. This table lists all 21 categories with their titles and a plain summary so a buyer, engineer or compliance owner can see where a product might sit.

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Category	Title	What it broadly covers	Supplier note
I	Firearms and Related Articles	Firearms, close assault weapons, combat shotguns and related parts and accessories	Machined receivers and parts can be in scope
II	Guns and Armament	Guns, howitzers, mortars, launchers, gun mounts and related components	Barrels and breech components are common shop work
III	Ammunition and Ordnance	Ammunition, fuzes, ordnance components and related manufacturing equipment	Includes some production tooling and technical data
IV	Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs and Mines	Missiles, rockets, torpedoes, bombs, mines and their specially designed components	Airframe sections, fins and housings fall here
V	Explosives and Energetic Materials, Propellants, Incendiary Agents and Their Constituents	Military explosives, propellants and energetic materials	Relevant to chemical and materials suppliers
VI	Surface Vessels of War and Special Naval Equipment	Warships, naval equipment and specially designed components	Marine electronics and fittings may be captured
VII	Ground Vehicles	Military ground vehicles, tanks, combat support vehicles and components	Drivetrain and armor parts are typical
VIII	Aircraft and Related Articles	Military aircraft, unmanned aircraft and specially designed parts	Brackets, harnesses and structures built to military design
IX	Military Training Equipment and Training	Training devices, simulators and associated technical data	Simulation software and hardware
X	Personal Protective Equipment, Shelters and Related Equipment	Body armor, helmets, shelters and protective equipment	Advanced materials and composites
XI	Military Electronics	Electronic combat, radar, command and control, communications, underwater acoustics and specially designed electronics	Core category for defense electronics and PCB assembly houses
XII	Fire Control, Laser, Imaging and Guidance Equipment	Fire control systems, lasers, infrared and night vision, guidance and navigation equipment	Optics, sensors and fiber based subsystems
XIII	Materials and Miscellaneous Articles	Military materials, armor, cameras for military use, information security systems and equipment	Includes XIII(b) information security items
XIV	Toxicological Agents, Including Chemical Agents, Biological Agents and Associated Equipment	Chemical and biological agents, detection and protective equipment	Specialized suppliers only
XV	Spacecraft and Related Articles	Satellites, spacecraft, ground control and related components	Space qualified components and technical data
XVI	Nuclear Weapons Related Articles	Nuclear weapons design, testing and related equipment	Rarely seen by commercial suppliers
XVII	Classified Articles, Technical Data and Defense Services Not Otherwise Enumerated	Classified items not covered by another category	Handled under security regulations as well
XVIII	Directed Energy Weapons	Lasers and high energy weapon systems and related components	Power electronics and optics
XIX	Gas Turbine Engines and Associated Equipment	Military gas turbine engines and specially designed parts	Rotating parts and engine controls
XX	Submersible Vessels and Related Articles	Submarines, submersibles and related equipment	Pressure hull fittings and electronics
XXI	Articles, Technical Data and Defense Services Not Otherwise Enumerated	Reserved for items designated by DDTC that do not fit another category	Use only when directed

Summaries are simplified and category scope is defined by the text of 22 CFR 121.1, including technical data and defense services in paragraph (x) catch-alls and the specially designed definition in 120. A summary here does not classify a part. If you are unsure, apply the order of review and consider a commodity jurisdiction request.

Link classifications to your item master

Optional: a walkthrough of storing USML and ECCN decisions against ERP items with automatic holds on foreign shipments.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the list

Search for the platform, such as aircraft or radar, or for the function, such as night vision or encryption. Find candidate categories, then read the actual USML entry for the paragraph that matches your part. The category is only the start. Most classification work happens at the paragraph level and depends on defined terms such as specially designed. Export the rows you care about to Excel and add a column that records the paragraph and reasoning for each classified part.

ITAR versus EAR: which one first

The order of review in the EAR says to check the USML first. If an item is described in a USML category, it is subject to the ITAR and not the Commerce Control List. If it is not, you then check the CCL and finally treat it as EAR99. Parts built to a military drawing for a defense program often land in Category VIII or XI because of their specially designed status, even when a similar commercial part would not be controlled.

USML first, CCL second, EAR99 last
Specially designed parts and components follow their parent article
Technical data and defense services are controlled as well as hardware

What registration and agreements follow

Manufacturing or exporting defense articles generally requires registration with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls under Part 122. Exports then need a license or an exemption, and defense services to foreign persons usually need an agreement. Even a domestic supplier that only machines parts for a prime may need to register if it manufactures defense articles. Records of these decisions belong in your compliance system, linked to the item master.

Common mistakes

The common errors are assuming only complete weapons are controlled, forgetting that technical data such as drawings is itself an ITAR item, and classifying from a part description instead of the paragraph text. Teams also treat a prime contractor's marking as proof of classification. Ask the customer for the jurisdiction and classification in writing, and keep your own analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many USML categories are there?

There are 21 categories numbered I through XXI. Several have been revised under export control reform, and some paragraphs now point to the EAR 600 series. Always check the current text of 22 CFR 121.1 for the paragraph that applies to your item.

Which category covers defense electronics?

Category XI is Military Electronics, covering items such as radar, electronic combat and military communications gear. Related items can sit in Category XII for fire control and imaging, or Category VIII for aircraft electronics. The parent platform and paragraph wording determine the answer.

Is a drawing for an ITAR part controlled?

Yes. Technical data directly related to a defense article is itself controlled under the ITAR. Sending drawings or specifications to a foreign person, including by email or cloud storage, can be an export that needs authorization.

Can I self classify my product?

You can and usually must perform your own analysis. If the result is unclear, DDTC accepts a commodity jurisdiction request to decide whether an item is ITAR or EAR. Document your reasoning and keep it on file whichever way you decide.

If you hold jurisdiction and classification in spreadsheets today, we can build a private view that links each ERP item to its USML or ECCN decision and flags foreign ship-to orders. The lookup works without it.

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