The United States Munitions List (USML) is a list or categorization of articles, services, and related technology designated as defense related. This designation is pursuant to sections 38 and 47(7) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778 and 2794(7)). These articles fall under the export and temporary import jurisdiction of the State Department.

The USML is found in Part 121 of Title 22, Foreign Relations, of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The USML is amended by rules published in the Federal Register.

Further information and clarification whether specific articles or services fall under the USML are periodically discussed in the Defense Trade News published by the Center for Defense Trade.

The 20 categories of the USML are as follows:

• CATEGORY FIREARMS, CLOSE ASSAULT WEAPONS AND COMBAT SHOTGUNS
• CATEGORY I GUNS AND ARMAMENT
• CATEGORY II AMMUNITION/ORDNANCE
• CATEGORY III LAUNCH VEHICLES, GUIDED MISSILES, BALLISTIC MISSILES, ROCKETS, TORPEDOES, BOMBS AND MINES
• CATEGORY IV EXPLOSIVES AND ENERGETIC MATERIALS, PROPELLANTS, INCENDIARY AGENTS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS
• CATEGORY V VESSELS OF WAR AND SPECIAL NAVAL EQUIPMENT.
• CATEGORY VI TANKS AND MILITARY VEHICLES
• CATEGORY VII AIRCRAFT AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
• CATEGORY IIX MILITARY TRAINING EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING
• CATEGORY IX PROTECTIVE PERSONNEL EQUIPMENT AND SHELTERS
• CATEGORY X MILITARY ELECTRONICS
• CATEGORY XI FIRE CONTROL, RANGE FINDER, OPTICAL AND GUIDANCE AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT
• CATEGORY XII AUXILIARY MILITARY EQUIPMENT
• CATEGORY XIV TOXICOLOGICAL AGENTS, INCLUDING CHEMICAL AGENTS, BIOLOGICAL AGENTS, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
• CATEGORY XV SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
• CATEGORY XV NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DESIGN AND TESTING RELATED ITEMS
• CATEGORY XVI CLASSIFIED ARTICLES, TECHNICAL DATA AND DEFENSE SERVICES NOT OTHERWISE ENUMERATED
• CATEGORY XVII DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS
• CATEGORY XIX [RESERVED]
• CATEGORY XX SUBMERSIBLE VESSELS, OCEANOGRAPHIC AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

Any article, service, or related data found to be on the USML requires an export license to be exported; i.e., given to a non-US-person. A US person is a US Citizen or permanent resident who does not work for a foreign company, foreign government, or a foreign governmental agency/organization. Some license exceptions are available under specific circumstances.

For exports of all other products not covered by the USML, an export control classification number (ECCN) is required.