Dealerships
OFAC Check for Car Dealers on Every Deal
An OFAC check for car dealers screens the buyer, co-buyer or business buyer on a deal against the OFAC sanctions lists before the vehicle is delivered. OfacScanner returns a clear rating in seconds and a PDF certificate you can print or save in the deal jacket.
Deal screened before delivery
ClearNo candidate near the threshold
No candidate near the threshold
Partial word overlap only
Example data for illustration. The PDF lists every party, the list version and the time of the check.
What is an OFAC check for car dealers
U.S. businesses may not sell to, or do business with, people and companies on the OFAC sanctions lists. A car dealership is a U.S. business that sells high value goods, often with financing, so it is covered by the same prohibition as any other company. An OFAC check is the simple way to show you looked before you sold.
At a dealership the check usually happens in the F&I office, when the buyer details are entered for the deal. The buyer and any co-buyer are screened by name, and a company is screened by its legal name when the vehicle is bought for a business. The result is saved with the deal.
Lenders and finance companies that buy retail installment contracts often expect the dealer to have screened the customer, and a printed result in the deal jacket answers that question without a phone call.
A typical deal check
Enter each party, add a date of birth when you have it, and read the rating for each line.
Parties on the deal
- Buyer Daniel Brooks, individual, born 1979
- Co-buyer Laura Brooks, individual, born 1982
- Business buyer Riverside Example Landscaping, organization, United States
Rating you get
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Daniel Brooks
No candidate above your threshold
36/100 Clear -
Laura Brooks
No candidate above your threshold
29/100 Clear -
Riverside Example Landscaping
No candidate above your threshold
44/100 Clear
Example data for illustration. When a rating is Review or higher, the result shows the listed entry and why it scored.
How to run the check in the F&I office
Under a minute per deal, with nothing to install.
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01
Open the dashboard
Sign in from any browser in the dealership. No software or plug in is needed.
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02
Enter buyer and co-buyer
Type the full legal name of each person as it appears on the driver license, and add the date of birth to cut false alarms.
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03
Add the business if there is one
For a company purchase, screen the company name and the person signing for it.
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04
Save the PDF
Download the PDF certificate and put it in the deal jacket, paper or electronic. It shows the names, the rating, the list version and the time.
Common names without the headache
Some buyer names are shared by people on the SDN list. A basic search will flag them every time. OfacScanner scores each candidate from 0 to 100 using spelling, word order and sound, then raises or lowers the score with the date of birth, nationality and country you enter. A buyer born in a different decade from the listed person rarely reaches the Likely match rating.
When a name does land in Review, open the result and compare the details. If they do not fit, clear it with a short reason. The reason is saved with the evidence, so the next person who opens the deal sees why it was approved. You can also look up a single name at any time with the OFAC name search.
What to keep in the deal jacket
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The PDF certificate for every person and company on the deal
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The reason for any cleared Review rating
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The date and time of the check, shown on the PDF
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The name of the employee who ran it, also on the PDF
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A note if the deal was held for compliance review
Starter covers most dealerships
Starter costs $49 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly at $288 a year. It includes 1,000 checks a month against the OFAC SDN and consolidated non-SDN lists, a PDF for every check, search history and 12 months of audit retention. That is enough for most single rooftop stores. Dealer groups with several stores, many users or a need for longer retention can use Growth at $499 a month, or $249 a month billed yearly. See the pricing page for every limit. The result supports your decision. Whether to complete a deal stays with you.
OFAC check questions for car dealers
Another question? Write to [email protected].
Are car dealers required to run OFAC checks?
Who on the deal should be screened?
What if a buyer comes back as a possible match?
How many checks does a dealership need each month?
Can I use the free government search instead?
Keep exploring
Screen your first name in seconds
Type a person or company name, see the risk rating and top candidates from the current OFAC list, and keep the evidence when you sign up.
Results support your compliance decisions, and the final decision stays with your team. OfacScanner is not affiliated with OFAC or the U.S. Department of the Treasury.