§ 599.511 Certain transactions for maintenance, employment, and related banking services for blocked individuals physically located in the United States.
(a) Individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 599.201 who are in U.S. custody or incarcerated in jails, prisons, or similar facilities in the United States (“covered individuals”), are authorized to engage in the following transactions within the United States:
(1) Purchasing, making payment for, and receiving goods and services for their maintenance and the maintenance of their spouse or persons who would ordinarily share a common dwelling as a family with them, located in the United States, including food, clothing, housing, medical care, education, transportation, insurance, and utilities;
(2) Obtaining or continuing employment and engaging in all transactions ordinarily incident to such employment, including receipt of salary and benefits;
(3) Establishing accounts with a U.S. financial institution, or a commissary-type account with a prison, jail, or other similar facility, located in the United States, for use in connection with the transactions authorized in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section; and
(4) Receiving and making funds transfers in furtherance of the authorized transactions set forth in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section from unblocked funds originating within or outside the United States, provided that any funds received may not originate from any individual or entity whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to any part of this chapter or any Executive order or statute, other than the covered individual or his or her spouse or persons who would ordinarily share a common dwelling as a family with the covered individual.
(b) Any financial institution that has established any account pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this section, excluding commissary-type accounts with prisons, jails, or other similar facilities, must provide the name and address of the financial institution, the name of the account holder, and the account number to OFAC within 10 business days of the establishment of the account.
(c) This general license does not authorize any funds transfers to any location outside the United States.
Note 1 to paragraph (c). A covered individual has an interest in any funds remaining in a commissary-type account with a prison, jail, or other similar facility established pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this section after the covered individual is released from custody or incarceration.
Note 2 to paragraph (c). In the case of individuals who are in custody or incarcerated, funds transfers must be authorized by and consistent with the conditions, protocols, and other requirements established by the jail, prison, or other facility.
Note 3 to § 599.511. The authorization in this section only applies to laws and regulations administered by OFAC and should not be interpreted to excuse compliance with other applicable laws or regulations, including the immigration laws of the United States.
1) This provision is substantively identical to 536.509 (NTSR) and 598.510 (FNKSR), the other two foreign drug trafficker-centric sanctions programs implemented in the CFR as of 12-20-22. See comments to those provisions and notable guidance letter at Case No. ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059-2024-1218345-1.