How often does OFAC update the SDN list? (and how to keep up)
There is no fixed schedule. OFAC publishes additions, removals and corrections to the SDN and Consolidated lists whenever a designation is announced. We counted the 'Sanctions List Updates' entries on OFAC's Recent Actions page for the twelve months from October 22, 2025 to October 21, 2026: 127 separate update days, in 51 of the 53 calendar weeks. A check you ran last week is therefore usually out of date.
The numbers (October 2025 to October 2026)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days with a sanctions list update | 127 in 12 months, about 2.4 a week |
| Weeks with at least one update | 51 of 53 |
| Longest gap between updates | 11 days (April 3 to April 14, 2026) |
| Busiest weekdays | Thursday 34, Friday 31, Wednesday 26, Tuesday 21, Monday 15 |
| Updates per month | 8 to 12 in every full month |
Source: OFAC Recent Actions, entries tagged 'Sanctions List Updates', counted by date (one day can carry several actions). Your count may differ by a day or two depending on how you treat corrections published on the same day.
What kinds of updates happen
Most update days add names, but removals are common too: 49 of the 134 update announcements in the period included a removal (delisting). The programs named most often were counter terrorism (54 announcements), Iran (41), Russia (36), counter narcotics (22), Cuba and Venezuela (12 each) and cyber (8). Searches such as 'SDN list update Iran-related designations' or 'counter terrorism designations' refer to these announcement titles.
Besides new names, an update can change an existing entry: a new alias, address, identification number or program tag. A counterparty that did not match last month can match after an alias is added.
When updates are published
Announcements usually come during US Eastern business hours, so a file downloaded the next morning reflects the previous day. Thursdays and Fridays are busiest. OFAC does not pre-announce designations.
How to keep up without checking every day
- Official: subscribe to OFAC's Recent Actions email updates. You get the announcement, not a comparison with your own customers or payees.
- Day-by-day changes: our list updates page records, for every day the files change, which entries were added, removed or changed.
- Your own names: a watchlist re-screens your customers, suppliers or payees after every list update and emails only new possible or exact matches.
- At minimum: screen before a first transaction and re-screen recurring counterparties monthly and before large payments.
Free: one name against the SDN and Consolidated lists with a printable record. Watchlist: up to 100 names re-screened after every list update.
Free search PricingFAQ
Is the SDN list updated daily?
Not every day. In the twelve months to October 2026 it changed on 127 days, roughly every other business day, with no update on weekends and a few quiet weeks.
Does an old screening result still count?
It shows you checked against the list as it was on that date. It is not a determination about today; re-screen recurring counterparties after updates or on a schedule.
Where can I download the current list?
From OFAC's Sanctions List Service (SDN.XML, SDN.CSV and the Consolidated files). Each file carries a publication date; a screening record should note it.
Updated 2026-10-22. General information, not legal advice.