Global Trade Compliance Atlas

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§ 124.1

Manufacturing license agreements and technical assistance agreements

ITAR · Part 124

A TAA is the ordinary authorization to furnish a defense service or to export technical data in support of a service. An MLA is the authorization to manufacture defense articles abroad. Both are approved by DDTC as agreements, not as DSP-5s. An agreement is required before the service is furnished — a kickoff meeting that transfers know-how is already late. Dual/third-country nationals, sublicensees, and retransfer are scoped inside the agreement.

A statement of work that includes “training, integration support, and design review” is a TAA, even if no hardware leaves the United States.
MLA vs TAA: if they will build it, it is an MLA. If they will be helped to use, maintain, or design it, it is a TAA. Many programs need both.

eCFR (primary) · § 124.1 LII (secondary, unofficial)

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In this atlas

§ 120.32 § 120.33 § 124.7 § 124.8 § 124.9 § 125.4