Steps

Identify the list(s) you need — the SDN List, the Consolidated (non-SDN) List, or a custom subset built with the SLS 'Customize Sanctions Dataset' tool.
Call the SLS download endpoint (pattern https://sanctionslistservice.ofac.treas.gov/api/download/{filename}) for the desired file/format — XML, delimited, or fixed-field formats are published.
Check the service's 'last updated' metadata before each pull so your system only re-downloads and reprocesses data when OFAC has actually published a change.
Parse the downloaded file into your own data store — SLS delivers raw list files only; it does not perform name matching or fuzzy screening.
Schedule a recurring sync and diff new entries/removals against your prior snapshot to maintain an audit trail of designation and delisting changes.

Known gotchas

SLS is a file-delivery service, not a screening/matching API — you must build or license separate fuzzy-matching logic on top of the downloaded data to actually screen counterparties.
No authentication is required and there is no published SLA — use the last-updated check to avoid unnecessarily frequent polling of a government resource.
List updates are event-driven (issued when Treasury designates or delists parties), not on a fixed daily/weekly cadence, so polling frequency should be tuned to compliance risk tolerance rather than assumed to follow a calendar schedule.

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Programmatically sync the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Consolidated Sanctions list data files via Treasury's Sanctions List Service

Steps

Known gotchas

Related routes

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