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Regulatory tracker · United States · Export controls
US export controls on advanced AI chips
Licences for advanced GPUs to most of the world outside close allies; China moved to case-by-case for H200-class chips.
In force Latest change: case-by-case licence review for Nvidia H200-class chips to China and Macau, effective 15 January 2026.
What it does
The rule in brief
The Export Administration Regulations control advanced computing chips (ECCN 3A090 and 4A090 items) and the servers built with them. The December 2024 interim final rule added foreign direct product rules and high bandwidth memory controls. On 15 January 2026 BIS changed the licence review policy for exports of the Nvidia H200 and equivalent or less advanced chips to China and Macau from a presumption of denial to case-by-case review, provided the chips are commercially available in the US and the exporter certifies US supply, no diversion of foundry capacity, the recipient's security procedures and independent US testing of the chip's performance.
Timeline
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 December 2024 | Foreign direct product rule and HBM controls take effect |
| 15 January 2026 | Case-by-case review for H200-class chips to China and Macau |
Primary sources
Read it at source
- Revision to License Review Policy for Advanced Computing Commodities, 91 FR 1684 (15 Jan 2026) Federal Register
- Foreign-Produced Direct Product Rule Additions, and Refinements to Controls for Advanced Computing, 89 FR 96790 (5 Dec 2024) Federal Register
Cite as: InfraCompute regulatory tracker, “US export controls on advanced AI chips”, checked 27 October 2026, https://www.infracompute.co.uk/tools/regulatory-tracker/us-ai-chip-export-controls.
Related
Also on the tracker
AI Diffusion rule (rescinded)
The January 2025 country-tier rule was rescinded in May 2025; BIS said a replacement rule would follow.
United States · Export controlsData Center Validated End User authorisation
Pre-approved data centres abroad can receive controlled chips without a licence for each shipment.
United States · Export controlsUAE moved to Country Group A:5
Licence-free access to advanced computing items for the UAE Government and approved UAE entities.
United States · Trade and tariffsSection 232 tariff on advanced chips
25% duty on certain imported advanced chips from 15 January 2026, not applied to chips for US data centres.
Method
Each entry is written from the official text and the government, regulator or legislature pages listed above, never from secondary commentary. New documents on the Federal Register are picked up automatically and listed here. Status and dates can change after the review date, so check the source before relying on it. General information drawn from public filings. It is not legal advice on any transaction, and using this page does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Views are personal.
