Cuba Sanctions Regulations
IEEPA-based US Cuba sanctions rulebook implementing EO 14404 since September 2026.
The Cuba Sanctions Regulations took effect on 30 September 2026 as OFAC's separate IEEPA rulebook for Executive Order 14404.
Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What will OFAC add when it expands the abbreviated part 516 rulebook?
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Cuba DispatchBackground
The Cuba Sanctions Regulations are codified at 31 CFR part 516 and administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. They implement Executive Order 14404 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, using The National emergency declared in Executive Order 14380. The rulebook took effect on 30 September 2026.
Part 516 stands beside the older Cuban Assets Control Regulations at part 515. The two rulebooks rest on different authorities and operate independently, so permission under one does not override a prohibition under the other. OFAC initially published part 516 in abbreviated form to give immediate guidance. It said fuller definitions, interpretations, general licences and other provisions would follow. That planned expansion matters because the initial text establishes the sanctions framework without yet supplying every operational detail.
What are the Cuba Sanctions Regulations at 31 CFR part 516?
How is part 516 different from the Cuban Assets Control Regulations?
Why did OFAC publish part 516 in abbreviated form?
When did the Cuba Sanctions Regulations take effect?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.