What Cairn checks
The default screen checks a company and up to 10 named people against public sanctions, export-control and debarment lists. It reports potential matches and any sources it couldn't check. A person reviews the findings and decides what to do.
This page describes the default coverage verified on October 13, 2026. Your report shows which checks actually ran and the dates of the lists used.
The lists
| Source | Lists included |
|---|---|
| US Treasury, OFAC | Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and consolidated non-SDN lists |
| UK | UK Sanctions List |
| European Union | Consolidated Financial Sanctions List |
| United Nations | Security Council Consolidated List |
| US Bureau of Industry and Security | Entity List, Denied Persons List, Unverified List and Military End-User List |
| US Consolidated Screening List (CSL) | Combined US government screening records |
| SAM.gov | Federal exclusions |
The CSL can repeat records found in another source, including OFAC. Two appearances of the same record are not two independent findings. Matching uses versioned code; the explanation you receive is written from the result.
What the result means
- Potential match (CANDIDATE)
- A list record looks similar enough to review. Compare names and identity details before treating it as a match.
- No candidate found (NO_CANDIDATE)
- The check found no candidate for this name on that list. This does not clear the person or company.
- Unavailable (UNAVAILABLE)
- The source could not be checked. It is an unfinished check.
- Out of date (STALE)
- The available source was too old under the screen's rules. Ask for a newer check.
- Incomplete (PARTIAL)
- Only part of the check was completed. Read the gap before relying on the result.
- Not checked (NOT_IN_SCOPE)
- This source or check was outside the screen's scope.
A risk rating and a suggestion such as “one approver” describe review routing under the report's rules. They are not permission to transact or a compliance sign-off. Missing data can affect a rating even when no candidate was found.
Read the dates
The screening time tells you when the check ran. The list's “as of” date tells you which version of the source it used. A retrieval date, when supplied, tells you when the data was fetched. Those dates can differ.
The sources have different freshness rules. We don't promise that every list updates daily. A saved result keeps its original screening date; asking about it again does not make it a fresh check. Ask for a new screen when you need one.
What the default screen doesn't cover
It doesn't verify identity documents, discover beneficial owners, check politically exposed persons (PEPs), or research adverse media. Resolving a company name against a registry helps identify the company; it does not verify its owners.
World Bank debarment, Interpol notices, Australia's DFAT list and a separate DDTC debarment check are outside the default screen. The CSL may contain DDTC records, but that does not establish a separate, complete DDTC check.
Coverage will change
We're adding datasets and improving screening rules as we learn what people need. A source in our research catalog is not necessarily part of a live screen. We update this page when coverage changes, and each report shows what was used for that run.
Tell Cairn about a missing source or a confusing result, or send us a correction. If you need specific sources or your own policy, scope the work with Hire Cairn.
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