ECCN 6A003

NSNPRSATUN

Cameras, systems or equipment, and components therefor, as follows .

Category: 6 - Sensors & LasersProduct Group: A - EquipmentLast Updated: 2026-04-10

What This ECCN Covers

ECCN 6A003 controls high-performance cameras and imaging systems — instrumentation, framing and streak cameras, certain high-speed and imaging cameras, and radiation-hardened cameras — that exceed defined frame-rate, resolution, or environmental thresholds. Because these cameras are used to diagnose high-speed events (including weapons and nuclear tests), the entry is controlled for National Security, Nuclear Nonproliferation, Regional Stability, Anti-Terrorism, and United Nations reasons.

Who needs to check this?

Makers and exporters of high-speed and scientific cameras, extreme-performance machine-vision systems, and radiation-tolerant imaging equipment.

Compliance tip

Ordinary consumer and industrial cameras are usually not controlled — classification turns on frame rate, spectral range, and radiation hardening relative to the entry thresholds. Where Nuclear Nonproliferation applies, confirm license-exception eligibility in the entry's License Exception paragraph, and verify the specific sub-paragraph against the Country Chart columns.

Reviewed by Jack Tan · Last reviewed: Jun 4, 2026

Items Covered

  • a.Instrumentation cameras and specially designed "components" therefor, as follows:
  • 3. Electronic streak cameras having temporal resolution better than 50 ns;
  • 4. Electronic framing cameras having a speed exceeding 1,000,000 frames/s;
  • 5. Electronic cameras having all of the following:
  • 5.a. An electronic shutter speed (gating capability) of less than 1µs per full frame; and
  • 5.b. A read out time allowing a framing rate of more than 125 full frames per second;
  • 6. Plug-ins having all of the following characteristics:
  • 6.a. specially designed for instrumentation cameras which have modular structures and that are controlled by 6A003.a; and
  • 6.b. Enabling these cameras to meet the characteristics specified by 6A003.a.3, 6A003.a.4 or 6A003.a.5, according to the manufacturer's specifications;
  • b.Imaging cameras as follows:
  • 1. Video cameras incorporating solid state sensors, having a peak response in the wavelength range exceeding 10 nm, but not exceeding 30,000 nm and having all of the following:
  • 1.a. Having any of the following:
  • 1.a.1. More than 4 x 106 "active pixels" per solid state array for monochrome (black and white) cameras;
  • 1.a.2. More than 4 x 106 "active pixels" per solid state array for color cameras incorporating three solid state arrays; or
  • 1.a.3. More than 12 x 106 "active pixels" for solid state array color cameras incorporating one solid state array; and
  • 1.b. Having any of the following:
  • 1.b.1. Optical mirrors controlled by 6A004.a.;
  • 1.b.2. Optical control equipment controlled by 6A004.d.; or
  • 1.b.3. The capability for annotating internally generated 'camera tracking data';
  • 2. Scanning cameras and scanning camera systems, having all of the following:
  • 2.a. A peak response in the wavelength range exceeding 10 nm, but not exceeding 30,000 nm;
  • 2.b. Linear detector arrays with more than 8,192 elements per array; and
  • 2.c. Mechanical scanning in one direction;
  • a.Industrial or civilian photocopiers;
  • b.Image scanners specially designed for civil, stationary, close proximity scanning applications (e.g., reproduction of images or print contained in documents, artwork, or photographs); or
  • c.Medical equipment.
  • 3. Imaging cameras incorporating image intensifier tubes having the characteristics listed in 6A002.a.2.a or 6A002.a.2.b;
  • 4. Imaging cameras incorporating "focal plane arrays" having any of the following:
  • 4.a. Incorporating "focal plane arrays" controlled by 6A002.a.3.a to 6A002.a.3.e;
  • 4.b. Incorporating "focal plane arrays" controlled by 6A002.a.3.f; or
  • 4.c. Incorporating "focal plane arrays" controlled by 6A002.a.3.g;
  • a.Industrial or civilian intrusion alarm, traffic or industrial movement control or counting systems;
  • b.Industrial equipment used for inspection or monitoring of heat flows in buildings, equipment, or industrial processes;
  • c.Industrial equipment used for inspection, sorting or analysis of the properties of materials;
  • d.Equipment specially designed for laboratory use; or
  • e.Medical equipment.
  • a.A maximum frame rate equal to or less than 9 Hz;
  • b.Having all of the following:
  • a.No facility to obtain a viewable image of the detected field-of-view; or
  • b.The camera is designed for a single kind of application and designed not to be user modified; or
  • c.The camera is specially designed for installation into a civilian passenger land vehicle and having all of the following:
  • a.The civilian passenger land vehicle for which it was intended and the vehicle weighs less than 4,500 kg (gross vehicle weight); or
  • b.A specially designed, authorized maintenance test facility; and
  • a.Having all of the following:
  • a.Industrial process monitoring, quality control, or analysis of the properties of materials;
  • b.Laboratory equipment specially designed for scientific research;
  • c.Medical equipment;
  • d.Financial fraud detection equipment; and
  • a.The system(s) or equipment for which it was intended; or
  • b.A "specially designed," authorized maintenance facility; and
  • b.Where the camera is specially designed for installation into a civilian passenger land vehicle or passenger and vehicle ferries and having all of the following:
  • a.The civilian passenger land vehicle for which it was intended and the vehicle weighs less than 4,500 kg (gross vehicle weight);
  • b.The passenger and vehicle ferry for which it was intended and having a length overall (LOA) 65 m or greater; or
  • c.A specially designed, authorized maintenance test facility; and
  • c.Limited by design to have a maximum "radiant sensitivity" of 10 mA/W or less for wavelengths exceeding 760 nm, having all of the following:
  • d.Having all of the following:
  • 5. Imaging cameras incorporating solid-state detectors specified by 6A002.a.1.

2 items reserved by BIS (not shown)

Control Reasons

NSNational Security

Items controlled for national security reasons under multilateral export control regimes.

Column 1: YesColumn 2: No
NPNuclear Nonproliferation

Items controlled for nuclear nonproliferation reasons.

Column 1: YesColumn 2: No
RSRegional Stability

Items controlled for regional stability reasons.

Column 1: YesColumn 2: No
ATAnti-Terrorism

Items controlled for anti-terrorism reasons. Most items on the CCL have AT controls.

Column 1: YesColumn 2: No
UNUnited Nations

Items controlled pursuant to United Nations Security Council mandates.

Column 1: YesColumn 2: No

Disclaimer

This information is for reference only. For official classifications, consult BIS or a qualified export control professional.

Official Reference