> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.middesk.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.middesk.com/_mcp/server. # Watchlist object > Lists the watchlists included in Middesk offerings. Middesk supports two watchlist products. As part of the Business Verification-Verify product, Middesk supports many key US Federal watchlists. If you require more comprehensive screenings, leverage the Enhanced Screenings product to run extensive searches against thousands of global watchlists. ## Lists included in Business Verification-Verify | Code | Title | Agency | Organization | | --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | | `CAP` | Capta List | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `DPL` | Denied Persons List | Bureau of Industry and Security | U.S. Department of Commerce | | `DTC` | AECA/ITAR Debarred | Directorate of Defense Trade Controls | U.S. Department of State | | `EL` | Entity List | Bureau of Industry and Security | U.S. Department of Commerce | | `FSE` | Foreign Sanctions Evaders | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `ISN` | Nonproliferation Sanctions | Bureau of International Security and Non-Proliferation | U.S. Department of State | | `MEU` | Military End User | Bureau of Industry and Security | U.S. Department of Commerce | | `NS-CMIC` | Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of the Treasury | | `NS-ISA` | Non-SDN Iranian Sanctions | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `NS-MBS` | Non-SDN Menu-Based Sanctions | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `PLC` | Palestinian Legislative Council | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `SDN` | Specially Designated Nationals | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `SSI` | Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List | Office of Foreign Assets Control | U.S. Department of Treasury | | `UVL` | Unverified List | Bureau of Industry and Security | U.S. Department of Commerce | If only a subset of these lists are necessary for your compliance program, configure the lists and agencies the watchlist runs against in the Middesk [Dashboard](https://app.middesk.com/) account settings. ## Lists included in Enhanced Screenings Enhanced Screenings contain thousands of lists to run against. Middesk sets up the account with a set of default lists from key global agencies to screen against. Beyond that, thousands more lists can be turned on as required by your compliance department. To see which lists are enabled or available, go to the Dashboard **Settings > Screenings > Watchlist and Enhanced Screenings** to find more information. ### Migrate to Enhanced Screenings Some fields in the Watchlist object are now nullable in the API for Enhanced Screenings. Look below to see the fields that are nullable in Enhanced Screenings to see if you need to make any API changes before turning on Enhanced Screenings. ## Watchlist object The watchlist response has a container for displaying top-level information around watching screening. **`Example JSON response`** ```json title="Example JSON response" { "id": "3fc438eb-1234-4fc1-bb5e-fcac60db2e2e", "object": "watchlist", "lists": [ { "abbr": "DPL", "title": "Denied Persons List", "agency": "Bureau of Industry and Security", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "BIS", "organization": "U.S. Department of Commerce" }, { "abbr": "DTC", "title": "AECA/ITAR Debarred", "agency": "Directorate of Defense Trade Controls", "results": [ { "id": "a6be972d-2eff-4785-a57f-f2b834f3fb96", "object": "watchlist_result", "listed_at": null, "entity_name": "Gia An Du", "entity_aliases": [ "Anthony Huynh", "Simon Du", "Gia Simon Du" ], "agency_list_url": "http://bit.ly/307FuRQ", "agency_information_url": "http://bit.ly/307FuRQ" } ], "agency_abbr": "DDTC", "organization": "U.S. Department of State" }, { "abbr": "EL", "title": "Entity List", "agency": "Bureau of Industry and Security", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "BIS", "organization": "U.S. Department of Commerce" }, { "abbr": "SDN", "title": "Specially Designated Nationals", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "NSISA", "title": "Non-SDN Iranian Sanctions Act", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "FSE", "title": "Foreign Sanctions Evaders", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "ISN", "title": "Nonproliferation Sanctions", "agency": "Bureau of International Security and Non-Proliferation", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "ISN", "organization": "U.S. Department of State" }, { "abbr": "P561", "title": "Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Part 561", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "PLC", "title": "Palestinian Legislative Council", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "SSI", "title": "Sectoral Sanctions Identifications", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" }, { "abbr": "UVL", "title": "Unverified List", "agency": "Bureau of Industry and Security", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "BIS", "organization": "U.S. Department of Commerce" }, { "abbr": "CAP", "title": "Capta List", "agency": "Office of Foreign Assets Control", "results": [], "agency_abbr": "OFAC", "organization": "U.S. Department of Treasury" } ], "agencies": [ { "org": "U.S. Department of Treasury", "abbr": "OFAC", "name": "Office of Foreign Assets Control" }, { "org": "U.S. Department of Commerce", "abbr": "BIS", "name": "Bureau of Industry and Security" }, { "org": "U.S. Department of State", "abbr": "DDTC", "name": "Directorate of Defense Trade Controls" }, { "org": "U.S. Department of State", "abbr": "ISN", "name": "Bureau of International Security and Non-Proliferation" } ], "hit_count": 1 } ``` ### Watchlist attributes | Attribute | Type | Description | | ----------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `id` | string (uuid) | Unique identifier for the object | | `object` | string, value is `watchlist` | A definition of the type of object returned | | `lists` | object\[] | The details of any potential matches of that entity against the search list | | `agencies` | object\[] | List of agencies that were screened against | | `hit_count` | integer | The number of watchlist hits found | | `people` | object\[] | People associated with the watchlist screening | ## List object Inside the watchlist object, many lists are found under the `lists` key. Each list has the following attributes. | Attribute | Type | Description | Guaranteed | | -------------- | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- | | `abbr` | string | The watchlist abbreviation/code (see table above) | No. For Enhanced Screenings, this field may be null. | | `title` | string | The full name for the watchlist (see table above) | Yes | | `agency` | string | The agency responsible for maintaining the watchlist (see table above) | Yes | | `agency_abbr` | string | The agency's abbreviated name (see table above) | No. For Enhanced Screenings, this field may be null. | | `organization` | string | The governing organization for the agency | No. For Enhanced Screenings, this field may be null. | | `results` | object\[] | Hits or results for the watchlist based on business name or officer name match | Yes. May be \[]. | ## Result object Results are included with each watchlist. When hits are found, one or many result objects appear in this collection. When no hits are found, the collection is empty. | Attribute | Type | Description | Guaranteed | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | | `id` | string | Unique identifier for the object | Yes | | `object` | string, value is watchlist_result | A definition of the type of object returned | Yes | | `listed_at` | timestamp | When the result was listed | No | | `entity_name` | string | The proper name for the entity matched | Yes | | `entity_aliases` | string\[] | A list of aliases for the person or business | Yes, may be \[] | | `agency_list_url` | string | A short link to the agency's posting for the record | No | | `agency_information_url` | string | A short link to the agency's information | No | | `addresses` | object\[] | Addresses associated with the watchlist hit | Yes, may be \[] | | `url` | string | Url link to the watchlist hit | No | | `score` | float | A score to indicate how similar a submitted name is to a sanction name | Yes | ## Date of birth watchlist filter for submitted people To use the date of birth configuration for watchlists, you must pass in the additional `dob` field in the `people` object in the [Create a Business](/api-reference/business-verification/businesses/create-a-business) API call. Similar to the name field for people, use the date of birth field for more than just one submitted "person." After setting the Date of Birth Fuzzy Match Tolerance settings, you only receive positive watchlist hits if the submitted date of birth field is within the setting's parameters. **`Create/patch a business request`** ```json title="Create/patch a business request" { "people": [ { "name": "Jane Doe", "dob": "1990-01-01" }, { "name": "John Doe", "dob": "1988-10-23" } ] } ``` > **Get a demo** > > Contact your account manager or [contact sales](https://www.middesk.com/contact-sales) to inquire about access.