WASHINGTON— U.S. Customs and Border Protection will administer the first electronic Customs Broker License Examination on October 25. Interested applicants have until September 22 to register for the upcoming exam. The transition from a written to electronic exam is part of CBP’s efforts to modernize trade operations.
“CBP is pleased to offer an all-electronic version of the Customs Broker Exam to the more than 2,500 people who take the exam each year,” said Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade. “The modernized exam will provide for faster exam results to examinees and quicker results on appeals while being more cost efficient for CBP.”
CBP administers the Customs Broker Exam twice a year. In June, CBP announced that the exam dates would move to the fourth Wednesday in April and October and the fee would increase to $390. Only U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age who are not employees of the U.S. federal government are eligible to take the Customs Broker Exam. The exam is given at 48 locations across the country. Upon registering, the applicant selects their business port and will then be assigned the exam location closest to their selected port.
According to Section 641 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a person must hold a valid customs brokers license and permit in order to transact customs business on behalf of others. Customs brokers are private individuals, partnerships, associations or corporations licensed, regulated and empowered by CBP to assist importers and exporters in meeting requirements governing imports and exports. Customs brokers must pass the exam in order to become licensed. There are currently more than 14,000 active customs brokers in the United States.
The October 25 exam application deadline is Friday, September 22, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). To register, take the practice test or to find out more about becoming a Customs Broker, please visit CBP.gov.