Career

The customs broker license

A federal licence, issued by CBP under 19 CFR Part 111, that lets you transact customs business for other people. There is one gate in front of it, and it is not the paperwork.

What it authorises

“Customs business” is a defined term. It covers activities involving transactions with CBP concerning the entry and admissibility of merchandise, its classification and valuation, and the payment of duties, taxes and other charges — plus the preparation of the documents and the electronic filings that go with them.

• File entry and entry summary documentation with CBP on an importer's behalf
• Classify merchandise and declare its value for duty purposes
• Pay duties, taxes and fees to CBP for the importer's account
• Correspond with CBP on entry matters, protests, and requests for information
• Advise clients on admissibility, marking, and compliance

Importantly, it is not required to handle your own imports. The licence exists because doing it on someone else’s behalf puts their money and their compliance record in your hands.

Licence vs. national permit

These get conflated, and the difference has teeth. The licence qualifies you. The national permit (19 CFR 111.19) is what actually authorises the conduct of customs business. The permit costs $100 to apply for and carries an annual user fee — and if that fee is not paid by the published due date, the permit is revoked by operation of law. No notice period, no grace: the regulation revokes it and CBP tells you afterwards.

Who can hold one

An individual must be a U.S. citizen, at least 21 at application, of good moral character, and must have passed the exam within the previous three years. A partnership needs at least one licensed member; a corporation or association needs at least one licensed officer and articles that empower it to transact customs business. An entity can never qualify on its own — a person has to pass the exam first.

The exact provisions, both age thresholds, and every fee are set out on the requirements page.

What it costs

$390 per exam attempt, $300 for an individual licence application ($500 for an entity), the FBI’s fingerprint processing fee, $100 for the national permit, and $100 every three years for the status report. The largest real cost is usually the second exam attempt.

Keeping it

Individual brokers file a triennial status report with a $100 fee; missing it suspends the licence by operation of law, and reinstatement means filing the report and paying the fee within a set window. Continuing broker education applies to individual brokers. The licence can also be suspended or revoked for the conduct listed in Part 111 subpart D.

Common questions

What is a customs broker license?

A licence issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under 19 CFR Part 111 that authorises a person or company to transact customs business on behalf of others — filing entries, classifying goods, paying duties, and dealing with CBP as an importer's agent.

Do I need a licence to import my own goods?

No. An importer may transact customs business for their own goods without a licence. The licence is required to do it for someone else, for compensation or otherwise.

What is the difference between a license and a national permit?

The licence qualifies the person or company. The national permit, under 19 CFR 111.19, is what lets a licensed broker actually conduct customs business. A licence without a permit does not put you in business, and the permit carries an annual user fee that revokes it by operation of law if unpaid.

How hard is it to get a customs broker license?

The exam is the hard part. Recent pass rates have run roughly 12–30%, so most people sit it more than once. The application itself is paperwork plus a background investigation, and it can still be denied on grounds listed in 19 CFR 111.16(b) even after you pass.

How long does a customs broker license last?

Indefinitely, provided you keep it in good standing. Individual brokers file a triennial status report with a $100 fee under 19 CFR 111.30(d), and are subject to continuing broker education. Failing to file suspends the licence by operation of law.

Requirements summarised from Title 19 CFR Part 111, a work of the U.S. government (17 U.S.C. §105). Independent study product; not affiliated with CBP. Verify against the current regulation before relying on it.