How to become a licensed customs broker

General information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and forms change. Confirm with the agency named in the sources, or a licensed professional, before you file or ship.

Who needs this

Individuals who want to be licensed in the United States must be U.S. citizens, be at least 21 when they submit the application, be of good moral character, and not work for the federal government. Anyone who wants to sit for the exam must be a U.S. citizen aged 18 or older on the exam date and must not be a federal government employee.

Cost

The exam costs $390, the individual license application costs $300 and an organization application costs $500, all listed on CBP's Customs Broker Fees page, and each applicant also pays a fingerprint processing fee there. Confirm the current fingerprint amount and the FBI fingerprint charge with CBP before you pay.

Time

No official source gives a total processing time for a license, so plan around the fixed points: the exam is offered twice a year, the exam must be booked at least 30 days ahead, and CBP decides the application after a background investigation. Your exam pass must still be within three years when you file the application.

Applies to

US

A customs broker is an individual or business that U.S. Customs and Border Protection licenses to conduct customs business for other people. Use this guide when you plan to become an individual broker or to form a partnership, association or corporation that will hold a broker license in the United States. The rules sit in Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and the license process has three parts: the exam, the application, and the permit.

Step by step

1. 1

   Confirm your eligibility

   Check the basic requirements and the exam rules in the licensing procedures of Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations on the eCFR. Individuals must be U.S. citizens, not federal employees, and at least 21 when they apply for the license; organizations need at least one officer who is a licensed broker.

2. 2

   Study the exam references

   Prepare for the Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE), which covers Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and CBP policy documents. CBP posts the reference versions for each exam on its CBLE information page, so use only the versions listed for your test date.

3. 3

   Register and pay for the exam

   Complete the electronic application in the eCBP portal at least 30 calendar days before the exam date and pay the $390 exam fee at the same time. Check the CBLE page for the next administration, which is normally the fourth Wednesday of April and October.

4. 4

   Prepare identity and citizenship proof

   Bring original, unexpired, official documents with a photograph for identity, such as a U.S. state driver's license. A U.S. passport or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship proves both identity and citizenship; otherwise bring one document from each list. Photocopies, scans and expired documents are not accepted.

5. 5

   Sit the exam and pass with 75 percent

   Take the 80-question electronic exam, which allows 4.5 hours and is open book with approved references. A score of 75 percent or higher is a pass, and CBP sends the result. Keep the result, because the application must be filed within three years of the passing grade.

6. 6

   Complete the license application

   An individual applies through the eCBP portal, which asks for your identity details and the broker license application information. Organizations file a paper CBP Form 3124, Application for Customs Broker License, with the processing center nearest the intended office of record. Answer every question truthfully, because a misstatement can lead to denial.

7. 7

   Pay the application and fingerprint fees

   Pay the $300 individual application fee or the $500 organization fee, plus the fingerprint processing fee for each individual applicant or each principal, officer, partner or member of an organization. CBP does not treat the application as received until the application and fingerprint fees are paid, and the fingerprint checks must be completed before processing.

8. 8

   Pass the background investigation and receive the decision

   CBP uses the form data to run a background investigation, including a fingerprint check against law enforcement and national security databases and a review of character references, credit reports and criminal history. The processing center forwards the file for a final decision, and CBP notifies you of the outcome.

9. 9

   Obtain a national permit and keep the license current

   Under the 2022 final rule, each broker needs one national permit to conduct customs business in the United States, and the permit application fee is $100. The license also requires a triennial status report and fee every three years, and a national permit holder pays an annual permit user fee.

Documents you will need

• Proof of U.S. citizenship and identity for the exam, such as a U.S. passport or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, or a birth certificate plus a photo ID
• Your eCBP exam registration and proof of payment of the $390 exam fee
• Your passing exam result, which must be no more than three years old when you file the license application
• Completed application: the eCBP individual application, or CBP Form 3124 for an organization
• Payment for the $300 individual or $500 organization application fee and the fingerprint processing fee for each applicant or principal
• Fingerprint cards or prints, as the processing center directs, and the FBI fingerprint fee
• Character references, a credit history and details of any criminal history, which CBP reviews during the background investigation
• Name-change documents, such as a marriage certificate, divorce certificate or court order, if your names differ across your documents

Common mistakes

• Applying before you turn 21: the exam accepts applicants aged 18, but the license application requires you to be 21 when you submit it.
• Letting your exam pass expire: the exam must be within three years of when you submit the application, so file promptly after you pass.
• Arriving with photocopies, scans or expired ID: CBP accepts only original, unexpired, physical documents.
• Assuming the application is in process before payment: CBP does not consider the application received until the fees are paid, so pay in the eCBP portal or with the processing center.
• Making an error on CBP Form 3124 or the eCBP application: a misstatement of pertinent facts can be grounds for denial, so check every answer before you sign.

In pictures

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Official sources

1. General CBLE InformationU.S. Customs and Border Protection
2. Customs Broker FeesU.S. Customs and Border Protection
3. 19 CFR Part 111 Subpart B, Procedure To Obtain License or PermitElectronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. National Archives
4. Customs Broker Frequently Asked QuestionsU.S. Customs and Border Protection
5. CBP Form 3124 - Application for Customs Broker LicenseU.S. Customs and Border Protection
6. Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE) Registration InformationU.S. Customs and Border Protection
7. Customs Broker Permit User Fee Payment for 2026Federal Register, published 2 December 2025
8. Modernization of the Customs Broker RegulationsFederal Register, published 18 October 2022
9. Customs BrokersU.S. Customs and Border Protection

Claims ledger: 18 facts and where each comes from

• The exam is given twice a year, generally on the fourth Wednesday in April and October.¹
• The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions and runs for 4.5 hours, and a 75 percent score is needed to pass.¹
• Eligible exam takers must be U.S. citizens aged 18 or older on the exam date and must not be officers or employees of the U.S. Government.³
• An individual who registers for the exam must complete the electronic application at least 30 calendar days before the exam and pay the $390 examination fee at that time.³
• The exam fee is $390, paid through the eCBP portal.²
• The exam is open book, based on Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States and CBP policy documents.⁹
• Examinees must bring proof of identity and proof of U.S. citizenship; photocopies or electronic copies are not permitted and documents must be unexpired, official and original.⁴
• A U.S. passport satisfies both identity and citizenship requirements, and a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship also satisfies both.⁶
• To be licensed as an individual, a person must be a U.S. citizen, not a government officer or employee, of good moral character, at least 21 years old when the application is submitted, and must have passed the broker exam within three years of submitting the application.⁴
• An individual must hold a passing grade of 75 percent or higher on an exam taken within the three years before the application is submitted.³
• The application fee is $300 for an individual and $500 for a partnership, association or corporation, and each applicant must also pay a $10.00 fingerprint processing fee.²
• The license application must be filed through the eCBP portal and is not considered received until the application and fingerprint fees are paid.⁴
• CBP Form 3124 is the Application for Customs Broker License, and it is submitted to the processing center nearest the applicant.⁵
• CBP uses the information on Form 3124 to run a background investigation, including a fingerprint check and a review of character references, credit reports and criminal history.⁵
• A misstatement of pertinent facts on the application is sufficient grounds for denial.⁵
• Under the 2022 final rule, each broker needs one national permit to conduct customs business, and the national permit application fee is $100.⁸
• The annual permit user fee for calendar year 2026 is $185.38, and it is due no later than January 30, 2026.⁷
• A status report and fee must be filed for each license every three years, and failure to file results in suspension and then revocation of the license.²

Every figure on this page is tied to a cited source, last checked on 18 October 2026. Pages like this are re-checked every three months. Found something out of date? Tell the desk.