Appealing a Failed Customs Broker Exam
If your results letter says you did not pass, you may be able to appeal. Since the April 2026 exam only some candidates can, and the package has to be right the first time. Here is who qualifies, what to send, and the deadline, taken from CBP's How To Appeal page and 19 CFR 111.13(f).
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Who can appeal | 57 or more correct out of 80 |
| How many questions | Up to four |
| First appeal deadline | 60 calendar days from the date of your results letter |
| Second appeal deadline | 60 days from the date of the first appeal results letter |
| How to send it | Email to brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov (preferred) or mail |
Who can appeal
You need at least 57 correct out of 80, which is within three questions of the 60 needed to pass. Below 57 there is no appeal: CBP says appeals from ineligible examinees will not be accepted. The threshold started with the April 2026 exam and does not change appeals for earlier sittings.
If you qualify, you can appeal up to four questions, and only ones where you picked an answer and did not get credit. A question you left blank cannot be appealed.
What to send
After the results letters go out, CBP emails an appeal template from brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov, within 24 hours. Your package goes together in this order:
- The CBLE Appeal Template, filled in completely
- A copy of your CBP score letter
- A copy of your answer sheet
For each question you appeal, the template asks for the answer you chose and a justification in your own words. The justification must cite one or more of the five official references for that exam: the HTSUS, 19 CFR, the ACE Entry Summary Instructions, the Right to Make Entry Directive, and the ACE Business Rules and Process Document, in the editions CBP named for your sitting.
CBP will not consider a question that has no justification, that argues for an answer you did not select, or that cites nothing from those five references. A package that is incomplete, late, or from an ineligible examinee can be rejected outright, so check it against this list before you send it.
Where and by when
By email, which CBP strongly encourages: send it to brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov with the subject line CBLE First Appeal (or CBLE Second Appeal). It must arrive by 11:59 PM Eastern on the 60th calendar day.
By mail: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade Programs, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20229-1142, ATTN: Broker Administration Branch. It must be postmarked by the 60th calendar day.
The clock runs from the date on your results letter, not the day you open it. CBP says results letters are emailed within two to three weeks of the exam. As an example, a letter dated November 13 would make the 60th calendar day January 12.
If the first appeal is denied, you can file a second appeal within 60 days of the date of the first appeal results letter.
Choosing your four
Every justification has to stand on the references, so the best candidates for an appeal are questions where you can point to the text that supports the answer you picked. Find the section, quote or cite it, and explain in plain words why it makes your answer correct. A question you only feel unsure about is not an appeal.
CBP also says plainly that answer keys are not changed after appeal decisions, so a published key can still show an answer that was later overturned.
Sitting again
You do not have to wait for an appeal to be decided. CBP says anyone may sit a future exam, including people with an appeal pending. The next exam is Wednesday, April 28, 2027; see the registration guide for the dates as CBP announces them.
Get an email the day April 2027 registration opens
For October 2026, registration was open for 30 days, August 17 to September 16, and there was no late registration. We send the dates and the eCBP link the day CBP posts them. You also get the CBLEsim letter, about once a month. One click stops either.
Every released past exam is on this site with its answer key and the citation behind each answer, and the simulator runs them as timed 80-question sittings. It is free, and studying needs no account.
If you passed
Under 19 CFR 111.11(a), you have 3 years from the exam to submit your license application, and you must be 21 on the day you submit it.
Frequently asked questions
Who can appeal a failed customs broker exam?
Since the April 2026 exam, only examinees who answered at least 57 of the 80 questions correctly, which is within three questions of passing. Appeals from anyone below that are not accepted.
How many questions can I appeal?
Up to four. You can appeal fewer. Only questions where you selected an answer and did not receive credit can be appealed.
What is the deadline to appeal the CBLE?
A first appeal is due no later than 60 calendar days from the date of your exam results letter. By email it must arrive by 11:59 PM Eastern on the 60th day; by mail it must be postmarked by then. A second appeal is due 60 days from the date of the first appeal results letter.
Where do I send a CBLE appeal?
CBP strongly encourages email, to brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov with the subject line CBLE First Appeal or CBLE Second Appeal. Mail goes to the Office of Trade Programs, ATTN: Broker Administration Branch, in Washington, DC.
Can I register for the next exam while my appeal is pending?
Yes. CBP says appeals do not have to be resolved before the next exam, and anyone may sit a future exam, including people who have appealed.
Last verified against cbp.gov on November 3, 2026. CBLEsim is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Confirm anything critical on CBP's How To Appeal page before you rely on it.