Customs Broker Exam Registration: October 2026
Registration for the October 2026 Customs Broker License Exam opens Monday, August 17, 2026 and closes Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 4:30 PM Eastern. The exam is Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The fee is $390, paid when you register through CBP's eCBP portal.
If you miss the September 16 cutoff there is no late registration. The next exam after this one is in April 2027.
Key dates
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | Monday, August 17, 2026 |
| Registration closes | Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 4:30 PM Eastern |
| Candidate webinar invitation sent | Thursday, September 17, 2026 |
| Candidate webinar | Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 2:00 PM Eastern |
| Self-selection opens (choose your testing location) | Friday, October 2, 2026 |
| Final withdrawal deadline | Monday, October 26, 2026, 8:30 AM Eastern |
| Exam day | Wednesday, October 28, 2026 |
The exam is given twice a year, on the fourth Wednesday of April and October.
How to register
You register and pay through the eCBP portal. Click "Brokers" and follow the on-page instructions. CBP recommends using the latest version of Google Chrome, and enough people hit problems with other browsers that it is worth taking that advice literally.
The fee is $390 at the time of registration.
Two things to do the moment you register:
- Add CBLE_Support@talogy.com and cbpcustomsbrokerexam@pdri.com to your contacts. Everything from CBP and the testing vendor comes from those addresses, and they land in spam constantly. If you miss the self-selection email you can lose your choice of testing location.
- Use an email address you actually check. The webinar invitation on September 17 goes to whatever address you register with, and so does your results letter.
Who is eligible
On the date of the exam you must be:
- A U.S. citizen
- 18 years of age or older
- Not an officer or employee of the United States Government
Passing the exam is the first step toward a license, not the license itself. The license application is separate and comes after you pass.
What the exam actually is
- 80 multiple-choice questions
- 4.5 hours
- 75 percent to pass, which is 60 of 80 questions correct
- Given electronically. Most people sit at a centralized exam facility, though a small number test remotely within the customs territory of the United States.
The purpose, in CBP's own words from 19 CFR 111.13(a), is to determine your knowledge of customs and related laws, regulations, procedures, bookkeeping, accounting, and other matters necessary to render valuable service to importers and exporters.
New for 2026: the appeals threshold
This changed with the April 2026 exam and a lot of candidates still have not heard about it.
If you score within three questions of passing, meaning 57 or higher out of 80, you can appeal up to four questions if you believe your answer was the best answer.
A 57, 58, or 59 used to be simply a fail. Now it is a fail with a path. Results letters are emailed within two to three weeks of the exam, and a first appeal is due no later than 60 days from the date on that letter. A second appeal is due no later than 60 days from the date on the first appeal results letter.
Watch those dates. The clock runs from the date on the letter, not the date you read it.
Reference materials for the October 28, 2026 exam
These are the exact editions CBP lists for this administration. Studying the wrong year of the HTSUS or 19 CFR is a common and completely avoidable way to learn rules that are no longer the rules.
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, Basic Edition: 2026 HTS Basic
- Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations: 2025 Annual Edition, Parts 1 to End
- ACE Entry Summary Instructions: Version 2.4a
- Right to Make Entry (RTME) Directive: 3530-002A
- ACE Entry Summary Business Rules and Process Document (ACE BRPD): Version 12, Chapters 1 through 24
Electronic versions of all of these are available inside the exam platform. Even so, CBP recommends bringing your own paper copies as a backup, and the reason is practical: your own books are the ones you have tabbed, highlighted, and know how to move around in under time pressure.
The mistake that keeps people out of the room
CBP says plainly that problems with identification and citizenship documents are the single most common reason candidates miss the exam on exam day.
The cleanest solution is a current U.S. passport or a U.S. Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, because each one proves identity and citizenship by itself. Otherwise you need one document proving identity, such as a state issued driver's license or state ID card, plus a separate document proving citizenship, such as a U.S. birth certificate.
Check the expiration date on whatever you plan to bring, today, not in October.
A warning about withdrawing
The final withdrawal deadline is October 26, 2026 at 8:30 AM Eastern.
Do not use the withdrawal option to fix a mistake in your application. Once you withdraw you cannot reapply for the same exam. If something on your registration is wrong, contact CBP to correct it instead.
Recent pass rates
Prior to appeal decisions:
| Exam | Pass rate |
|---|---|
| April 22, 2026 | 22% |
| October 22, 2025 | 12% |
| April 23, 2025 | 30% |
The swing between sittings is real, and it is a good argument for not gambling on one exam being easy. Prepare for the October 2025 version of this exam rather than the April 2025 version.
Practicing for it
I am sitting for the spring 2027 exam, and while studying I built a free simulator: cblesim.com.
It drills real past exam questions from CBP's published exams, each one with the official citation from CBP's answer key and a plain English explanation, and the mock exams run in the same 80 question, 4.5 hour format described above. There is no charge, no account, and no ads.
It is not affiliated with or endorsed by CBP, and it is not a substitute for the printed references you bring on exam day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the October 2026 customs broker exam?
Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
When does registration open and close?
It opens Monday, August 17, 2026 and closes Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 4:30 PM Eastern.
How much does the customs broker exam cost?
$390, paid through the eCBP portal when you register.
What is the passing score?
75 percent, which is 60 correct out of 80 questions.
How long is the exam?
4.5 hours for 80 multiple-choice questions.
Can I take the exam remotely?
Most examinees test at a centralized exam facility. A small number test remotely within the customs territory of the United States.
What happens if I miss the registration deadline?
There is no late registration. You would wait for the next administration in April 2027.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and not an officer or employee of the United States Government on the date of the exam.
Can I appeal if I fail?
If you score 57 or higher out of 80, which is within three questions of passing, you may appeal up to four questions. First appeals are due within 60 days of the date on your results letter.
Which reference materials can I use?
The 2026 HTS Basic Edition, the 2025 Annual Edition of 19 CFR, ACE Entry Summary Instructions v2.4a, RTME Directive 3530-002A, and ACE BRPD Version 12. Electronic copies are in the exam platform, and CBP recommends bringing your own paper copies as backup.
Last verified against cbp.gov on August 2, 2026. CBLEsim is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Dates and requirements come from CBP and can change, so confirm anything critical on CBP's Customs Broker License Exam page before you rely on it.