April 2021 Customs Broker Exam
The April 2021 customs broker license exam (CBLE) was an open-book sitting of 80 multiple-choice questions in 4.5 hours, with 60 correct needed to pass. 64 questions from this sitting are in the simulator, each with the official citation from CBP's answer key and a plain-English explanation.
What this sitting was like
Citations on this sitting clustered in 19 CFR Part 111, Part 190 and Part 10, per CBP's own answer key.
Five questions from this exam
Q10. In regards to a power of attorney, what legal status of a grantor is limited to a specific time period from the date of execution per the Code of Federal Regulations?
- ANonresident corporation
- BTrusteeship
- CResident corporation
- DPartnership
- EAssociation
Show the answer and explanation
The correct answer is D) Partnership because 19 CFR 141.34 explicitly limits powers of attorney issued by partnerships to a maximum of 2 years from the date of execution. Other options (A, B, C, E) are not mentioned in the regulation as having such time restrictions. The authority directly addresses partnerships, while the other legal statuses are not subject to this specific limitation under the cited rule.
Q67. A U.S.-domiciled fashion designer contracts with an overseas factory to produce the designer’s dresses for sale in the United States. The designer purchases all the necessary materials for the dresses from various sources and countries and ships the materials to the overseas factory. The designer provides his dress designs to the factory. The designer’s invoice from the factory is for the labor costs to make the dresses. The designe r acts as importer of record to enter the dresses into the United States. What should the designer add to the factory invoice price to calculate the transaction value of the dresses and why should the addition(s) be made? Select the answer which is most complete.
- AThe value of the designer’s designs must be added because they are an assist to the factory.
- BNothing must be added because the contract with the factory was simply for the labor to produce the dresses.
- CThe costs of the materials provided by the designer to the factory must be added because they are an assist.
- DThe cost of shipping the materials provided by the designer to the factory must be added, in addition to the costs of the materials provided by the designer to the factory, because both the materials and cost of shipping the materials are considered to be assists.
- EThe designer’s profit per dress must be added.
Show the answer and explanation
The correct answer is D because the materials provided by the designer and the costs to ship them to the factory are both considered "assists" under 19 CFR 152.102(a)(1)(i), which requires adding their value to the transaction value. The shipping costs are also an assist because they are incurred in connection with the production of the imported merchandise. Option A is incorrect because the designer’s designs are not explicitly stated to be provided free of charge or at reduced cost, and the regulations do not automatically treat design work as an assist unless it meets specific criteria. Option B is incorrect because the contract’s focus on labor does not exempt the designer from adding assists like materials and shipping costs. Option C is incomplete because it omits the shipping costs, which are also required. Option E is incorrect because profit is not an assist under the HTSUS text.
Q44. If a CBP bond has NOT been satisfied and no measures have been taken to file an application for relief or protest and the bond is NOT given for the production of free-entry or reduced-duty documents, how many days must pass until the matter will be reported to the Department of Justice for prosecution after the date liability has accrued under this bond?
- A45 days
- B6 0 days
- C90 days
- D135 days
- E180 days
Show the answer and explanation
The correct answer is E) 180 days because 19 CFR 113.52 explicitly states that if a CBP bond (excluding those for free-entry or reduced-duty documents) is not satisfied within 180 days after liability accrues, the matter is reported to the Department of Justice. The other options (A–D) are incorrect because they do not match the 180-day period specified in the regulation. The text does not mention shorter periods for prosecution, so these options are inconsistent with the cited authority.
Q74. CBP can release unredacted information to a Right Holder of Trademarked merchandise after a pre-determined waiting period. How many days does an Importer of Record have to respond to CBP regarding a shipment officially detained for suspicion of counterfeit ?
- A2 business days
- B5 business days
- C7 business days
- D10 business days
- E30 calendar days
Show the answer and explanation
The correct answer is C) 7 business days because 19 CFR 133.21(b)(2)(ii)(b) explicitly states that CBP will notify the importer of a detention and provide a "seven business day response period" for the importer to respond. Options A (2 days) and B (5 days) are incorrect because they misinterpret the timeline for notification (5 business days) as the response period. Option D (10 days) and E (30 calendar days) are incorrect as they refer to unrelated provisions, such as the 30-day detention period, not the specific response deadline. The regulation directly ties the 7-day response period to the notice of detention.
Q32. In which of the following 6-digit subheadings would you classify the imported product described in the paragraph below? The mixture contains chemic al substances packaged for retail sale as a skin toner. It is a scented, blue, clear liquid that contains 0.5 percent salicylic acid. It is packaged for retail sale in eight fluid ounce bottles. Its other ingredients include water, alcohol, glycerin, isoteth-20, PEG-32, sodium citrate, fragrance, propylene glycol, dimethicone propyl PG-betaine, benzophenone-4, algae extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, denatonium benzoate, and blue dye. The product is used to clear blotchy discolored patches on the sk in for cosmetic purposes. Please be aware of the following Section and Chapter Notes in addition to the terms of each heading. Chapter 29 Note 1 (a-h); Section VI (Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries) Note 2; Chapter 33 Note 2.
- A2903.94
- B3302.10
- C3304.99
- D3808.92
- E3824.99
Show the answer and explanation
The correct answer is C) 3304.99 because the product is a cosmetic preparation for the care of the skin, not a medicament, and Chapter 33 Note 2 explicitly states that such preparations are classified under heading 3304. The product’s use for cosmetic purposes (clearing blotchy patches) and its formulation as a retail skin toner align with the description in 3304.99. Options A) 2903.94 and D) 3808.92 are incorrect because they pertain to chemical derivatives and pesticides, respectively, which do not match the product’s cosmetic purpose. Option B) 3302.10 is for industrial raw materials, not retail cosmetics, and E) 3824.99 is for unspecified chemical products, which are not applicable here. GRI 1 and 6, along with Chapter 33 Note 2, confirm the classification.
That is 5 of 64. Sit the full April 2021 exam →
Answers and citations are from CBP's published answer key. CBP does not modify answer keys after appeal decisions, so where an appeal later overturned an answer, the key still shows the original.
What this exam was written against
The reference editions in force for this sitting. Editions matter: a question written against an older HTSUS or CFR can test a rule that has since changed.
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2020 Basic Edition, No Supplements) (HTSUS) - Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (2020 Revised as of April 1, 2020, Parts 1 to 199) (19 CFR § 0 -140)(19 CFR § 141-199) - Instructions for Preparation of CBP Form 7501 (December 2019) (7501 Form Prep) - Right to Make Entry Directive 3530-002A (RTME) - Business Rules and Process Document (Trade External 10. 0, Section 1 – 12) (ACE BRPD)
Sit this exam
64 questions from this sitting are in the simulator, in their original exam order, on a 3 hour 36 minute clock. Same order the candidates saw them in, same pace.
16 questions are left out: 2 depended on exhibits CBP never published or were credited to every candidate, and 14 tested law that has since changed. The directions screen notes this before you start, so nothing is a surprise mid exam.
Sit the April 2021 exam
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CBP's official answer keys for recent exams are on CBP's past-exams page (the five most recent sittings only). Last verified against cbp.gov: August 2, 2026.