Applications for April 2 CHB Exam Due March 5

February 16, 2012 by Elizabeth Parker|Customs and Ports

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that it will conduct the next Customs Broker License Examination on Monday, April 2, 2012.

Application and $200 Fee Must be Submitted by March 5

To better accommodate applicants desiring to take the April 2012 broker examination, CBP has automated the CBP Form 3124E, "Application for Customs Broker License Exam" and the payment and collection of $200 examination fee process. Applicants must apply and pay the applicable $200 fee online here by 12:00 p.m. (noon/Eastern Standard Time), March 5, 2012. Applications and fees that are submitted directly to the service port or CBP Headquarters will be returned to the applicant.

Any applicant who files an application and subsequently wishes to withdraw from the exam, must submit a written notice of withdrawal to the CBP service port noted on the application, by close of business, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

(Applicants who need assistance in completing the form, or have questions concerning payment may send an email to cbp.cbppay.gov@dhs.gov or may contact the CBP Pay.gov Help Desk at (317) 614-4964.)

2011 HTS, 19 CFR, Selected Directives, and CATAIR Sections Needed for Exam

The exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions. A score of 75 percent is required to pass. The examination lasts 4 hours. Exam topics may include: Entry, Classification, Country of Origin, Trade Agreements, Value, Antidumping/Countervailing Duty, Broker Responsibilities, FP&F, Protests, Marking, Prohibited and Restricted Merchandise, Drawback, Intellectual Property Rights, and other subjects pertinent to a broker's duties.

CBP states applicants should bring the following reference materials and any other pertinent reference materials to the examination:

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (2011 version, NO Supplements)
19 CFR (revised as of April 1, 2011) (Parts 0 to140, 141 to 199)
Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) (Appendix B -- Valid Codes; Appendix D -- Metric Conversion; Appendix E -- Valid Entry Numbers; Appendix G -- Common Errors; and Glossary of Terms)
Instructions for Preparation of CBP Form 7501 (3/17/11) (here)
Directives: 3550-055 -- Instructions for Deriving Manufacturer/Shipper Identification Code (here); 3530-079A -- Ultimate Consignee at time of Entry or Release (here); and 3530-002A -- Right to Make Entry (here).

Exam Will Be Administered at Various Locations

The examination will be administered at various locations. Applicants will be notified of the exam location and may contact the service port for additional information.

(CBP notes that in order to be eligible to take the broker examination, an individual must (on the date of the examination), be a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age, and is not an officer or employee of the U.S. Government.)

(See ITT's Online Archives 11120204 for summary of the October 2011 exam, which had a 25% pass rate.)

October 2011 Examination and Answer Key, as well as archives of previous exams, are available here.