Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE) Guide: Format, Categories and Scoring
The Customs Broker License Exam (CBLE) is the exam U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses to decide who knows enough "customs and related laws, regulations and procedures, bookkeeping, accounting" to be licensed as a customs broker (19 CFR 111.13(a)). Passing it is the first step to a license. It is open book, 80 questions, 4 hours 30 minutes, and you need 75% (60 correct).
The format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 80 multiple choice, one best answer |
| Options | 4 (A-D) on every released exam since May 2024; CBP cut the number of options as a best practice |
| Time | 4.5 hours (270 minutes) |
| Pass mark | 75% (19 CFR 111.11(a)(4)); 60 of 80 |
| Guessing | No penalty: answer every question |
| When | Fourth Wednesday of April and October (19 CFR 111.13(b)) |
| Where | In person at about 44 sites, on an electronic platform with built-in searchable references |
| Fee | US$390, paid on eCBP when you register (19 CFR 111.96(a)) |
| Who may sit | A US citizen, 18 or older, not a federal officer or employee (19 CFR 111.13(b)) |
The six categories
Every released exam groups its questions by category, always in the same order. The size of each category moves a little from sitting to sitting:
| Category | May 2024 | Oct 2024 | Apr 2025 | Oct 2025 | Apr 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Broker Compliance | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 17 |
| II Practical Exercise | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| III Special topic | Drawback 5 | Drawback 5 | Drawback 5 | Quota 5 | Quota 4 |
| IV Classification | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 |
| V Entry / Entry Summary | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| VI Valuation, Appraisement and Duty Assessment | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Entry / Entry Summary is the largest block at 25 questions on every recent exam. CBP's own list of subjects also names partner government agencies, foreign-trade zones and bonded warehouses, bonds, intellectual property rights, marking and country of origin, antidumping and countervailing duties, the Enforce and Protect Act, trade agreements, powers of attorney, recordkeeping, fines and penalties and continuing education.
Open book, but not easy
You may use the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS), Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the ACE Entry Summary Instructions, the Right to Make Entry directive and the ACE Entry Summary Business Rules and Process Document. CBP loads them into the exam software and you may bring paper copies. The difficulty is time and precision: 80 questions in 270 minutes is about 3 minutes 22 seconds each, and many questions need a lookup. See CBLE references.
Scoring and results
CBP emails results about 21 days after the exam. You need 60 of 80. From the April 2026 exam, examinees who score 57 or more may appeal up to four questions (see CBLE appeals). A pass supports a license application made within 3 years (19 CFR 111.11(a)(4)).
How to prepare
- Learn where things live in 19 CFR (Part 111 brokers, 141-143 entry, 152 valuation, 159 liquidation, 174 protests, 190 drawback) before you memorize anything.
- Classify from the headings and notes, not the index (GRI method).
- Work the released exams under the real clock, then read why each wrong option is wrong (past exams).
- Practice the arithmetic by hand: duty, MPF, HMF, drawback (calculations).
- Take a full practice exam and review by category.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the customs broker exam?
80 multiple-choice questions with four options each, in 4 hours 30 minutes (CBP, as at 12 Oct 2026).
What score do you need to pass the CBLE?
75%, which is 60 of 80 (19 CFR 111.11(a)(4)).
Is the customs broker exam open book?
Yes. CBP allows the HTSUS, 19 CFR, the ACE Entry Summary Instructions, the RTME directive and the ACE BRPD, electronically in the exam and on paper.
How much does the CBLE cost?
US$390 per sitting (19 CFR 111.96(a)).
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