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Customs Brokers

2021 Annual Permit User Fees

The 2021 annual permit user fees are due by January 29, 2021.  Effective October 1, 2020 the COBRA Fee for permits (USER FEE) is $150.33 (was $147.89).  The user fee amount owed for each active permit is $150.33.  Fees must be submitted to the Permitting Port for District permits and to the licensing port for National permits.  Please refer to the published Federal Register notice containing the due date.

2021 Triennial Status Report and Fee 

CBP will begin accepting submissions of the triennial status report December 15, 2020.  The status report and fee is due no later than February 28, 2021.

Save Time – Submit Online

Online, automated Triennial Status report and fee payment

On December 15, 2020, Revenue Modernization’s Electronic Payment Options project (ePO/eCBP), in conjunction with Office of Trade’s Broker Management Branch, will launch its online portal for the submission of the 2021 Triennial Status Report (TSR).

All licensed customs brokers are encouraged to visit e.cbp.dhs.gov to submit their required TSR.  Login using authentication from Login.gov and navigate through the self-paced questions to fulfill the TSR requirement.  As the user navigates through the few short screens to complete the filing process, when required they will be prompted to upload employee lists, identify the brokerage company they work for and if that company will pay the fee on their behalf.  Brokerage firms appreciate the ability to pay the fee for all their license holder employees at one time.  Improved payment receipting and payment notification ensures that the brokerage and the individual license holder have plenty of documentation of compliance

For more information see FAQs and TRS system Quick Reference Guides at: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/ecbp

Save Time – Submit Online – e.cbp.dhs.gov

Customs Brokers License Exam Information

The bi-annual Customs broker license exam (CBLE) was administered on October 8, 2020 resulting in a 37% pass rate prior to appeal decisions.  The electronic exam was held nationwide at over 120 testing locations.

APRIL 2021 BROKER LICENSE EXAM INFORMATION

Broker Exam Questions

CBP welcomes the submittal of new questions for future broker exams.  Please submit your questions to brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov with "Future Exam Questions" in the subject line.  Select HERE for the Guidelines on writing new questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED BROKER QUESTIONS

Modernization of the Customs Broker Regulations

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announces the publication of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the long awaited update to 19 CFR 111.  The NPRM for modernization of the Customs broker regulations (85 FR 34836) and elimination of Customs broker district permit fee (85 FR 34549) published June 5, 2020.  The comment period ended August 4, 2020.

It is suspected this will address many of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee's (COAC) recommendations.  Some are listed below:

  • Replace the “district permit” and “national permit” with “the permit” to better reflect the transition to a single permit framework that operates at the national level within the customs territory of the United States.
  • Require brokers to have a single permit that allows them to have sufficient authority to conduct customs business at the national level within the customs territory of the United States.  This will also eliminate the need for brokers to request permit waivers.
  • Prepare a transition plan to a single permit.
  • Require brokers to provide satisfactory evidence of how the entity intends to exercise Responsible Supervision and Control.
  • Make enhancement to ACE for broker reporting and Streamline Broker reporting.
  • Update the factors related to Responsible Supervision and Control related to the transition of managing under the national permit that would replace the district permit.
  • Require that the Power of Attorney come directly from the Importer to the Broker.
  • Remove specific dollar fee amounts and reference a single source of location allowing greater flexibility.
  • Expand Broker payment options to include electronic payment of fees.
  • Provide for reasonable steps to include the review of publicly available, open source information to authenticate the identity of the broker.
  • Require that customs business may be conducted only within the customs territory of the United States.
  • Provide for the storage of electronic customs records within the customs territory of the United States

FEE UPDATED CLAENDAR YEAR 2020

Effective October 1, 2020 the COBRA Fee for permits (USER FEE) is $150.33 (was $147.89).
Effective January 1, 2019, the broker application finger printing fee is $11.25 (was $10.00).

INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMS BROKERS

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

 

 

Last modified: 
January 15, 2021
Tags: 
Trade