Typically, candidates prepare for the Customs Broker Exam by taking classes, reading relevant material, and taking old practice tests. When they pass a few old practice tests, they feel that they might be ready to take the actual exam. There are several problems with this subjective approach to determining a level of preparedness. Test takers [...]
The regular Customs Broker Exam is held twice a year on the fourth Wednesday in April and October unless the regularly scheduled examination date conflicts with a national holiday, religious observance, or other foreseeable event in which case the CBP will publish an appropriate notice of a change in the examination date in the Federal [...]
Time management is critical to passing the Customs Broker Exam. The test has 80 objective questions and each question provides five alternatives to choose the correct answer. The test is timed, and you currently have four and half hours to answer 80 questions. Prior to October 2014, the time permitted to answer 80 questions on [...]
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to obtain a broker's license, an individual must: Be a citizen of the United States on the date of submission of the license application and not an officer or employee of the United States Government; Attain the age of 21 prior to the date of submission of the [...]
The short answer is, “No, but it depends.” It depends primarily on two important variables viz. your level of preparation and the degree of difficulty of the test. Several factors influence these two variables. Your level of preparation may depend on factors such as your motivation, prior work experience, level of education, aptitude and time [...]
Should I take the Customs Broker Exam in April or October? Is there a difference in the pass rates and am I more likely to pass by taking the test in April versus October? Students have often asked me this question as to whether taking the April or October test makes a difference to the [...]
Several years ago, a student approached me after failing the Customs Broker Exam twice in succession. She had spent thousands of dollars over several months of preparation with a well-known trainer. She had failed the second time by just one point which was extremely disappointing for her. Her test preparation instructor advised her to retake [...]
What is the computer adaptive method and why is it the best way to prepare for the Customs Broker Exam? Most people generally agree that the best way to learn any new material is to use a personal tutor because the learning experience can be interactive and personalized with a tutor. A personal tutor can [...]
According to CBP, exam topics typically include: Entry; Classification; Trade Agreements; Valuation; Broker Compliance; Power of Attorney; Marking; Drawback; Bonds; Foreign Trade Zones; Warehouse Entries; Intellectual Property Rights; and other subjects pertinent to a broker's duties. Further, the Customs Broker License Examination is a four and half hour long, open book test, consisting of 80 [...]
