CBLE exam day: documents, references and rules
Everything here comes from the instructions that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) publishes for the Customs Broker License Examination (CBLE). CBP changes details from sitting to sitting, so read its current registration information before you rely on this page. Checked against CBP on 5 October 2026.
Registration timeline
- 10 weeks before the exam: registration opens on eCBP.
- 6 weeks before: registration closes.
- 4 weeks before: CBP's exam vendor invites you to create an account, where you choose a test location.
- 3 weeks before: the scheduling period closes. If you have not chosen a location, the vendor schedules you at the nearest one with free seats.
- 1 week before: you receive an admission notice with your location.
The exam fee is $390, paid on eCBP when you register. To be eligible you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and not an officer or employee of the U.S. Government on the date of the exam.
Documents: the most common reason people miss the exam
CBP says problems with ID and citizenship documents are the most common reason candidates miss the exam. A current U.S. passport, or a U.S. Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, proves both identity and citizenship on its own. Without one of those, bring two documents: a photo ID (for example a state driver's license or ID card or a U.S. military ID) and a proof of citizenship (for example a U.S. birth certificate). The first and last names must match, documents must be original, unexpired and physical (no photocopies, photos or scans), and passports from other countries do not count.
References
The exam is open book. Electronic versions of the reference materials are available inside the exam platform, and CBP recommends that you also bring your own paper copies, marked up and bookmarked, as a backup. CBP names the exact editions for each sitting; using other editions is at your own risk. You may bring one rolling crate or one suitcase not larger than 16 inches high, 18.5 wide and 15 deep. The exam browser can search and highlight keywords in the electronic references, so practice finding provisions quickly.
On the day
- The doors to the exam room close at 8:30 am and nobody is admitted afterwards; if you cannot show your documents by then you cannot test and you lose your fee.
- Electronic devices of any kind, including phones, smart watches and digital timers, are not allowed.
- The exam is confidential: you may not discuss it until all exams have been completed in all time zones, after midnight on exam day.
After the exam
- You receive your answer record on exam day and can download it from the vendor's site; download it within 120 days, because it is then deleted.
- CBP posts the answer key as soon as possible after the exam, and you receive your result by email about 21 days after the exam.
- Candidates who score within three questions of the passing score (57 or more of 80) can appeal up to four questions; see CBP's CBLE appeals page.
- To withdraw and get a refund, withdraw on eCBP no later than 8:30 am Eastern two days before the exam. Do not use withdrawal to correct a typo in your registration, because you cannot register again for the same exam afterwards.