Which reference editions does the CBLE use?
The Customs Broker License Examination (CBLE) is an open-book exam, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) designates the reference editions for every sitting. Answers are scored against those editions, which are not always the newest ones, so check CBP's list for your sitting. Checked against CBP on 5 October 2026.
The usual references
| Reference | Edition CBP usually designates |
|---|---|
| Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), Basic Edition | April exam: the year before. October exam: the current year. |
| Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR), Annual Edition | April exam: one to two years before, depending on the availability of print versions. October exam: one year before. |
| ACE Entry Summary Instructions | Version 2.4a |
| Right to Make Entry (RTME) Directive | 3530-002A |
| ACE Entry Summary Business Rules and Process Document (ACE BRPD), Chapters 1 to 24 | The version in force shortly before the exam |
CBP lists the exact editions for each sitting on its registration information page, and the general rules are on its General CBLE Information page. CBP also warns that using a different version than the listed one is at your own risk.
Why it matters when you practice
A practice question can be correct under today's regulations and wrong under the edition your exam uses, and the other way round. CBLE Prep checks its answer keys against the editions CBP designates for the next sitting, and where current practice differs from those editions the explanation says so. Re-check an explanation against your own copy of the designated edition whenever the two disagree, and use "Report a problem" on the question if you think it needs a fix.