The short version: the next customs broker license exam is expected on Wednesday, April 28, 2027, and the one after on Wednesday, October 27, 2027. 19 CFR 111.13(b) sets the exam on the fourth Wednesday of April and October. CBP has not yet posted either date, so treat them as expected until the CBLE page confirms them.
The next four sittings
| Sitting | Expected exam day | Registration opens | Registration closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2027 | Wednesday, April 28, 2027 | about February 17, 2027 | about March 17, 2027 |
| October 2027 | Wednesday, October 27, 2027 | about August 18, 2027 | about September 15, 2027 |
| April 2028 | Wednesday, April 26, 2028 | about February 16, 2028 | about March 15, 2028 |
| October 2028 | Wednesday, October 25, 2028 | about August 16, 2028 | about September 13, 2028 |
We worked out the exam days from the rule in 19 CFR 111.13(b) (eCFR). The registration dates come from CBP’s published timeline: registration opens 10 weeks before the exam and closes 6 weeks before (Registration Information). CBP posts the exact dates on its own page; use those when they appear.
Can the date move?
Yes. The rule allows a different date when the fourth Wednesday clashes with “a national holiday, religious observance, or other foreseeable event”, and CBP then publishes a notice in the Federal Register. It has happened: the April 2024 exam was given on May 1, 2024, as CBP’s past exams page shows.
Timeline for the April 28, 2027 exam
CBP’s timeline counts back from exam day. Applied to April 28, 2027:
| When | What happens | Expected date |
|---|---|---|
| 10 weeks out | Registration opens in eCBP. You pay the $390 fee when you register. | about February 17 |
| 6 weeks out | Registration closes. | about March 17 |
| 4 weeks out | The testing vendor emails an invitation to create an account and pick a test site. | about March 31 |
| 3 weeks out | Scheduling closes. If you have not picked a site, the vendor places you near your mailing address. | about April 7 |
| 1 week out | Admission notice with your test site arrives by email. | about April 21 |
| 2 days out | Last chance to withdraw for a refund: 8:30 am Eastern in eCBP. | Monday, April 26 |
| Exam day | Doors close at 8:30 am local time. Arrive by 8:00 am. | Wednesday, April 28 |
| 2 to 3 weeks after | Results letters by email. | about May 12 to 19 |
Two rules sit behind this. The regulation says you must apply at least 30 calendar days before the exam (19 CFR 111.13(b)); CBP’s own timeline closes registration earlier, at 6 weeks, so go by CBP’s date. And refunds for a withdrawal are “generally processed within 45 days after the exam date” (Registration Information).
After the exam
- Results: CBP emails results letters “within two to three weeks from the date of the exam” (CBLE page).
- Past exam and key: CBP aims to post the exam and its answer key within two weeks (CBP broker FAQ). We work each one here under past exams.
- Appeals: first appeals are due within 60 days of the results letter. Only scores of 57 to 59 may appeal. See appeals.
What to do now
- Check which editions to bring on the references page. CBP posts the list for each sitting on its registration page.
- Read what to bring before you register: the ID rules turn people away on exam day.
- Plan your weeks with how to study.
Sources checked November 15, 2026: 19 CFR 111.13 (2025 edition, unchanged in the current eCFR), CBP’s Registration Information, the CBLE page and the CBP broker FAQ.