Customs Broker Exam Study Tip 1: Required Resources

Now that you have made the decision to take the October Customs Broker Exam, it is important develop a study plan that guarantees your chances of success. Boskage wants to help you achieve your goal of passing the exam; therefore, we are starting a series of articles to support you on your journey to success! Our first topic in this series focuses on exam resources.

The first step in your plan should be acquiring the required texts and study materials. These materials come in two categories, “required” and “study aids”. Required materials are those that students must have because questions on the exam have been selected from these sources. CBP lists the required materials in the Notice of Examination. The required materials are listed below and you should obtain them now if do not already have them. All of the required materials can be purchased from Boskage Commerce Publications.

Required Exam Resources
1. Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2008 version - Supplement 1)

2. Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (revised as of April 1, 2008 Parts 0 to140, 141 to 199 and 200 to End) (no supplements)

3. Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR)

• Appendix B - Valid Codes
• Appendix D - Metric Conversion
• Appendix E - Valid Entry Numbers
• Appendix G - Common Errors
• Appendix H - Census Warning Messages
• Appendix L - Drawback Errors
• Glossary of Terms

4. Instructions for Preparation of CBP Form 7501 (8-30-2005)

5. C-TPAT - Minimum Security Criteria for Customs Brokers (3-20-2007)

6. Submission Changes for Supplemental Information Letters and Post Entry Amendments

7. CBP Directives

• 3510-004, Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts
• Amendment to 3510-004 for Certain Merchandise Subject to Antidumping/Countervailing Duty Cases
• 3550-055, Instructions for Deriving Manufacturer/Shipper Identification
• 3550-067, Entry Summary Acceptance and Rejection
• 3550-079A, Ultimate Consignee at time of Entry or Release
• 3560-001A, Census Interface-Processing Procedures
• 5610-002A, Standard Guidelines for the Input of Names and Addresses Into Automated Commercial System (ACS) Files

Note: The use of any versions of the listed references other than those recommended is at the applicant's own risk.

Seeing this list of resources on paper and as a stack of documents on your desk can seem quite overwhelming. We’ll discuss organization of your materials in an upcoming article. Stay tuned to the Boskage Trade News for more helpful hints on studying for the Customs Broker Exam! The next article will cover the second category of exam resources, the “Exam Study Aids”. We also welcome any suggestions on topics you would like to see discussed.