US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published the Continuing Education for Licensed Customs Brokers Final Rule (88 FR 41224), which amends CBP regulations to require continuing education for individual customs broker license holders (individual brokers) and creates a framework for administering this requirement. The new regulations will help ensure customs brokers remain up to date on evolving customs rules and related US trade laws.
While the Final Rule states that brokers must complete 36 continuing education credit hours per triennial status period, CBP will allow brokers to complete fewer than 36 hours to meet the requirement for the initial 2024-2027 triennial status period. Further guidance on how many continuing education credits will be required for the 2024-2027 triennial status period will be published on CBP.gov and in a Federal Register notice.
CBP and US partner government agencies (PGAs) will offer a variety of continuing education credits at no cost to customs brokers. Training and educational opportunities offered by a third-party outside of CBP, or PGAs will require approval by a CBP-selected accreditor. Information on the accreditation process and details on courses offered by CBP and PGAs will be posted as they become available.
This is an excerpt from the US CBP website.
The CSCB supports continuing education for Canada’s customs brokers and has made similar recommendations for Canada in the position papers we have written on customs broker regulation, promoting the CCS/CTCS programs as providing the necessary evidence of continuing education. Our position paper on this topic can be reviewed here (member login required).