Broker CE and TSR checklist: 20 hours by Jan 31, file TSR by Feb 28, 2027
The 2024–2027 triennial closes soon. A practical CE and Triennial Status Report checklist for individually licensed customs brokers, including record retention and audit risk.
Individually licensed customs brokers (LCBs) close the 2024–2027 triennial with two hard requirements: earn 20 hours of Continuing Education (CE) by January 31, 2027, and file the Triennial Status Report (TSR) with the $100 fee through eCBP during the mid-December 2026 to February 28, 2027 window.
CBP's broker page is blunt: failure to satisfy 19 CFR 111.30(d) and 19 CFR 111.102 can revoke the license by operation of law. This is not a courtesy reminder cycle.
20 CE hours by January 31, 2027. TSR via eCBP with $100 fee by February 28, 2027. Miss either and the license is at risk.
CE: what counts and when
Credit earning period: January 1, 2025 through January 31, 2027. Credits must come from a CBP-selected accreditor or the federal government. Accredited training carries the CE logo. CSMS #62886978 opened the earning window and listed qualifying activity types: conferences and webinars, asynchronous online courses, company trainings, port tours, and CBP or local-association trade days.
Earning period: Jan. 1, 2025 – Jan. 31, 2027
TSR window: mid-Dec 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 · $100 fee
File via eCBP · retain CE proof 3 years
Brokers who received their license during the current triennial period do not need to comply with the CE rule until the start of the next Triennial Status Reporting period (per CSMS #62886978). Everyone else on an individual license should assume the 20-hour requirement applies.
TSR filing checklist
Individual license holders must certify CE compliance, pay the $100 fee, and provide current contact information. Organization license holders pay the fee and update contacts (CE attestation is the individual-license obligation).
- 1. Log in to the eCBP Portal and open the Customs Broker dashboard.
- 2. Select the 2027 Triennial Status Report filing option when the portal opens (precise date announced via CSMS/CAMS 5–7 days prior).
- 3. Attest to completion of the 20 CE hours.
- 4. Complete and certify required information, then pay the $100 fee.
- 5. Download, save, and print the confirmation and receipt.
CBP recommends completing CE and filing the TSR together by January 31, 2027, rather than burning the February 28 fee deadline with unfinished credits. Do not upload certificates at filing; keep them in your personal records for audit.
Records and audit
Retain proof of completion for at least three years: certificates, course codes, course names, dates, educator names, and/or transcripts. After the TSR period, CBP will select a percentage of brokers for audit; for this cycle, audited brokers are selected and notified after March 2027.
If you do not intend to use the license, voluntary suspension before the deadline is an option via the Broker Administration Branch at brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov. Inactive individual license holders still file a TSR but need not report CE credits once suspended.
Regulatory vs. CBP.gov dates
CBP.gov cites the operational deadlines above to drive compliance. CBP states it will not revoke a license by operation of law without adhering to the regulatory deadlines in 19 CFR 111.30(d) and 111.102. Treat the January 31 / February 28 dates as the working calendar anyway. Waiting for the outer regulatory edge is how licenses get lost.
- Individual LCBs: 20 CE hours for the Jan. 1, 2025–Jan. 31, 2027 earning period, due January 31, 2027.
- File the 2027 TSR via eCBP from mid-December 2026 through February 28, 2027; pay the $100 fee; certify CE.
- Use CBP-accredited (or federal) training with the CE logo so credits count.
- Retain CE proof for three years; audits begin after March 2027 for this cycle.
- Failure under 19 CFR 111.30(d) and 111.102 can revoke the license by operation of law.
- Primary pages: CBP TSR/CE requirements; CSMS #62886978.
- Customs Broker Triennial Status Report (TSR) and Continuing Education (CE) Requirements · U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- CSMS #62886978 - Customs Brokers Continuing Education Program - Licensed Customs Brokers Can Begin Earning Credits Starting January 1, 2025 · U.S. Customs and Border Protection
This article is for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Drawback eligibility depends on your specific facts, and final refunds are determined by CBP at liquidation. Consult a licensed customs broker or attorney for your situation.