CBP requires the triennial report. NEI makes earning, tracking, and certifying your credits straightforward.
The triennial report is a CBP requirement, not an NEI one. Here is what CBP requires of you for the 2024 to 2027 cycle.
Earn 20 CE credits between January 1, 2025 and January 31, 2027. The full 36-credit requirement begins the next cycle.
Credits must come from a CBP-accredited activity. Look for the accreditor's logo, the CBP CE logo, and a CE code.
Submit to CBP your Triennial Status Report and a $100 fee through the eCBP Portal by February 28, 2027.
CBP audits a percentage of customs brokers. If selected, you have 30 days to produce records.
NEI is the only CBP-selected accreditor that's also the national association of customs brokers. Our courses are written for the work you actually do, and our system is built to support customs brokers at every step of the triennial cycle.
Every NEI webinar, on-demand course, and conference session carries an explicit CBP CE credit value. The fastest path: earn 15 of your 20 credits in a single event at NEI's Global Trade Educational Conference (the GTE Conference).
Browse the credit calendar →Tracking your credits in Logistics-EI is a benefit reserved for NEI certificate holders (CCS, MCS, CES, MES). Designees can log every credit in their Logistics-EI transcript and produce it in case of audit. Non-designees should keep their own records.
Learn about NEI designations →When CBP opens the TSR window in mid-December 2026, you'll self-certify through the eCBP Portal. NEI Designees reference their Logistics-EI transcript directly. Non-designees certify from their own records.
How TSR submission works →The most efficient way to earn the majority of your CE for the cycle, with the customs broker community in one room.
Visit gtecon.com →Real-time guidance on the regulations and topics moving fastest. Recorded for later viewing where eligible.
See the calendar →A library of accredited courses you can complete on your own schedule. Ideal for closing out the cycle after the GTE Conference.
Browse the catalog →Your customs broker license proves you passed the exam. The Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) designation proves you go above and beyond, not just meeting but exceeding CBP's continuing education requirements. It signals a customs broker who stays on the cutting edge.
Already a licensed customs broker? You can skip the course. NEI grandfathers LCBs directly into CCS for a one-time $125 fee. Submit a copy of your license, pay the fee, and you hold the designation. The six-month, 25-module course is waived in recognition of the broker exam you already passed. After that, the standard $95 annual renewal and 15 CE credits per year keep your designation active.
CCS designees get access to credit tracking in Logistics-EI, a benefit reserved for designation holders. Log your completion code once for your CCS renewal and again for your CBP triennial record, and your credits land in a single transcript that does double duty: CCS renewal in one column, CBP audit defense in the other.
Explore CCS Grandfathering →The most efficient way to add a credential, unlock Logistics-EI tracking, and earn credits that count for both your CCS renewal and your CBP triennial.
Start CCS Grandfathering →The way you meet your CE obligation should match how your business is set up. NEI and NCBFAA offer three membership types to align with your specific needs. All three unlock member pricing on accredited NEI training, including the GTE Conference, webinars, and on-demand courses.
Built for the individual licensed customs broker managing your own CE. Get member rates across every accredited NEI course, webinar, and conference, including the GTE Conference, where you can knock out 15 credits in one event. Member pricing on CCS grandfathering and on annual designation renewals as well.
Built for importers and exporters that employ licensed customs brokers and other compliance professionals. Corporate Membership gives your team access to accredited training at member rates, plus volume discounts of 15 to 40 percent on webinars and on-demand courses scaled to your team size. Includes the option to have your internal training accredited for CBP CE credit.
Built for customs brokers, freight forwarders, air carriers and NVOCCs. Includes member rates on certifications and CE (members save up to $660 on a single certification course), plus everything else NCBFAA membership brings: legal templates, T&C, advocacy on Capitol Hill, the Monday Morning eBriefing, E&O insurance discounts, free trucker vetting, and a vote in the association that represents your industry.
Every price below comes from ncbfaa.org. No hidden tiers, no asterisks. The savings claims at the bottom are calculated directly from these numbers.
| Item | Non-Member | Member | Member Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCS or CES certification course | $1,375 | $715 | $660 |
| MCS or MES certification course | $1,450 | $950 | $500 |
| 101-level intro courses (Import, Export, Apparel) | $660 | $330 | $330 |
| GTE 2026 Full Conference Pass (15 CCS/CES credits, LCB CE in progress) | $885 | $735 | $150 |
| NEI-hosted 1-hour webinar (Professional Member rate) | varies | $35 | varies |
| CCS or CES grandfathering (one-time, LCBs only) | $125 | $125 | — |
| Annual designation renewal (CCS, MCS, CES, MES) | $95 | $95 | — |
| CBP triennial fee (paid to CBP, not NEI) | $100 every 3 yrs | $100 every 3 yrs | n/a |
| Membership | Tier | Annual Dues |
|---|---|---|
| NEI Professional Individual LCB |
Year 1 initiation | $250 (one-time) |
| Year 2+ annual renewal | $100 | |
| NEI Corporate Importer / Exporter / Manufacturer |
1-9 employees | $907 |
| 10-499 employees | $1,631 | |
| 500+ employees | $2,447 | |
| NCBFAA Regular Broker / Forwarder / NVOCC firm |
Minimum (under 8 employees) | $699 |
Year 1 covers the $250 Professional Membership initiation and the $125 CCS grandfathering fee, plus your first $95 CCS renewal. From Year 2 onward, you pay $100 PM renewal plus $95 CCS renewal. The savings on one CCS course ($660) cover the annual cost more than three times over.
A mid-size importer with 2 in-house LCBs saves about $680 on LCB certification in Year 1 of Corporate Membership, plus member-rate training discounts across the broader compliance team.
At the minimum dues tier ($699), a single LCB grandfathering into CCS saves $456 in Year 1 vs. taking the course at non-member rate. The math compounds with every additional LCB. Plus: legal templates (T&C, four POA forms, Bill of Lading), Capitol Hill advocacy, the Monday Morning eBriefing, E&O insurance discounts, free trucker vetting, and member-rate NEI training across your whole team.
One of only five entities authorized by CBP to accredit CE activities. The initial three-year award runs through June 2027.
NCBFAA has been the national voice of the customs broker industry since 1897. No other accreditor has the same connection to the people doing the work.
NEI designees can log every CE credit in their Logistics-EI transcript by entering the completion code after each activity. If CBP audits, you produce records in two clicks instead of assembling a spreadsheet from email receipts.
Accredited webinars, seminars, conferences (including the GTE Conference), on-demand courses, port tours, trade days, and qualifying company training. Every activity must be accredited through one of CBP's five selected accreditors, including NEI, and will display the accreditor's logo, the CBP Continuing Education logo, and a CE code. CBP also offers free trade outreach webinars. Many qualify and can be added to your records.
For pre-recorded webinars, the credit is earned on the date you watched the recording, not the date of the original live broadcast.
There is a one-year window. For a pre-recorded webinar to qualify for CE credit, the original broadcast must have taken place within the last 12 months. A webinar that was first broadcast in July 2025 is eligible for credit through July 2026. After that date, the same recording no longer qualifies. Plan your viewing accordingly if you're relying on a specific recorded webinar to fulfill your credit requirement.
Best practice has three parts:
Members can find walkthrough guidance on the NEI FAQs & Policies page, plus a recorded walkthrough webinar available on Logistics-EI.
Yes to both. NEI-accredited activities count toward both your CBP triennial CE and your annual NEI designation renewal. The reverse is also true: any CE you earn for your designation renewal counts toward your CBP triennial requirement, as long as it comes from a CBP-accredited activity.
Important: the system requires TWO entries to get credit for both records. When you complete an accredited activity, you'll receive a completion code. To have that credit count toward both your CBP triennial requirement AND your NEI designation renewal, you must enter the code in Logistics-EI twice:
If you only enter the code once, only one record gets credited. NEI is working to consolidate this process; until then, the two-entry workflow is required. Full step-by-step instructions are on the NEI FAQs & Policies page.
No. Customs brokers who receive their license during the current triennial period don't need to comply until the next reporting period begins.
Yes, if your license remains active. As long as you hold an active license, the CE requirement applies. If plans change and you stay licensed, you'll already be on track.
You submit your TSR through the eCBP Portal between mid-December 2026 and February 28, 2027. The submission requires you to:
If you hold an NEI designation, you can reference your Logistics-EI transcript when self-certifying. If you don't, you'll certify based on your own records and retain documentation in case of audit.
NEI summarizes CBP's program for your convenience. CBP is the authoritative source for all requirements. Visit cbp.gov for official guidance.
It is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) fee, required under 19 CFR § 111.30(d). Each entity holding a customs broker license pays CBP $100 per license, every triennial. Each license requires its own status report and fee. Payment is electronic only through the eCBP Portal, using a credit card, debit card, or digital wallet. CBP returns mailed payments.
NEI summarizes CBP's program for your convenience. CBP is the authoritative source for all fees and procedures. Visit cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/customs-brokers/fees for official guidance.
Two fees fall due in or near February 2027: your $95 annual designation renewal (paid to NEI) and the $100 CBP triennial fee (paid to CBP through the eCBP Portal). NEI Professional Membership is a separate annual renewal that follows your personal anniversary date, so it may or may not fall in February. Many LCBs hold all three because the combined member pricing and tracking benefits exceed the dues over a triennial cycle.
Grandfathering is a one-time benefit. If you have ever used the grandfathering process at any time in the past to become CCS certified, you cannot use that path again. If you let your CCS designation lapse, the path back is reinstatement.
Please contact reinstatement@ncbfaa.org to begin the reinstatement process.
Yes, if it's accredited. Internal training developed in-house can earn CE credit once it's been submitted to and approved by one of CBP's five selected accreditors. NEI can accredit internal company training for organizations enrolled in NEI Corporate Membership. Ask us about an MOU if this is of interest, or reach the accreditation team directly at accreditation@ncbfaa.org.
If selected, you'll have 30 days to produce records for each CE activity you completed: course title, provider, date, credit hours, location, and CE code. NEI designees can reference their Logistics-EI transcript, which captures all five fields automatically once the completion code is logged. Non-designees should keep their own records (a spreadsheet is fine) and retain proof of each activity.
CBP's enforcement is staged and increasingly active. CBP has signaled they will be conducting audits and verifications. If selected, you will have 30 days to produce information to substantiate your credits and education.
If you fail to complete your 20 credits or miss the report:
The system gives you time to fix the problem, but the deadlines move quickly once they start. The simplest way to avoid this is to earn credits steadily through the cycle rather than batching them at the end.
Yes. Licensed customs brokers can grandfather into the CCS designation for a one-time $125 fee. No course, no exam. You submit a copy of your license, pay the fee, and you hold the designation. The standard $95 annual renewal and 15 CE credits per year apply afterward. The same $125 grandfathering option is available for CES. The grandfathering offer can only be used once. Email grandfathering@ncbfaa.org with questions.
Whichever path fits, members save on every credit.