Prospective Member FAQs

What are the basic differences between the NCBFAA membership options?

Regular Membership

Open to firms regularly engaged in business providing services to the public as licensed customs brokers, licensed ocean freight forwarders, international air cargo agents, and non-vessel operating common carriers located within the limits of the United States, its possessions, and territories.

Sole Proprietors can apply if they are licensed/permitted as a broker, OTI or IAC.  They would qualify because they are providing services to the public under their personal permit

• Partnerships can apply if they are licensed/permitted as customs brokers, OTI or IAC
• Licensed individuals do not qualify if they are not registered as a Sole Proprietor 
• Importers/Exporters do not qualify for Regular membership

Affiliate Membership

Open to firms not licensed as customs brokers, freight forwarders, or OTIs but in business as suppliers or vendors of transportation-related services, international business services or products specific to functions within international trade.

Associate Membership

Open to firms engaging in business as customs brokers / international freight forwarders outside the limits of the U.S., its possessions, and territories.  These do not have any U.S. based offices. 

Professional Membership

Open to individual employees of firms not eligible for other categories of NCBFAA membership but interested in expanding their knowledge of the transportation logistics industry through various courses, webinars, and educational offerings.

Does my company have to be located in the U.S. to become a member?

For Regular membership, your company must be located in the U.S. to become a member. For Affiliate or Associate memberships, your company may qualify, depending on the services your company provides.

What are the membership dues based upon?

Dues are based upon the number of your employees whose roles are directly related to customs brokerage / compliance.  Here are the official definition and parameters:  

*Your employee count should include those engaged in activities directly relating to customs brokerage/compliance, drawback, international or domestic freight forwarding, salespersons and/or NVOCC operations including supervisors.  The count should also include any warehouse workers, truck drivers, couriers, printer operators, temporary labor and other business support positions such as accounting, human resources, IT, etc. whose primary duty is to support the operations named above.

Is the Trucker Vetting Service available to Affiliate members?

The Ex Works Trucker Vetting service is only available to Regular NCBFAA members.  We have had trucking companies join as Affiliate members, obtain their licensing, and then switch over to Regular membership.  If you would like more information on this process, email membership@ncbfaa.org and ask about our Affiliate Starter Kits.