Join thousands of customs brokers meeting CBP’s CE requirement.

Most qualifying CE comes through one of CBP’s five selected accreditors, including NEI. CBP also runs free trade outreach webinars and government CE activities directly, which qualify on their own.

Activities that qualify include accredited webinars, seminars, conferences (including the Global Trade Educational (GTE) Conference), on-demand courses, port tours, trade days, and qualifying company training.

CBP also publishes a list of activities that do not qualify, including social events, government-led meetings such as COAC and ITAC, reading or writing trade publications, individual professional development, academic coursework, and sales or marketing events.

For CBP’s full list, see CBP’s continuing education page for individually licensed brokers.

Yes. CBP offers free webinars, live and recorded, and they can count toward your CE credits. CBP has clarified which content qualifies for the 2024 to 2027 Triennial Status Reporting period. The rules depend on who offers it.

Government content. Webinars and other content from CBP or a partner government agency count if published between January 1, 2024, and January 31, 2027.

Content from other providers, including NEI. This content is accredited by a CBP-Selected Accreditor, and the accreditation lasts one year. The one-year limit applies to accredited content, not to government content.

For the official details, check CBP’s Continuing Education page. Then find sessions and recordings on CBP’s Trade Outreach Webinars page.

CBP requires two visible signifiers on every accredited activity: the accreditor’s logo and the CBP Continuing Education logo. Activity pages normally also show how many CE credits the activity is worth.

The CE code (also called a UIC) is not something to look for beforehand. It is issued at the end of the activity, on the closing slide or completion certificate. If you hold an NEI credential, you enter it in your Logistics-EI transcript to record the credit. If you don’t, you record it in your own tracking spreadsheet alongside the other CBP-required details.

Example: what to look for

Before you trust an activity for credit, check for these three things. If all three are there, it counts toward your CBP triennial.

1. 1CBP Continuing Education logo (top left)
2. 2Accreditor’s logo (here, NEI), top right
3. 3A line showing LCB credits (here, “20.00 LCB credits”)

It depends on who published it. Government content from CBP or a partner government agency counts if published between January 1, 2024, and January 31, 2027. Content accredited by a CBP-Selected Accreditor, including NEI, is accredited for one year. See the CBP webinars question above, and check CBP’s Continuing Education page before relying on a recorded webinar for credit.

Three places to look:

• NEI Education Calendar for upcoming live webinars and conference sessions: ncbfaa.org/education/continuing-education/nei-education-calendar
• On-Demand Courses for self-paced courses you can complete anytime: ncbfaa.org/education/continuing-education/on-demand-courses
• GTE Conference for the fastest path (up to 15 credits in one event). The 2027 conference is August 1 to 3 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, KY. The 2026 conference sold out, and we expect 2027 to sell out as well, so plan early: gtecon.com.

Registration happens through Logistics-EI. After you complete an activity, you receive a unique identification code (UIC), the CE code shown at the end of an accredited activity, usually on the closing slide or completion certificate. If you hold an NEI designation, enter that UIC in your Logistics-EI transcript to record the credit. If you don’t, record it in your own files.

Yes, if it is accredited. Internal training developed in-house can earn CE credit once 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 a Company Training Partnership (MOU) if this is of interest, or reach the accreditation team directly at accreditation@ncbfaa.org.

Yes. CBP recognizes a half credit for 30 minutes of continuous participation in an accredited activity. Shorter sessions still count toward your 20 credits.

Yes, within limits. You can earn up to 1 credit per activity you develop, and up to 12 credits per cycle this way. Preparation cannot make up your entire requirement.

Transcript tracking in Logistics-EI is a premier benefit reserved for NEI designees (holders of a CCS, MCS, CES, or MES credential). It is not included with any membership, whether NCBFAA or NEI. Once you hold a credential, you can log every credit you earn, run a progress check against the 20-credit cycle target, and produce one consolidated record at audit or renewal time.

The fastest path for licensed customs brokers is to grandfather into CCS. Non-LCBs earn CCS through the certification course and exam. If you choose not to enroll in a certificate program, you maintain your own records and certify your CE on the TSR from your own documentation.

The Member Resource page has step-by-step guidance for both groups.

• NEI designees: documenting and counting credits, downloading your Logistics-EI transcript, paying your designation renewal, and reinstating a lapsed designation
• Members: paying membership dues

Transcript tracking is a designee benefit. It is not included with membership. See the Member Resource page for all of it.

There is no difference. NEI credentials and designations mean the same thing here: a professional qualification like the CCS that you earn and maintain. This page mostly uses credential because it is widely understood, but the technical terms NEI uses are “designation” and “designee.”

Yes to both. NEI-accredited activities count toward both your CBP triennial CE and your annual NEI designation renewal. Any CE you earn for your designation renewal also counts toward your CBP triennial requirement, as long as it comes from an LCB-accredited activity.

For how to log each credit, see the Member Resource page.

Yes. Licensed customs brokers can grandfather into the CCS credential for a one-time $125 fee. No course, no exam. Submit a copy of your license, pay the fee, and you hold the credential. The standard $95 annual renewal and 15 CE credits per year apply afterward, starting in Year 2. The same $125 grandfathering option is available for CES. The grandfathering offer can only be used once. Email grandfathering@ncbfaa.org with questions.

Yes. The CCS credential is open to anyone working in customs and trade compliance, including professionals who are not licensed customs brokers. Non-LCBs earn CCS by completing the standard six-month, 25-module course and passing the certification exam, available at member and non-member rates. Grandfathering, the path that waives the course and exam, is available only to LCBs.

MCS, CES, and MES have their own enrollment paths. Visit the NEI Certifications page for full details, or email enrollment@ncbfaa.org to get started.

If you hold an individual customs broker license, you file your own TSR in the eCBP Portal using Login.gov credentials. The window runs from December 14, 2026 through February 28, 2027, and CBP recommends filing by January 31, 2027.

Reporting CE is built into the filing. You attest that you completed your 20 credits, confirm your information, and pay the $100 fee. Nothing is uploaded. Keep proof of completion for at least three years in case of a CBP audit. If you hold an NEI credential, your Logistics-EI transcript is that record.

For CBP’s step-by-step filing instructions, see CBP’s TSR and CE requirements page.

Organizations that hold a broker license (corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and associations) file a TSR for the organization’s license and pay its $100 fee. Organizational TSRs do not include CE reporting.

The license qualifier files the organization’s TSR. The qualifier must also complete their own CE credits and file a separate TSR for their individual license, and so must every individually licensed employee. Missing either filing puts a license at risk of revocation.

See CBP’s TSR and CE requirements page for official guidance.

The $100 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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.

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.

No. Customs brokers who receive their license during the current triennial period do not need to comply until the next reporting period begins.

Yes, if your license remains active. The CE requirement applies to every individually licensed broker, even if you have stopped transacting customs business. If you don’t plan to use your license, CBP says you can voluntarily suspend it before the deadline by emailing brokermanagement@cbp.dhs.gov. You still file a TSR, but you don’t report CE credits. If your plans change and you stay licensed, you will already be on track.

Your requirement is prorated. You owe 1 credit for each complete month left in the triennial cycle after your license is reinstated.

No. This is a single federal requirement from CBP. It applies the same way in every state, and no state license or separate state filing is involved.

January 31, 2027 is the last day to earn your 20 CE credits for this cycle. The TSR filing window runs from December 14, 2026 through February 28, 2027. CBP recommends finishing both at once by filing your TSR by January 31, 2027, once your credits are complete. CBP has no system for reporting credits one at a time. You keep your own records and certify completion on the TSR, which is why tracking your credits in one place matters. Each accredited activity counts toward one cycle only. A course you complete during this triennial cannot be carried into the next. See CBP’s TSR and CE requirements page.

CBP audits a percentage of brokers after each reporting period. For this cycle, CBP says selected brokers will be notified after March 2027.

If selected, you have 30 calendar days to produce records for each CE activity you completed. Keep proof of completion for at least three years. CBP requires five data points: course title, provider or host name, date(s) attended, credits accrued, and location. CBP also requires supporting documentation from the provider, such as the CE code (UIC), the completion certificate, or registration confirmation. NEI designees can produce their Logistics-EI LCB triennial transcript, which captures all five data points and the CE code automatically once the UIC is logged. Non-designees should keep their own records, including completion certificates and CE codes.

For CBP’s full recordkeeping requirements, see CBP’s continuing education page for individually licensed brokers.

CBP states that failing to complete your CE credits and file your TSR will result in revocation of your customs broker license by operation of law, under 19 CFR 111.30(d) and 111.102. CBP’s page adds that no exceptions will be made.

Don’t plan around a grace period. Earn your credits steadily through the cycle and file early. See CBP’s TSR and CE requirements page for CBP’s full statement.

The practical effect: prior non-compliance contributes to the risk profile CBP uses when targeting future inspections and audits. The dollar amount of a penalty is the visible cost. The ongoing operational impact, including more frequent inspections and longer processing times on future shipments, often matters more. This is one reason both CBP and industry recommend steady, accurate compliance throughout the cycle rather than batched effort at the end.

CBP uses risk-based targeting through systems like the Automated Targeting System (ATS), which compares trade data against law enforcement, intelligence, and other enforcement data. CBP’s audit process, including the Focused Assessment Program, weighs whether an importer poses an acceptable compliance risk.

The TSR window opens December 14, 2026, and CBP recommends filing by January 31, 2027. Before you file:

• If you hold an NEI credential: log into Logistics-EI and confirm your transcript shows 20 or more credits for the current triennial cycle. Make sure all UICs you have earned are entered and that both entries are recorded for each activity (one for your designation renewal, one for your LCB triennial tracking). Download a copy of your transcript and save it.
• If you do not hold a credential: review your own records to confirm you have earned 20 accredited credits since January 1, 2025. Have documentation ready: course title, provider, date completed, credit hours, location, and CE code for each activity.
• Everyone: confirm your Login.gov credentials for the eCBP Portal are active. If you have not used them recently, test the login before the TSR window opens on December 14, 2026. Confirm your CBP license information is current at the eCBP Portal.
• Companies with multiple licenses: each license held requires its own TSR and $100 fee. Confirm which licenses are active and who will file each TSR.
• After you file: download and save your submitted status confirmation report and receipt.

For step-by-step guidance on the Logistics-EI tasks, see the Member Resource page.