[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 59 (Thursday, March 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17091-17092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06407]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Postponement of the April 2020 Customs Broker's License 
Examination

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) has postponed the customs broker's license examination 
scheduled for April 1, 2020. The examination is postponed due to the 
unprecedented situation related to the coronavirus (COVID-19), which is 
having a nationwide impact on CBP's ability to conduct the examination.

DATES: The customs broker's license examination scheduled for April 1, 
2020 is postponed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Mitchell, Director, Commercial 
Operations, Revenue and Entry, Office of Trade, (202) 325-6532, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 641 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1641), 
provides that a person (an individual, corporation, association, or 
partnership) must hold a valid customs broker's license and permit in 
order to transact customs business on behalf of others, sets forth 
standards for the issuance of brokers' licenses and permits, and 
provides for the taking of disciplinary action against brokers that 
have engaged in specified types of infractions. This section also 
provides that an examination may be conducted to assess an applicant's 
qualifications for a license.
    The regulations issued under the authority of section 641 are set 
forth in Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 111 (19 CFR 
part 111). Part 111 sets forth the regulations

[[Page 17092]]

regarding the licensing of, and granting of permits to, persons 
desiring to transact customs business as customs brokers. These 
regulations also include the qualifications required of applicants and 
the procedures for applying for licenses and permits. Section 111.11 of 
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations (19 CFR 
111.11) sets forth the basic requirements for a broker's license, and 
in paragraph (a)(4) of that section provides that an applicant for an 
individual broker's license must attain a passing grade (75 percent or 
higher) on the examination.
    Section 111.13 of the CBP regulations (19 CFR 111.13) sets forth 
the requirements and procedures for the examination for an individual 
broker's license and states that the customs broker's license 
examinations will be given on the fourth Wednesday in April and October 
unless the regularly scheduled examination date conflicts with a 
national holiday, religious observance, or other foreseeable event.
    The unprecedented situation related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) 
has a nationwide impact on CBP's ability to conduct the customs 
broker's license examination. Testing facilities are being closed 
beyond CBP's control, and best practices for social distancing and 
limiting the size of gatherings militate against CBP attempting to 
establish alternative testing formats and sites. Accordingly, this 
document announces that the April 1, 2020 exam is postponed, and that 
the October exam date is still scheduled for October 8, 2020, as 
previously announced in a Federal Register notice (84 FR 71440) 
published on December 27, 2019. If another test date is identified, CBP 
will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing that new date. 
In addition, CBP will continue to provide information on www.CBP.gov.

    Dated: March 19, 2020.
Brenda B. Smith,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2020-06407 Filed 3-24-20; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P