Business Operations Specialists

How to become a Customs Broker

Official title: Customs Brokers

Also called: Broker, CCS (Certified Customs Specialist), Corporate Licensed Broker, LCB (Licensed Custom Broker), LCB (Licensed Customs Broker)

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

Main tasks

Pay, or arrange for payment of, taxes and duties on shipments.
Classify goods according to tariff coding system.
Clear goods through customs and to their destinations for clients.
Prepare and process import and export documentation according to customs regulations, laws, or procedures.
Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
Calculate duty and tariff payments owed on shipments.
Confer with officials in various agencies to facilitate clearance of goods through customs and quarantine.
Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.

How to become one

Compliance officers typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation. They often receive training on the job. Employers may prefer or require candidates to have experience related to the position.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Operations Assistant.
College: Law & Justice degrees, Offered by 29 universities in the US
College: Science degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $80,730 a year The middle half earn $61,280 to $109,010.
About 436,400 people work in this job now, and about 453,100 are projected by 2035. (+3.8%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Customs Broker?

How much does a Customs Broker earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $80,730 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $61,280 to $109,010.

Is a Customs Broker a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 436,400 to about 453,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Customs Broker?

Usually. 65% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Customs Broker?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.