GENERAL FAQs & POLICIES
 


Fee Chart
Item Member Rate Non-Member Rate
Certifed Customs Specialist (CCS) Course $650.00 $1250.00
Certifed Export Specialist (CES) Course $650.00 $1250.00
Master Customs Specialist (MCS) Course $950.00 $1450.00
Master Export Specialist (MES) Course $950.00 $1450.00
Import 101 Course $300.00 $600.00
Export 101 Course $300.00 $600.00
Apparel 101 Course $300.00 $600.00
CCS Grandfathering Fee $95.00 $95.00
CES Grandfathering Exam + Fee $425.00 $425.00
CCS Course Final Exam Retake Fee $20.00 $20.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Annual Renewal Fee $95.00 $95.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Renewal Late Fee $15.00 $15.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Renewal Extension Fee $15.00 $15.00
NEI Professional Membership Enrollment - $225.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Certificate (physical copy) $10.00 $10.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Reinstatement (lapsed one year) $145.00 $145.00
CCS/CES/MCS/MES Reinstatement (lapsed 2+ years) $245.00 $245.00
 
*All prices are in U.S. Dollars (USD)
 
 
Discounts
 
Do you offer a discount for active military or veterans?

Yes. We now offer the CCS and CES course at $650 per course and 15% off on our educational offerings for active military personnel and veterans. An individual will need to provide proof (enrollment letter, GI card, etc.) of military duty to receive the discount.

 

If I grandfathered into the CCS and/or CES program, could I take the respective courses at a discounted rate?

Yes. Any individual who grandfathered into an NEI program may take the respective course at a discounted rate of 50%.  Member and non-member pricing still applies.

 

If we register for a webinar as a group, are there any discounts?

If you are part of a member company, there is a group discount available.  The first person registered would be $50 and every subsequent person would be charged $20.  Please note that in order to receive continuing education credits for a webinar, you must be registered for it.
 
 
 
Continuing Education Requirements
 
Do I still have to earn credits after I complete the CCS/CES/MCS/MES Course or Grandfathering?

To ensure that we fulfill our mission of continuing education, all designees will still be required to earn credits after completion of any of our certification courses or after grandfathering into the program based on their anniversary Item. (Note: There is no grandfathering option for the MCS or MES Course.)

 

 

I am going to be out on leave for an extended period of time. Do I still need to earn my full number of required continuing education credits?

 
Individuals currently enrolled in an NEI certification program whose work is interrupted by extended leave under their employer’s personnel policies, will be excused from continuing education requirements during that period.  Simply contact the NEI Staff to notify us of your situation. Renewal fees are not excused during that time, however. 
 
 
What information do I need to know to take the case studies?
All information when taking case studies for credit can be found here.
 
 
 
CCS Grandfathering
 
What if I pass my Customs Broker's Exam but have not yet received my license?
Can I still grandfather into the CCS program?
The NEI believes if you have been able to pass the rigorous broker’s exam, you have the knowledge to be grandfathered into the program. You must provide proof of passing the exam and agree to submit a copy of your license once it has been issued to you. 
 
Click here for more information regarding CCS Grandfathering.
 
 
 
Renewal Item Information
 
When are my credits due?
Effective July 2015, the renewal system has been upItemd from a fixed annual Item to an anniversary Item system.* All designees must complete their credits by the Expiration Item listed under the Certifications tab of their transcript on LogisticsEI.
 
*All designees from MOU companies must renew on a calendar year basis.
 
 
 
 
Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) Course
 
Withdrawals and Cancellations
 
The NEI requires written notice of course withdrawals (email, fax or mail). 
There is a $50 administrative fee if the NEI receives written notice of enrollment cancellation prior to the NEI providing the student with a username and password. A refund of the tuition fees, minus a $50 administrative fee will be issued. 
 
There is a $100 administrative fee if the NEI receives written notice of enrollment cancellation after a username and password has been provided. A refund of the tutition fees, minus a $100 administrative fee will be issued. Students may withdraw from the course at any time but no refund will be provided after the course has begun or more than 90 days has passed since the course has been assigned.
 
How many times may I retake the CCS final exam?
 
An individual may retake the CCS exam up to three times within their 6-month enrollment period. If you do not take or pass the exam within those limits, you need to retake the course at half price. Non-member and member rates still apply. 
 
 
Certified Export Specialist (CES) Course
 
Withdrawals and Cancellations
 
The NEI requires written notice of course withdrawals (email, fax or mail). 
There is a $50 administrative fee if the NEI receives written notice of enrollment cancellation prior to the NEI providing the student with a username and password. A refund of the tuition fees, minus a $50 administrative fee will be issued. 
 
There is a $100 administrative fee if the NEI receives written notice of enrollment cancellation after a username and password has been provided. A refund of the tutition fees, minus a $100 administrative fee will be issued. Students may withdraw from the course at any time but no refund will be provided after the course has begun or if more than 90 days has passed since the course has been assigned.
 
How much time do I get to complete the CES Course?
 
The CES is self-paced, online and you have up to one year from your assignment Item to complete the course. In the case that you cannot complete the course within a year, we will allow a complimentary extension up to one additional year. Afterwards, any additional extension will incur a $200 fee.
 
Exam Proctoring
 
Official Policy
 
While both the CES and CCS exams are online, you will need to provide a proctor for the exam. The person is usually an HR representative or someone at your company in a management position (preferably not your direct supervisor). If you work at a small company that does not support you taking the exam, we can allow you to use a colleague or someone else you know in the industry if need be. We do not allow close friends or family members to be proctors. Once you have chosen you proctor, please submit their name, job title, and email education@ncbfaa.org so that they can be set up and sent further instructions. On the day of the exam, they will need to sign into either a GISTNET or Logistics EI account (dependent on the exam - an account will be created for the proctor if they do not already have one). While the proctor does not have to sit next to you during the entire exam period, they are expected to be nearby and check in on you periodically. They should also ensure that you have a fair and quiet testing environment
 
 
If you are self-employed, un-employed, or your employer does not support you taking the course, please send the contact information for someone willing to be your proctor - such as a colleague, professor, librarian, etc. These will be reviewed and approved on a case by case basis.
 
 
Event Approvals and Attendance
 
Do I need to pay the $25 processing fee for my event even if it’s offered free of charge?
 
Yes. This is because of the administrative burden we undertake when we approve an event, which includes posting it to our calendar, updating transcripts, etc. We also market your event on our calendar and allow you to use our logo on your event marketing materials to attract more participants. The only time the $25 fee is waived is for Affiliated Association events that are free to everyone (members and non-members) and government agencies (Department of Commerce, CBP, etc.). If an Affiliated Association holds an event that is free to members but charges a fee for non-members, the $25 processing fee still applies.
 
How do I receive credit for attending a government sponsored event?
While the $25 processing fee is waived, we still require a Form 100 and an agenda or outline of what will be covered. After the event is over, we need proof of your registration/attendance to the event to post credit to your transcript.
 
What is the policy for obtaining credit from committee meetings?
It is the committee chair’s responsibility (or someone that they task for this job) to take attendance and provide the individual’s names and ID numbers (if available) to NEI to apply credit. It is not the NEI’s responsibility to request or keep track of that information. If you are missing credit from a meeting, please contact the committee chair.
 
 
Receiving Credit
 
Do you receive credit for presenting an NEI webinar?
 
If you are an active CCS/MCS or CES/MES who presents a webinar, you will receive 10 points after the presentation.
 
Do APN’s receive credit for their service?
 
Yes. We will provide ½ credit per meeting hour for APNs. This means for an hour meeting, they will receive .5 credits, for a two-hour meeting they will receive 1 credit, etc.
 
How many credits does an instructor of an approved course receive?
 
An instructor of an NEI approved course will receive twice as much credit as an attendee (i.e., if the course is approved for 2 continuing education credits, the instructor would receive 4).
 
I attended the same event on different Items - can I receive credit each time?
 
No. Within a calendar year, you can only receive credit once for an event or course approved for continuing education credit.
 
I attended an NEI webinar with someone else - can I receive credit too?
 
We only provide credit for webinars to the individual who registered and paid for the webinar. Individuals should not share Their credentials with other staff members, but if they do, those individuals are not eligible to receive credit. The only time this policy is waived is for free NEI webinars. We do offer a discounted rated for additional employees registering for a webinar from the same company - please contact nei@ncbfaa.org for details. 
 
 
Annual Renewal
 
Can non-member companies renew under an MOU?
 
Yes. As long as they agree to pay the renewal fees for all their students at once, we will give them the discounted renewal rate. Please email nei@ncbfaa.org for more information.
 
 
Designation Reinstatement
 
Current reinstatement fees are $145 for up to one year removed; $245 for two or more years removed. Additionally, we will also require continuing education credits be earned. To reinstate, a lapsed individual will need to take two free case studies from previous years, as well as pay the reinstatement fee.  
 
Late Renewal
 
Any certification renewals that come in past the deadline will incur a $15 late fee. A grace period will be offered, but if renewal is submitted after 90 days, the fee will become $110 (instead of $95).
 
 
Exam Challenging
 
Can I challenge the CCS exam to become a Certified Customs Specialist?
 
Yes. The exam is $425 and you will have one attempt to pass. The exam is six hours long, non-stop and proctored. Please note that no study materials will be provided prior to the exam. If you are unable to pass, you be will granted a $200 credit towards the CCS course, if you choose to register. Member and non-member rates still apply. If you do pass the exam, you will be certified as Certified Customs Specialist.
 
 
NEI Committee
 
Do NEI Committee Members Receive Credit?
 
Yes, they receive credit for every meeting/conference call they attend, at the rate of 1 credit per hour.
 
How Many Credits Do I Receive for Authoring a Case Study?
 
Case Study authors receive 20 credits.
 
How Many Credits Do I Receive for Reviewing a Case Study?
 
Case Study reviewers receive 7 credits.
  
 
Prospective Policies
 
No Prospective Policies currently available for review.