AsemconnectVietnam - Circular No. 83/2026/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance marked a significant change in the management of customs brokerage services, increasing the proactive role of businesses.

The Customs Department have announced that, from July 1st, 2026, Circular No. 83/2026/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance officially took effect, regulating the standards for customs brokerage services, the standards for customs brokerage staff; organizing examinations, issuing certificates of customs declaration expertise, and managing the operations of customs brokers.
According to the Customs Department, a notable new point of the Circular is the shift from management based on business conditions to management based on standards, in line with the policy of decentralization, reduction, and simplification of administrative procedures and business conditions.
According to the new regulations, the business of providing customs clearance agency services is no longer a conditional business sector. Businesses no longer need to apply for a certificate of eligibility before operating as before. Instead, they proactively assess their compliance with the prescribed standards, notify the Customs Department before providing services, and assume responsibility throughout the operation. The Customs authority will conduct post-inspection; if a business fails to maintain the prescribed standards, its access to the electronic customs data processing system will be suspended.
The circular also clearly specifies the standards for customs clearance agencies. Accordingly, businesses must be legally established and operating, have information technology infrastructure to support electronic customs declarations, have staff meeting professional standards, and not be subject to suspension due to violations.
For customs brokerage staff, the Circular requires them to be Vietnamese citizens aged 18 or older, possess a college degree or higher, hold a customs declaration professional certificate as prescribed, participate in regular knowledge updates, be assigned a staff code by the customs authority, and not be subject to any professional prohibitions.
Another new point is the modernization of the customs declaration professional certificate examination process. Accordingly, registration for the exam is done online through the Customs Department's Public Service Portal instead of the previous paper-based application method, contributing to reducing time and costs for organizations and individuals. The exam continues to be conducted in a computer-based multiple-choice format to ensure objectivity, transparency, and efficiency.
The Circular also abolishes regulations on exam result review, exemption from certain subjects, and retention of exam results as previously stipulated. At the same time, regulations have been added regarding the revocation of customs declaration professional certificates for cases of violating examination regulations or committing serious violations during the course of their professional practice.
CK
Source: VITIC/congthuong.vn