AB Special (Able Seafarer–Special) is the 12-month category of the Able Seaman deck rating. It requires the shortest ocean-going deck service of the three main categories, and sits the same national AB written exam as every other AB category.
12 months of deck service on oceans or the navigable waters of the U.S. including the Great Lakes (46 CFR 12.403).
$280 in Coast Guard fees — $95 evaluation + $140 exam + $45 issuance, plus the CG-719K medical, drug test, and TWIC.
AB Special is earned with 12 months of deck service on oceans or the navigable waters of the U.S., including the Great Lakes. There is no tonnage floor on the qualifying vessels — it is the general-purpose ocean AB rating for mariners with a year of documented deck time. Because every AB category takes the identical AB01 written exam, you can later raise the category to Limited or Unlimited on sea time alone, with no further examination.
There is one national AB written exam for every category, so AB Special sits the same test as AB Special, Limited, and Unlimited: two modules of 50 questions each at a 70% pass mark. The Rules of the Road module is closed-book.
Q450 · 50 Q · 70%
Q451 · 50 Q · 70%
Full detail, the six categories, and the Lifeboatman + marlinespike demonstrations are on the Able Seaman hub.
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18 months of deck service on vessels of 100 GRT or more not exclusively confined to rivers and smaller inland lakes (46 CFR 12.403).
Practice AB Limited36 months (3 years) of deck service on vessels operating on oceans or the Great Lakes (46 CFR 12.403).
Practice AB UnlimitedAB Special requires 12 months of deck service on oceans or the navigable waters of the U.S. including the Great Lakes, under 46 CFR 12.403. The written exam is the same for every AB category — only the required sea service differs.
Yes. Because all AB categories share one written exam, you can raise an Able Seaman endorsement from Special to Limited to Unlimited on additional qualifying sea service alone, without sitting the exam again.
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