Who needs an OUPV#
If you carry up to six paying passengers on a boat under 100 gross tons that is not inspected by the USCG (i.e. not certificated as a Subchapter T passenger vessel), you need OUPV. Charter fishing, family sportfishing trips, eco-tour skiffs, and dive-charter operators are the typical candidates. If you are still deciding whether a private trip, yacht outing, or bareboat arrangement counts as passenger-for-hire, start with the do I need a captain's license decision guide before choosing OUPV. Not sure whether OUPV or a Master is the right target? Run your vessel and route through the USCG license finder. The OUPV is a single federal credential valid in every state — for local charter hubs and your nearest USCG Regional Examination Center (REC), see the state captain's license guides.
Inland vs Near-Coastal#
OUPV Inland operates inside the lines drawn in 33 CFR Part 80 (basically: bays, sounds, the Great Lakes, and inland rivers). OUPV Near-Coastal extends out to 100 nautical miles from shore. Near-Coastal requires more sea time on ocean waters and the COLREGs / International Rules variant of the Rules-of-the-Road exam module.
Sea-service requirements#
360 days of total sea service (a standard day is 8 hours, and on vessels under 100 GRT the NMC may credit a full day for 4 or more hours when the operating schedule warrants it; you cannot count more than one day in a 24-hour period). The current NMC OUPV checklist applies a recency requirement of 90 days in the past seven years under Policy Letter 02-25. Near-Coastal candidates need 90 of the 360 days on ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes waters. Add up what you already have in the sea time calculator, then see our sea-time-requirements guide for documentation specifics.
Medical and screening#
Medical clearance via the CG-719K physical (signed by a licensed medical practitioner). Pre-employment drug test via the CG-719P. TWIC card application (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) — fingerprints submitted at a TSA enrollment center. CPR and First Aid certification from a USCG-recognized provider.
The exam#
The module set depends on route. OUPV Near Coastal uses four modules: Q100 Rules of the Road, Q170 Deck General-Safety, Q171 Navigation General, and Q172 Chart Plot. Great Lakes/Inland OUPV uses its own route-specific set and also includes chart plotting. Rules of the Road and Chart Plot each carry a 90% pass mark; the other standard OUPV modules require 70%. Near-Coastal candidates should be able to decode COLREGs Rule 34 maneuvering and warning signals. Use the USCG exam prep guides hub to work through the module pages in order before switching to timed practice.
Cost#
Current USCG lower-level officer fees total $240 for an original OUPV if you test at a USCG Regional Examination Center (REC): $100 evaluation, $95 examination, and $45 issuance. Add the CG-719K physical (~$80–200), drug test (~$60), TWIC card ($124 new or in-person renewal), and CPR/First Aid ($60–100). USCG-approved captain's license courses charge their own tuition and exam-administration fees, so compare the bundled course price against the REC fee path.
Use the captain license cost breakdown for the full out-of-pocket model, and compare Master 100 captain's license requirements if inspected passenger work is the business goal. If you already hold the credential, use the captain's license renewal forms and cost guide instead of the original-issue fee table.