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USCG Captain's License Requirements — How to Get LicensedStart here

USCG captain's license requirements for 2026: choose OUPV or Master, document sea time, complete CG-719K, drug test, TWIC, CPR/First Aid, apply to NMC, and pass the exam.

Do I Need a Captain's License for My Yacht?

When a private boat, yacht, charter, or passenger-for-hire trip triggers a USCG captain's license in 2026: OUPV, Master, six-passenger limits, and bareboat edge cases.

USCG Captain's License Cost in 2026 — Total Out-of-Pocket Breakdown

A USCG captain's license costs $600–1,200 all-in — $240 USCG fees (46 CFR 10.219) plus CG-719K physical, drug test, TWIC, and CPR. OUPV ~$585–700; renewal $95–140.

USCG Sea Time Requirements — How to Document Sea Service

Exactly how the USCG counts sea time, what counts as a day, and how to document service on form CG-719S. Inland vs Near-Coastal differences explained.

USCG Medical Certificate Renewal (CG-719K) — Fee, Forms, and Filing

The Coast Guard charges $0 to renew a merchant mariner medical certificate. File the CG-719K on its own to [email protected] or the NMC upload portal — plus exam standards, who can sign, and how long it stays valid.

TWIC Card — Application, Fees, Disqualifying Offenses, and Renewal

TWIC for USCG credential applicants: current TSA enrollment fee, online renewal cost, required documents, disqualifying offenses under 49 CFR 1572.103, replacement card, and how TWIC fits the OUPV/Master timeline.

OUPV (Six-Pack) License — Requirements, Exam, and Cost

OUPV Six-Pack requirements: 360 days of sea time, the CG-719K physical, the route-specific chart-plot exam, and where OUPV Inland actually ends — the 46 CFR Part 7 Boundary Line, not the demarcation line.

100-Ton Captain's License (USCG Master 100 GRT)

100-ton captain's license requirements: the sea time on inspected vessels, the broader exam (split Deck General/Safety and a tighter General module alongside the shared Chart Plot), and how the USCG Master 100 GRT credential assigns the 100 / 50 / 25 GRT limit under 46 CFR 11.422.

Master 50 GT — Mid-Tier Captain Credential

Master 50 GT sits between OUPV and Master 100, allowing operation of inspected passenger vessels up to 50 gross tons. Sea time, exam, and upgrade path.

25-Ton Master Captain License Requirements (Master 25 GT)

USCG Master 25 GT / 25-ton captain license requirements: sea time by route, inspected-vessel authority, tonnage evidence, exam modules, and upgrade path.

OUPV vs Master — Which Captain's License Should You Get?

OUPV (Six-Pack) vs Master 25/50/100 — passenger limits, vessel size, sea-time differences, exam differences, and which credential makes sense for your operation.

Near-Coastal vs Great Lakes vs Inland — OUPV Routes

The three OUPV route endorsements under 46 CFR 11.467: near-coastal (100 miles offshore), Great Lakes and inland, and inland — which excludes the Great Lakes. Service months, demarcation lines, and exam differences.

Charter Fishing Captain's License — OUPV for Charter Operators

What charter fishing captains need: OUPV (Six-Pack) Near-Coastal or Inland. Sea time, exam, federal vs state requirements for guides on saltwater and freshwater.

USCG Captain's License Exam — Format, Pass Marks, and Practice Tests

USCG captain's license exam modules, pass marks, practice-test sources, OUPV and Master exam codes, chart-plot rules, allowed materials, and the full 46 CFR 11.217 retest clock if you fail.

Captain's License Courses — USCG-Approved Classes vs the REC Exam

USCG captain's license courses and classes explained: an approved course can replace the Coast Guard exam under 46 CFR 10.402, but self-study plus the free REC exam is a valid path. Course cost, what to verify, and how to choose.

USCG Regional Examination Centers (REC) — Locations, Scheduling, and Exam Day

Address, phone, and exam-room hours for all 19 USCG Regional Exam Centers and Monitoring Units on one page — plus how to book and what to bring.

How to Renew a USCG Captain's License — Forms, Cost & Expired Credentials

Renewing a USCG captain's license (MMC renewal): the five 46 CFR 10.227 competence options, the complete forms checklist (CG-719B/K/S/P), $95–$140 in fees, expired-credential rules, and the Document of Continuity.

Rules of the Road

The largest, hardest module on the OUPV / Master exams. Combines the 38 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) with the parallel set of 38 Inland Navigation Rules.

Deck General

Boat handling, stability, knots, and equipment. Tested in nearly every OUPV and Master sitting. Heaviest on practical seamanship knowledge.

Deck Safety

Firefighting, MOB recovery, distress signaling, and survival equipment. Heavy on regulation memorization (Subchapter T equipment requirements) and procedural execution.

Navigation General

Charting, plotting, fixes, currents, tides, magnetic variation. The "thinking" module — exam questions are computational rather than recall.

General Knowledge and Regulations

Mariner credentialing, drug testing, vessel documentation, and the broader legal/regulatory frame. Mostly recall.

Chart Plotting

The dedicated Chart Plot module — required on every OUPV and Master exam, not just the 100 GT tier. A standalone, 90%-pass module tested on paper charts: running fixes, set & drift, danger bearings, course-to-make-good. (OUPV Near Coastal = Q172, OUPV Inland = Q358, Master under 100 GT = Q163.)

AB Seamanship

Able Seaman (Able Seafarer) deck-rating gaps not already covered by the shared deck catalog. The AB exam (NMC AB01: Q450 Navigation General & Rules of the Road + Q451 Deck General/Safety, 50 questions / 70% each) reuses our Rules-of-the-Road, Navigation, Deck General, and Deck Safety modules; this module adds the AB-specific practical seamanship — marlinespike, cargo gear, helm/watchkeeping, lifeboatman, ground tackle, and emergency duties. Content floor: 46 CFR 12.405(b)-(d).

QMED — Oiler

Engine-room rating exam (NMC QMED03: Q804 Oiler Part I + Q805 Part II, 70 questions / 70% each). Motor and steam propulsion support, lube/fuel systems, watch duties, and engine-room safety. Topics derive from the Oiler column of Table 1 to 46 CFR 12.505(c). Weights are editorial — NMC publishes no per-subject question distribution.

QMED — Junior Engineer

The broadest QMED rating exam (NMC QMED01: Q800 Part I + Q801 Part II, 70 questions / 70% each) — a superset spanning motor and steam propulsion, full electrical, refrigeration/AC, hydraulics, thermodynamics, and maintenance. Topics derive from the Junior Engineer column of Table 1 to 46 CFR 12.505(c). Weights are editorial — NMC publishes no per-subject question distribution.

QMED — Electrician / Refrigerating Engineer

The electrical-and-refrigeration QMED rating exam (NMC QMED02: Q802 Electrician + Q803 Refrigerating Engineer, 70 questions / 70% each). DC/AC theory, motors and generators, switchboards, batteries, troubleshooting, and the refrigeration cycle. Topics derive from the Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer column of Table 1 to 46 CFR 12.505(c). Weights are editorial — NMC publishes no per-subject question distribution.

COLREGs — International Rules of the Road

All 38 navigation Rules (Parts A–E) — the 90%-pass module candidates fail most.

COLREGs Rule 34 — sound & light signals

Maneuvering and warning signals: the classic exam trap.

Inland Navigation Rules (33 CFR Part 83)

The US inland rule set, with the five exam-relevant divergences flagged.

Inland Rules vs COLREGs

Rules 9, 10, 24, 28, and 34 side by side.

Practice tests

Free sample questions for every exam module — no signup.

Glossary

200+ nautical and regulatory terms, cited to source.

Sources

The public corpus behind every question, with live counts.

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