What a “Kentucky captain's license” actually means#
It isn't a state license — it's the same federal USCG Merchant Mariner Credential with an OUPV or Master endorsement, used nationwide. Kentucky regulates business and guide permits separately; it does not issue the captain's credential itself.
- Credential issuer
- USCG National Maritime Center — the credential is federal, not a state-issued license.
- Nearest exam route
- REC Memphis, TN, or a USCG-approved course provider with exam authority.
- Local route clue
- Most Kentucky Lake operators start with OUPV Inland unless the vessel is inspected or carries more than six passengers.
Kentucky specifics#
Kentucky reservoir and Ohio River guides pursue OUPV Inland. The Ohio is a Western River subject to its own pilot rules.
The nearest USCG Regional Examination Center is Memphis, TN — most Kentucky candidates either test there or use a USCG-approved course provider with exam authority closer to home. Compare centers and appointment rules in the USCG REC locations guide.
Major Kentucky charter hubs
- Kentucky Lake
- Lake Cumberland
- Ohio River
Which credential do Kentucky charter captains need?#
The path turns on three practical data points: total days of service, waters served upon, and passenger count. Still deciding whether the trip is private, bareboat, or passenger-for-hire? Start with the captain's-license trigger guide.
Six or fewer passengers
Use OUPV when the operation is an uninspected passenger vessel limited to six or fewer passengers for hire.
Check OUPVMore than six passengers
Use a Master credential when the vessel needs inspected small-passenger-vessel authority.
Master requirementsApplication package
Plan sea-service evidence, medical, drug testing, TWIC, CPR/First Aid, and REC Memphis, TN exam timing.
See stepsAlready licensed?
Renew an existing Kentucky captain's license: the five 46 CFR 10.227 options, forms, and fees.
Renewal hubThe written test
What's on the Kentucky captain's license test: the federal exam modules, 90% Rules and Chart Plot pass marks, and REC Memphis, TN testing.
Exam formatWhat it costs
A Kentucky captain's license carries the same fixed $240 in USCG fees (46 CFR 10.219) as every other state — roughly $600–1,200 all-in once the CG-719K physical, drug test, TWIC, and CPR/First Aid are added.
Cost breakdownCredentials charter captains pursue in Kentucky
- OUPV Inland (Six-Pack) — operates uninspected <=6-passenger charter boats on inland waters other than the Great Lakes — bays, sounds, inland lakes, and rivers.
- Master 25 GT — small-vessel inspected master, common for harbour tour boats and inland sightseeing.
How to get your Kentucky captain's license#
Document your sea service
At least 360 days total — with 90 qualifying days in the 7 years before application under current USCG Policy Letter 02-25. See the sea-time requirements guide.
Pass the medical & drug test
USCG physical (CG-719K) and drug screen (CG-719P).
Get a TWIC + CPR / First Aid
Transportation Worker ID Credential and current certifications.
Submit your application to the NMC
Sea-service forms, the medical package, and fees.
Pass the exam at REC Memphis, TN
Or an approved course provider — 90% on Rules of the Road & Chart Plotting. See the USCG exam format guide.
Questions about Kentucky captain license requirements#
How do I get a captain's license in Kentucky?
Getting a captain's license in Kentucky means earning a federal USCG credential, not a state-issued one. The path is: document the required sea service (typically 360 days, with at least 3 months — about 90 days — earned within the 7 years before application under current USCG Policy Letter 02-25); pass a USCG-approved medical exam (CG-719K) and drug test (CG-719P); obtain a TWIC card and current CPR/First Aid; then pass the written exam at REC Memphis, TN or an approved course provider. Choose OUPV for six-or-fewer-passenger uninspected boats or a Master credential for inspected or larger passenger vessels.
Is a Kentucky captain's license different from a USCG captain's license?
No. People search for a Kentucky captain's license because they operate locally, but passenger-for-hire captain credentials are federal USCG Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements. Kentucky may still regulate business registrations, guide permits, or local fishing rules, but the OUPV or Master credential is national.
What are the boat captain license requirements in Kentucky?
For passenger-for-hire work in Kentucky, the credential is federal: OUPV for most six-passenger uninspected charter boats, or Master for inspected passenger vessels and larger passenger counts. Applicants still need sea-service evidence, medical, drug-testing, TWIC, CPR/First Aid, and the required USCG exam or approved course.
How old do you have to be to get a captain's license in Kentucky?
Because Kentucky captain's credentials are federal, the minimum age is set by the U.S. Coast Guard, not the state: you must be at least 18 years old to hold an OUPV (six-pack) credential, and at least 19 for a Master officer endorsement — specifically Master of 25–200 GRT on near-coastal, Great Lakes, inland, or river routes — rising to 21 for higher-tonnage and ocean officer endorsements (46 CFR 11.201(e)). There is no separate Kentucky age rule for the credential itself.
Does Kentucky issue a separate captain's license?
Kentucky may regulate businesses, fishing guides, permits, or local operations, but the captain credential for passenger-for-hire vessel operation is issued by the USCG National Maritime Center.
Should I choose OUPV or Master?
Choose OUPV when the boat is an uninspected passenger vessel carrying six or fewer passengers for hire. Choose a Master credential when the vessel is inspected, carries more than six passengers, or the business plan needs broader authority.
Where do Kentucky candidates take the USCG exam?
After the NMC approves the application, candidates can test at REC Memphis, TN or through an approved course provider that administers the USCG exam.
Primary sources#
Last verified .
- USCG NMC Charter Boat Captain credential overview (retrieved 2026-06-20)
- eCFR 46 CFR 11.467 — OUPV route authority and service requirements (retrieved 2026-07-25)
- USCG NMC OUPV checklist (retrieved 2026-07-20)
- USCG NMC Master less than 100 GRT checklist (retrieved 2026-05-23)
- USCG NMC Regional Exam Centers (retrieved 2026-06-20)
- eCFR 46 CFR 11.211 creditable sea service and equivalents (retrieved 2026-06-02)
- eCFR 46 CFR 11.201(c) — regulatory sea-service recency baseline (retrieved 2026-07-20)
- USCG Policy Letter 02-25 — current 7-year recent-service policy (retrieved 2026-07-20)
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