Louisiana Captain's License Requirements (2026)

What a “Louisiana 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.

Credential issuer

USCG National Maritime Center.

Nearest exam route

REC New Orleans, LA.

Local route clue

Offshore or coastal charters around Venice usually start with OUPV Near-Coastal, then compare Master 50/100 for inspected boats.

Which Rules of the Road apply on Louisiana water#

Louisiana is the only state where the Western Rivers definition and the demarcation lines are written into the same sentence: 33 CFR 83.03(n) runs the Mississippi and its tributaries, South Pass and Southwest Pass down TO the demarcation lines, and names the Port Allen–Morgan City Alternate Route, the Old River and the Red River as well. The lines themselves are 80.825 at the Mississippi Passes, 80.830 westward to Point Au Fer, 80.835 on to Calcasieu Pass, and 80.815 across the Chandeleurs. So a Venice trip can pass through Western Rivers water, ordinary inland water and COLREGS water in one run down the river. The towing exception at 83.24(j) is the sharpest local detail: it applies on the Western Rivers EXCEPT below the Huey P. Long Bridge at mile 106.1 above Head of Passes, which is upstream of New Orleans, not at the Gulf.

COLREGS Demarcation Lines covering Louisiana — 33 CFR Part 80

• 33 CFR 80.815Mobile Bay, AL to the Chandeleur Islands, LAline drawn — Inland water inside
• 33 CFR 80.825Mississippi Passes, LAline drawn — Inland water inside
• 33 CFR 80.830Mississippi Passes, LA to Point Au Fer, LAline drawn — Inland water inside
• 33 CFR 80.835Point Au Fer, LA to Calcasieu Pass, LAline drawn — Inland water inside

Western Rivers (the Mississippi River, the Atchafalaya above the Port Allen–Morgan City Alternate Route, and the Red River) are defined at 33 CFR 83.03(n) and carry Inland Rules provisions the rest of inland water does not: 83.09(a)(ii), 83.14(d), 83.15(b) and the towing-light exception at 83.24(j).

This decides which rulebook you steer by, not where your credential may operate: the route limit is the 46 CFR Part 7 Boundary Line, and the two lines are not drawn in the same place. How the two lines differ · International Rules · Inland Rules

33 CFR Part 80 and the Part 83 definitions above read from eCFR on 12 Aug 2026. Any specific water is a determination for the cognizant Coast Guard Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

Which credential do Louisiana charter captains need?#

Not sure the trip needs a credential at all? The captain's-license trigger guide.

Credentials charter captains pursue in Louisiana

• OUPV Inland (Six-Pack) — operates uninspected <=6-passenger charter boats on inland waters other than the Great Lakes — bays, sounds, inland lakes, and rivers.
• OUPV Near-Coastal (Six-Pack) — extends OUPV to 100 nautical miles offshore — the credential for offshore canyon and bluewater six-pack operators.
• Master 50 GT — mid-tier inspected-vessel master — typical for charter sport-fish operations under 50 gross tons.
• Master 100 GT — full inspected-vessel master up to 100 GT — required for larger charter and tour vessels.