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OUPV Inland (Six-Pack) Requirements in Maine

Maine does not issue this credential. The license is federal, evaluated by the USCG National Maritime Center, and examined through a Regional Examination Center or approved course.

Last verified 6 primary sourcesNearest REC: Boston, MA

Quick read

OUPV Inland (Six-Pack) operates uninspected <=6-passenger charter boats on inland waters other than the Great Lakes — bays, sounds, inland lakes, and rivers. In Maine, candidates commonly operate around Portland, Kennebunkport, Bar Harbor. The nearest REC is Boston, MA.

Credential requirements last verified .

Credential
OUPV Inland
Nearest REC
Boston, MA
Route
Inland waters

Compare every Maine captain's license path

Use the Maine overview to choose between OUPV, Master 25, Master 50, and Master 100 before narrowing this credential checklist. Because the credential is federal, the national OUPV six-pack guide carries the full requirement detail — Maine only changes your nearest REC and local operating context.

What to prepare for

  1. Document 360 days of sea service, with 90 qualifying days within the last 7 years.

  2. Complete the CG-719K physical, drug test, TWIC, CPR, and First Aid requirements.

  3. Study Rules of the Road, Deck General, Deck Safety, and Navigation General.

  4. Schedule the exam at REC Boston, MA, or use an approved school that administers the USCG exam.

OUPV Inland requirements in Maine

Maine OUPV Inland candidates usually serve lakes, bays, sounds, rivers, or other waters inside the COLREGs demarcation lines. It is the simplest federal path for six-passenger charter work around Portland, Kennebunkport, Bar Harbor.

Sea time
360 days
Exam focus
Inland rules, deck, safety, navigation
Local signal
Portland + Kennebunkport

How OUPV Inland sea service is evaluated in Maine

Under 46 CFR 11.467, an OUPV Inland applicant needs 12 months (about 360 days) of vessel-operation experience. Current USCG Policy Letter 02-25 applies a 90-day recency test within the 7 years before application. The inland endorsement covers Maine six-passenger charters on inland waters inside the COLREGs demarcation lines and excludes the Great Lakes and waters more than the near-coastal limit offshore.

Total service
360 days (12 months)
Recency
90 days within 7 years
Route limit
Inside demarcation lines
How a day and route credit are counted
Under 46 CFR 10.232(h), a sea-service day is generally 8 hours of watchstanding or day-working. On a vessel under 100 GRT, the Coast Guard may accept a shorter operating day when the vessel's schedule makes 8 hours inappropriate, but never less than 4 hours. For an oceans or near-coastal endorsement, 46 CFR 11.211(b) credits Great Lakes service day-for-day for up to 100% of the requirement and other U.S. inland service day-for-day for up to 50%. The two-days-experience-for-one-day rules in 46 CFR 11.211(d)-(e) apply only to specified ATB, ITB, or towing-vessel service toward the large-vessel service required for an unlimited officer endorsement; they do not double OUPV sea time.
Recency rule
Although 46 CFR 11.201(c) still prints a 3-year window for most non-uniformed-service applicants, current USCG Policy Letter 02-25 directs the NMC to treat 90 qualifying days within the 7 years before application as meeting the recent-service requirement.

Local operating context

Maine's charter fleet runs heavy on lobster-day and tour boats; OUPV Near-Coastal is standard. Some Bar Harbor operations pursue Master 100 for the larger windjammers and overnight charters. For exam prep, the federal question set does not change by state, but your likely route matters: inland candidates lean harder on Inland Rules and aids to navigation, while near-coastal candidates need COLREGs, navigation, weather, and chart-work discipline.

After you qualify: the federal exam and renewal

A OUPV Inland (Six-Pack) in Maine is a federal Merchant Mariner Credential endorsement, so the steps after your sea time are the same in every state. First comes the written test — the USCG exam format and module breakdown shows exactly which subjects your route is tested on and the 90% Rules-of-the-Road and Chart-Plot pass marks before you book a Regional Examination Center seat.

Exam code GLI07

The papers you sit, and the mark for each

160 questions · 4 modules

Q100 or Q300 Combined Rules or Inland-only Rules

50 questions · 5 wrong allowed

90%

Q356 Deck General/Safety

50 questions · 15 wrong allowed

70%

Q357 Navigation General: Great Lakes and Inland

50 questions · 15 wrong allowed

70%

Q358 Chart Plot

10 questions · 1 wrong allowed

90%

The mark is per paper, not per exam — you pass or resit each one on its own.

Once issued, the credential runs on a five-year cycle under 46 CFR 10.227. When it comes due, the USCG license renewal process — forms, cost, and the medical certificate is identical in Maine as it is nationwide. For the full original-application checklist, start with how to get a captain’s license.

Questions candidates ask before applying

Do Maine captains need a state license or a USCG license?

Passenger-for-hire authority is federal. A state may regulate businesses, fishing guides, or local permits, but the captain credential itself is issued by the USCG.

What is the fastest OUPV path?

Start with sea-service letters, the CG-719K medical exam, drug-test compliance, TWIC, CPR/First Aid, and Rules of the Road study. Missing paperwork usually slows the application more than the exam.

Should I choose Inland or Near-Coastal?

Choose Inland for protected or inland waters inside the COLREGs demarcation lines. Choose Near-Coastal when your work requires offshore authority and qualifying ocean or near-coastal sea time.

Practice a real exam question#

The written test is the same federal exam nationwide. One citation-backed question — no sign-up.

Maintenance, machine tools, drawings, and tables

According to 46 CFR, which of the following rotating machinery components must be provided with adequate covers or guards?

Every answer cited & verifiedAll 4 USCG exam modules4,000+ judge-verified questions

Study the federal exam, not state trivia

Your prep matches what the USCG actually tests. See where you stand right now.