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New Hampshire Captain's License Renewal

A New Hampshire captain's license renewal is a federal Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) renewal — OUPV and Master are officer endorsements on the MMC. The National Maritime Center processes every renewal by mail or online, so most New Hampshire captains never visit a Regional Examination Center to renew.

TL;DR

Renew before your 5-year expiration by meeting one of the five competence options in 46 CFR 10.227(e)(1) — most New Hampshire charter captains use either 1 year (360 days) of sea service in the last 5 years or the comprehensive open-book exercise — plus a current USCG medical certificate. Fees run $95 without the exercise ($50 evaluation + $45 issuance) or $140 with it. You can still renew up to 1 year after expiration; past that you must complete an approved course or pass the full original-issue exam — or hold a Document of Continuity and renew when you re-qualify.

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What it is

Federal MMC renewal

Renewal fee

$95 ($140 w/ exercise)

Nearest REC

Boston, MA

When New Hampshire captains should renew

46 CFR 10.227(b) lets you renew at any time during the credential's 5-year validity and for 1 year after it expires. The NMC accepts applications up to 12 months before the expiration date, and applying 4–6 months out is the practical sweet spot — it leaves room for the medical certificate and any sea-service paperwork. Coastal charter operators usually renew in the off-season — late fall through early spring — so the paperwork never collides with the summer charter calendar.

The 1-year post-expiration window is a renewal grace period only: the credential is not valid for use after it expires, so you cannot legally run paying passengers out of Portsmouth on a lapsed license.

The five ways to meet the renewal requirement (46 CFR 10.227)

To renew, 46 CFR 10.227(e)(1) requires you to demonstrate continued professional competence using one of these five options:

  1. Sea service — at least 1 year (the USCG counts a year as 360 days under 46 CFR 10.107) of sea service during the past 5 years, documented on form CG-719S.
  2. Open-book exercise — pass a comprehensive, open-book exercise covering the general subject matter of your endorsement (for deck officers, centered on the Rules of the Road).
  3. Approved course — complete a Coast Guard-approved refresher or recertification course.
  4. Related employment — at least 3 of the past 5 years in a qualifying position; deck officers using this option must also pass an open-book Rules of the Road exercise.
  5. Teaching — evidence of teaching Coast Guard-approved courses relevant to the endorsement at least twice within the past 5 years.

Most New Hampshire recreational and seasonal captains who don't have a fresh year of sea service choose the open-book exercise. It centers on the Navigation Rules, so the fastest way to walk in ready is to drill the Rules of the Road until you can find every answer cold.

Drill Rules of the Road free →

The renewal forms package

46 CFR 10.227(d) defines what a renewal application must contain. It is the same MMC paperwork family you used for the original credential, minus the original-issue exam:

For the full federal breakdown of each form and the Document of Continuity option, see the USCG captain's license renewal guide.

Renewal cost

Renewal fees are set in 46 CFR 10.219. For an MMC with an officer endorsement, renewal is a $50 evaluation fee plus a $45 issuance fee — $95 total if you renew on sea service or an approved course. If you take the open-book exercise, add the $45 examination fee for $140 total. These are USCG fees only; an approved course or exam-prep provider charges separately.

Renewing an expired or lapsed license

If your credential has been expired for less than 1 year, you renew with the same package as an on-time renewal — you simply may not work under it until it is reissued. If it has been expired for more than 1 year, 46 CFR 10.227 requires you to demonstrate continued professional knowledge by completing a course approved for that purpose, or by passing the complete original-issue examination. Active-duty military members may extend the grace period by the length of service that prevented timely renewal.

If you've stopped running trips and have no recent sea service, 46 CFR 10.227(g) lets you exchange the credential for a non-expiring Document of Continuity instead of letting it lapse. It does not authorize service, but it preserves your eligibility to renew later without starting over with a new original application and the full closed-book exam series.

Questions New Hampshire captains ask about renewal

How do I renew my captain's license in New Hampshire?

Renewing a captain's license in New Hampshire is a federal MMC renewal handled by the National Maritime Center, not a state office. You submit a signed CG-719B with evidence for one of the five 46 CFR 10.227(e) competence options (most commonly 360 days of sea service in the past 5 years, or the open-book exercise), an unexpired medical certificate or CG-719K, drug-test evidence, TWIC evidence, and the $95–$140 fee. Most New Hampshire captains renew by mail or online without visiting REC Boston, MA.

Is there a New Hampshire captain's license renewal, or is it federal?

It is federal. People search for a "New Hampshire captain's license renewal" because they operate locally, but OUPV and Master are officer endorsements on the USCG Merchant Mariner Credential. New Hampshire may regulate business licenses, guide permits, or local fishing rules separately, but the credential renewal itself runs through the NMC nationwide.

How much does it cost to renew a captain's license in New Hampshire?

Under 46 CFR 10.219, renewing an MMC officer endorsement costs $95 (a $50 evaluation fee plus a $45 issuance fee) if you renew on sea service or an approved course, or $140 if you take the open-book exercise (add the $45 examination fee). These are USCG fees only — an approved course provider charges separately.

Can I renew an expired captain's license?

Yes — for up to 1 year after expiration you renew with the same package as an on-time renewal, though you cannot work under the credential while it is lapsed. Past 1 year, 46 CFR 10.227 requires an approved refresher course or the complete original-issue examination to get the credential back.

Do I have to take a test to renew in New Hampshire?

Only if you choose the open-book exercise option (or the related-employment option, which requires an open-book Rules of the Road exercise for deck officers). If you have 1 year of sea service in the last 5 years, an approved course, or qualifying teaching, you can renew without sitting the exercise. The renewal exercise, when required, is open-book and centered on the Navigation Rules.

Renewal in nearby states

Renewing on the open-book exercise?

The renewal exercise is open-book but still keyed to the Navigation Rules. CaptainsGround drills you against citation-backed Rules of the Road questions from 33 CFR and COLREGs so you walk in knowing exactly where each answer lives.

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New Hampshire Captain's License Renewal — USCG MMC Renewal Guide · CaptainsGround