North Carolina Captain's License Test
The North Carolina captain's license test is the federal USCG written exam — the same modules and pass marks nationwide. North Carolina does not write its own version. Your Approval to Test letter from the National Maritime Center sets the exact module list, and you sit it at a Regional Examination Center (nearest: Charleston, SC) or an approved course provider.
TL;DR
The common original OUPV Near Coastal exam (code ONC07) is 160 questions across four modules: Rules of the Road (50, 90% to pass), Deck General/Safety (50, 70%), Navigation General (50, 70%), and Chart Plot (10, 90%). Rules and plotting are the modules North Carolina candidates fail most — you can miss only 5 Rules questions and 1 plotting question. Drill those two cold before scheduling at REC Charleston, SC.
Last verified:
Primary sources
- USCG NMC Deck and Engineering Examination Guide (module codes + pass marks) (retrieved June 12, 2026)
- 46 CFR 11.903 — Officer endorsements requiring examinations (eCFR) (retrieved June 21, 2026)
- 46 CFR 10.217 — examination locations and 1-year exam-fee window (eCFR) (retrieved June 12, 2026)
- USCG NMC Examination Retest Policy (retrieved June 12, 2026)
- USCG NMC — Regional Examination Centers (retrieved June 20, 2026)
Exam type
Federal USCG written
Hardest modules
Rules + Chart Plot (90%)
Where you test
REC Charleston, SC
What's on the North Carolina captain's license test
There is no North Carolina-specific exam. The NMC builds your test from your credential, route, and tonnage, then lists the modules on the Approval to Test (ATT) letter. The representative original path is OUPV Near Coastal, exam code ONC07:
| Module (ONC07) | Questions | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Q100 Rules of the Road (Inland + International) | 50 | 90% |
| Q170 Deck General / Safety | 50 | 70% |
| Q171 Navigation General (Near Coastal) | 50 | 70% |
| Q172 Navigation Problems: Chart Plot | 10 | 90% |
Near-Coastal candidates sit exactly this ONC07 set: the combined Inland and International (COLREGS) Rules module, Deck General/Safety, Near-Coastal Navigation General, and the Chart Plot module.
Module codes and counts are from the NMC Deck and Engineering Examination Guide. Your ATT letter is the final authority for your exact modules, and the questions are drawn from an authorized deck reference library, not a single book.
Why Rules of the Road decides the North Carolina exam
Most modules pass at 70%, but Rules of the Road and Chart Plot pass at 90%. On a 50-question Rules module that is only five permitted misses; on a 10-question plotting module, one. Near-Coastal candidates sit the combined Inland and International (COLREGS) Rules module, so there is more rule text to keep straight, not less. That is the single biggest reason North Carolina candidates retest — and the reason a focused Rules of the Road drill habit is the highest-leverage way to walk in ready.
CaptainsGround drills you against citation-backed Rules of the Road questions straight from 33 CFR and the COLREGs, so every answer is tied to where it actually lives in the Navigation Rules — the fastest way to push a Rules score past 90%.
Drill Rules of the Road free →Approval to Test, retests, and the 1-year clock
The examination requirement itself comes from 46 CFR 11.903, but the document to build your calendar around is the ATT letter. Under 46 CFR 10.217, the exam fee covers the full exam series — original, raise of grade, renewal, or endorsement — taken within 1 year of the application approval date.
NMC's retest policy is forgiving if you fail one or two sections: you may retest those failed sections twice during the next 3 months. Fail three or more sections and you must take a complete re-examination — and every retest still has to fit inside the same 1-year window. So don't burn your first sitting as a diagnostic if the ATT clock is already running. For the full module-by-module breakdown across OUPV and Master, see the USCG captain's license exam format guide.
Where North Carolina candidates take the exam
After the NMC issues your ATT, you test at any active Regional Examination Center or Monitoring Unit, or through a USCG-approved course that carries exam authority for your exact credential, route, and tonnage. North Carolina candidates most often plan around REC Charleston, SC, but you may sit the exam at any REC with an available appointment. For locations, scheduling, and the allowed-materials list, see the REC locations guide.
Questions North Carolina candidates ask about the test
Is there a North Carolina captain's license test, or is the exam federal?
It is federal. People search for a "North Carolina captain's license test" because they operate locally, but the written exam is the same USCG exam nationwide. The National Maritime Center builds it from your credential, route, and tonnage, and lists the modules on your Approval to Test letter. North Carolina does not write or grade its own version.
What score do I need to pass the captain's license test in North Carolina?
Rules of the Road and Chart Plot are 90% modules; Deck General/Safety and Navigation General are commonly 70%. On the standard OUPV Near Coastal exam (ONC07) that means no more than 5 misses on the 50-question Rules module and no more than 1 miss on the 10-question plotting module.
How many questions are on the North Carolina captain's license exam?
The common original OUPV Near Coastal exam code ONC07 totals 160 questions across four modules: 50 Rules of the Road, 50 Deck General/Safety, 50 Navigation General, and 10 Chart Plot. Great Lakes/Inland and Master exams use different module sets, and your Approval to Test letter is the final authority for your exact list.
Can I retake only the sections I failed?
Yes, within limits. For officer endorsements, NMC's retest policy lets you retest one or two failed sections twice during the next 3 months. If you fail three or more sections, you must take a complete re-examination — and all retests must still finish within 1 year of your application approval under 46 CFR 10.217.
Where do I take the captain's license test in North Carolina?
After the NMC issues your Approval to Test, you sit the exam at a Regional Examination Center or an approved course provider. North Carolina candidates most often plan around REC Charleston, SC, but you can schedule at any active REC with an available appointment.
Are the North Carolina captain's license test questions public?
The NMC publishes sample examinations and topic outlines, but treat them as format and scope references — not a promise the live exam reuses them. Passing still comes from drilling the underlying Rules of the Road, Deck General/Safety, Navigation General, and Chart Plot topics until the answers are automatic.
Captain's license test in nearby states
Practice the modules that actually fail people
The gap between a practice set and a REC module is usually pacing, not knowledge. CaptainsGround times you against citation-backed Rules of the Road, Deck General, and Navigation questions so the North Carolina exam feels like a retake.
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