North Carolina 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.
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Use this page to check 100 ton captain license requirements in North Carolina: Master-level sea time, tonnage evidence, exam modules, TWIC, medical, and REC Charleston, SC planning. In North Carolina, candidates commonly operate around Outer Banks (Hatteras, Oregon Inlet, Wanchese), Morehead City, Wrightsville Beach. The nearest REC is Charleston, SC.
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Use the North Carolina overview to choose between OUPV, Master 25, Master 50, and Master 100 before narrowing this credential checklist. Because the credential is federal, the national Master 100 ton guide carries the full requirement detail — North Carolina only changes your nearest REC and local operating context.
Document Master-level sea service, commonly 720 days with tonnage and route details supporting the requested authority.
Complete the CG-719K physical, drug test, TWIC, CPR, and First Aid requirements.
Study Rules of the Road, Deck General, Deck Safety, and Navigation General. Master candidates also need Plotting and the broader General module.
Schedule the exam at REC Charleston, SC, or use an approved school that administers the USCG exam.
North Carolina candidates targeting Master 100 GT should separate two questions before applying: whether they have enough Master-level sea time, and whether enough of that service was on vessels large enough to justify the 100 GT tonnage limit. That distinction matters for operators working around Outer Banks (Hatteras, Oregon Inlet, Wanchese), Morehead City, Wrightsville Beach, where the business goal is often a larger inspected passenger vessel rather than a six-passenger OUPV boat.
A North Carolina Master 100 GT application has to clear the Master less-than-100 route baseline and then show enough qualifying service on larger vessels for the 100 GRT limit. The NMC can still issue 50 or 25 GRT if the sea time is valid but the vessel tonnage is smaller.
North Carolina's Outer Banks have one of the strongest offshore canyon and Gulf-Stream charter fleets on the East Coast. OUPV Near-Coastal is the entry; Master 100 is common. 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.
A Master 100 GT in North Carolina 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.
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 North Carolina as it is nationwide. For the full original-application checklist, start with how to get a captain’s license.
The credential is federal, so the requirements do not change by state. A typical Master 100 GT applicant documents Master-level sea service, passes the required USCG exam modules, clears medical/drug/TWIC screening, and shows enough qualifying vessel tonnage for the 100 GT limitation.
Not always. The Coast Guard issues 25, 50, 100, or 200 GRT limits from the vessel tonnage in your qualifying service. Small-boat time can satisfy days, but it may cap the credential below 100 GT.
After the NMC approves the application, candidates test at a Regional Examination Center or through an approved course provider. Use the nearest REC listed above for planning travel and appointment timing.
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The written test is the same federal exam nationwide. One citation-backed question — no sign-up.
Lessons and drills cite 33/46 CFR, COLREGs, and Bowditch so your prep matches what the USCG tests. Answer 5 real, cited questions free.