Rhode Island Captain's License Requirements (2026)

What a “Rhode Island 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 Boston, MA / New York, NY.

Local route clue

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

Which Rules of the Road apply on Rhode Island water#

Rhode Island's three sections give three different answers within twenty miles. 33 CFR 80.150 is the cleanest: it puts the 72 COLREGS on Block Island's waters and draws no line at all, so a Block Island run is International Rules water end to end, with no inland pocket anywhere on it. 80.145 covers the south coast from Race Point, Massachusetts to Watch Hill on the same COLREGS-by-default footing, with pockets only inside the lines it names. 80.155 then draws Watch Hill Light to East Point on Fishers Island, and behind it Narragansett Bay and the Newport waterfront are inland water. So a Newport charter that stays in the bay is on the Inland Rules and the same boat running to Block Island is not — a genuine mid-season rulebook change, and worth logging the two kinds of day separately.

COLREGS Demarcation Lines covering Rhode Island — 33 CFR Part 80

• 33 CFR 80.145Race Point, MA, to Watch Hill, RI72 COLREGS apply except inside the lines it draws
• 33 CFR 80.150Block Island, RI72 COLREGS apply — no inland water here
• 33 CFR 80.155Watch Hill, RI to Montauk Point, NYline drawn — Inland water inside

Both kinds of section appear above, so "Rhode Island" is not by itself an answer — the water is. 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 Rhode Island charter captains need?#

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

Credentials charter captains pursue in Rhode Island

• 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.