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100 Ton Captain License Requirements in Texas

Texas 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.

Quick read

Use this page to check 100 ton captain license requirements in Texas: Master-level sea time, tonnage evidence, exam modules, TWIC, medical, and REC Houston, TX planning. In Texas, candidates commonly operate around Galveston, South Padre Island, Port Aransas. The nearest REC is Houston, TX.

Credential requirements last verified .

Primary sources for Master 100 GT requirements

Credential

Master 100 GT

Nearest REC

Houston, TX

Route

Inspected vessels

Compare every Texas captain's license path

Use the Texas overview to choose between OUPV, Master 25, Master 50, and Master 100 before narrowing this credential checklist.

See all Texas captain's license requirements

What to prepare for

  1. Document Master-level sea service, commonly 720 days with tonnage and route details supporting the requested authority.
  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. Master candidates also need Plotting and the broader General module.
  4. Schedule the exam at REC Houston, TX, or use an approved school that administers the USCG exam.

100 ton captain license requirements in Texas

Texas 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 Galveston, South Padre Island, Port Aransas, where the business goal is often a larger inspected passenger vessel rather than a six-passenger OUPV boat.

Sea time
Commonly 720 days
Exam focus
Rules, deck, safety, navigation, plotting
Local signal
Galveston + South Padre Island

How the 100 ton limit is assigned in Texas

A Texas 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.

Great Lakes/Inland
360 service days
Near Coastal
720 service days
Tonnage limit
34+ or 51+ GRT history

Route baseline

Great Lakes/Inland uses a 360-day baseline, while Near-Coastal uses 720 deck-department days on ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes waters, with up to 360 inland-water days allowed as substitute service.

100 GRT tonnage evidence

The current NMC checklists show 100 GRT supported by service on 34+ or 51+ GRT vessels, with the day threshold depending on route. Valid Master service on smaller vessels can still produce a 50 or 25 GRT credential.

Local operating context

REC Houston covers the western Gulf. Texas inshore (Galveston Bay, Laguna Madre) is OUPV Inland; offshore operators chasing red snapper, billfish, and tuna run OUPV Near-Coastal or Master 100. 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.

Questions candidates ask before applying

What are the 100 ton captain license requirements in Texas?

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.

Can I get Master 100 if most of my time is on small boats?

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.

Where does a Texas Master 100 candidate take the exam?

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.

Same credential nearby

Study the federal exam, not state trivia

CaptainsGround links lessons and drills to 33/46 CFR, COLREGs, and Bowditch citations so your prep matches the material the USCG tests.

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100 Ton Captain License Requirements in Texas | USCG Master Guide · CaptainsGround