How to schedule a USCG REC exam appointment
After the NMC evaluates your application and issues an Approval to Test letter, schedule the exam at an active REC or MU. The current NMC REC/MU FAQ says examination appointments must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance; it also says candidates should schedule as far ahead as possible, while still allowing appointments for any available opening.
You can schedule through the NMC Contact Center at 1-888-I-ASK-NMC (427-5662) or by contacting the REC directly. Do not plan on a walk-in exam: the FAQ says only mariners with scheduled appointments are permitted to test.
REC and Monitoring Unit roster
The NMC's current REC page lists Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Ketchikan (MU), Long Beach, Memphis, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, St. Louis, San Juan (MU), and Toledo.
You may test at any active center, regardless of where you live. Use geography only as a planning shortcut: Alaska candidates usually compare Anchorage, Juneau, and Ketchikan; Gulf candidates often compare Houston, New Orleans, and Miami; West Coast candidates compare Long Beach, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle; Great Lakes candidates often start with Toledo or St. Louis.
What to bring on exam day
Arrive 30 minutes before your appointment for registration. If you arrive after the exam session starts and the REC still allows you to test, the FAQ says you receive only the time remaining in that session, not a fresh 3.5-hour clock.
The REC FAQ's allowed-item list is narrow: #2 pencil, Star Finder 2102-D with instructions, plotting tools such as dividers, triangles, and nautical slide rule, and one non-programmable calculator. Electronic communication devices cannot be used for calculator functions, and other personal belongings are stored outside the exam room.
What RECs do besides exams
RECs pre-screen merchant mariner credential applications for completeness, administer examinations, oversee Coast Guard-approved courses, and provide mariner outreach. For most original OUPV and Master candidates, the REC becomes relevant after the NMC has accepted the application package and issued the Approval to Test.
Medical-only applications do not go to the REC. The REC/MU FAQ says medical certificate applications and supplemental medical documentation should be submitted through the online application portal instead.
REC vs Monitoring Unit
A Monitoring Unit is smaller than a full REC and may offer a narrower set of services, but it can still be the nearest exam-facing NMC location for some candidates. The current NMC page marks Ketchikan and San Juan as MUs. Because local hours, access rules, and service availability can change, treat the NMC location page as the final authority before booking travel.