USCG Regional Examination Centers — All 17 RECs

USCG Regional Examination Centers (RECs) administer the captain's license written exams and process applications. There are 17 RECs nationwide; you can take your exam at any REC, but most candidates choose the one nearest to their home or port.

TL;DR

17 RECs: Anchorage, Boston, Charleston, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Ketchikan, Long Beach, Memphis, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Portland (OR), San Juan, Seattle, St. Louis, Toledo. Online appointment booking through the NMC portal.

How to schedule

After your application is reviewed by the NMC, you receive an Approval to Test letter. Schedule the exam at any REC by phone or through the NMC online portal. Most RECs offer multiple test windows per week.

REC list with regions covered

Anchorage / Juneau / Ketchikan: Alaska. Boston: New England. Charleston: SC, GA, NC. Honolulu: HI. Houston: TX, western Gulf. Long Beach: SoCal. Memphis: TN, AR, KY, AL inland. Miami: FL, Caribbean. New Orleans: LA, MS, AL Gulf. New York: NY, NJ, DE, MD. Oakland: NorCal. Portland (OR): OR, ID, MT. San Juan: PR / USVI. Seattle: WA. St. Louis: MO, KS, NE, IA, ND, SD, MN. Toledo: OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, PA Lake Erie.

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