These general prerequisites should be reviewed before applying for any U.S. Coast Guard license/credential. This is recommended so you don’t spend your time and money pursuing a license that you don’t qualify for. For full consulting and credentialing services, call us at 206-659-7178 to get more info.

If you have any questions at all about whether you qualify for a license, call us at 206-659-7178 and one of our friendly student services advisors will answer your questions.

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Prerequisites for Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel License (OUPV/6 Pack)

You must meet all of the prerequisites in this paragraph to receive an OUPV- Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels License

• Must be 18 years old

• Must be able to document 360 days of experience on a vessel

• Must have 90 of these days within the last 3 years

• 90 of the 360 days must be on the ocean or near coastal waters, or the license will be limited to inland waters only

• License will be limited to uninspected vessels of less than 100 gross tons

• If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you can receive this license but it will be restricted to undocumented vessels.

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Prerequisites for Captain’s License: Master / Inland or Mate Near Coastal of Inspected Passenger Vessels Up to 100 Gross Ton

You must meet all of the prerequisites in this paragraph to receive a Master Inland or Mate Near Coastal License for Inspected Passenger Vessels of up to 100 Gross Tons:

• Must be 19 Years old

• Must be able to document 360 days of experience on a vessel

• Must have 90 of the 360 days within last 3 years

• For the Mate Near Coastal 180 of the 360 days must have been on the ocean or near coastal waters

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The tonnage of the license is determined by your experience. For a 100 gross ton license, 90 days must be on vessels of 51 gross tons or above OR 180 days must be on vessels of 34 gross tons or above. For a 50 gross ton license, 90 days must be on a vessel of 26 gross tons or above.

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If you do not meet the tonnage calculation for 50 gross ton or more you are eligible for 25 gross ton license.

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If you plan on operating an Inspected sailing vessel you must have a sailing endorsement, the required seatime for this is 180 days of sail or sail auxiliary time (these may be part of the 360 days and may be prior to license issuance)

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Prerequisites for Captain’s License: Master Near Coastal of Inspected Passenger Vessels Up to 100 Gross Ton

You must meet all of the prerequisites in this paragraph to receive a Master Near Coastal License for Inspected Passenger Vessels of up to 100 Gross Tons:

• Must be 19 Years old

• Must be able to document 720 days of experience on a vessel 360 of these days must have been on ocean or near coastal waters

• Must have 90 days within the last 3 years

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The tonnage of the license is determined by your experience. For a 100 gross ton license, 180 days must be on vessels of 51 gross tons or above OR 360 days must be on vessels of 34 gross tons or above. For a 50 gross ton license, 180 days must be on a vessel of 26 gross tons.

If you plan on operating an Inspected sailing vessel you must have a sailing endorsement, the required seatime for this is 360 days of sail or sail auxiliary time (these may be part of the 360 days and may be prior to license issuance.

For full information on credential requirements, click here to access the U.S. National Maritime Center’s website.