St. Petersburg, Florida

Phone: (727) 209-1811 Toll Free: 1-800-581-5509

Renewing Your Coast Guard License & Obtaining the New Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC)

Effective April 15, 2009 the U.S. Coast Guard will not process any applications for original or renewal of a license or document to be endorsed in the new Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) unless that mariner also possesses a Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC) card or has proof that they have applied for a TWIC card.  

All Coast Guard issued licenses and documents must be renewed five years from the original date of issuance or last renewal. Many of the Coast Guard Regional Examination Centers have begun in the past years to add a helpful statement on the face of the license such as: "This License Expires on the 5^th day of September 2006." The Coast Guard allows a license to be renewed up to one year before its expiration date, and up to one year after the expiration date, called the "Grace" period. However, during the Grace period a holder may not legally operate vessels under the license authority.

To renew your MMC license, submit to the Coast Guard a MMC icense renewal application, with a new physical examination, a drug test or drug consortium letter, and be able to show 360 days (one year) of service during the past five years. The service must be verified by submitting either proof of vessel ownership, a letter from vessel owner, or company verifying service. Many license holders often find themselves nearing renewal but for whatever reasons do not have the qualifying one year of service. The Coast Guard does allow the licensee to take and pass a comprehensive open-book exercise in lieu of showing the qualifying service. The open-book exercise is mailed out by the Coast Guard to the individual, and they must take the open-book exercise and mail it back to the Coast Guard. The problem many have with taking the open-book exercise renewal route is that they do not possess or have access to the myriad of publications and reference materials necessary to check their answers or to pass the open-book exercise.

If one cannot meet the Coast Guard requirements for renewal, they can choose to renew their license with a "continuity endorsement." A continuity endorsement allows you to keep the license, but it does not allow you to legally operate vessels under the license authority. To remove the continuity endorsement restrictions requires that the license holder meet the normal renewal requirements.

An alternative at renewal to the service or open-book exercise requirements, is to take and pass a Coast Guard approved License Renewal Refresher training course. For Coast Guard license renewals up to Master of Vessels of 100 Gross Tons, Quality Maritime Training routinely conducts our 7-hour Coast Guard approved license refresher training course.

License Renewal (Every Five years) Coast Guard User Fees:
Application Evaluation		$50
License Issuance			$45
Open-book exercise		$45* (in lieu of service requirements)
Total					$140 

*You would not pay the User Fee for the open-book exercise if you present a certificate of completion from our 7-hour License Refresher Training course.