Yes, it's encouraged. You can renew up to 8 months before your MMC is going to expire with zero penalty.
If you’re working on renewing a specific license, we’ve got you covered with tailored guides for every type of renewal:
- OUPV Six-Pack License Renewal
- 25 Ton License Renewal
- 50 Ton License Renewal
- 100 Ton Captain License Renewal
For a complete overview of the process, start with the Ultimate USCG License Renewal Checklist.
When will my new MMC be issued?
When you renew within the 8 month window, the Coast Guard will post-date your new license. This means that the issue date of the new MMC will be the day following the date of expiration of the current MMC, but no more than 8 months in the future.
The new credential will not be valid until the issue date listed on the new MMC. Mariners must continue to carry their current credential until that date.
Mariners are required to return expired or otherwise invalid credentials to the NMC. When the current credential expires, it should be mailed to the NMC.
Can the issue date be earlier?
Mariners may choose to have the new MMC issued immediately. This will result in the new MMC being dated when issued instead of post-dated for the day after the current MMC expires. This option may be necessary for mariners who's company does not allow them to sail under an MMC that is expiring soon.
We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!
MM-SEAS is free to use on your own and if you need some more personalized help you can upgrade to MM-SEAS Expert Access inside of the site.
No matter what, when you are ready to submit your application you can do it yourself, or you can hand the whole thing to us. An MM-SEAS Navita Navigator walks you through submitting in Navita, the Coast Guard's new submission portal, on a short video call. No computer, or not up for a video call? Our team gets your application submitted to the Coast Guard for you anyway. A Stress-Free MMC is $399. Two MM-SEAS licensing experts check every page, we pay your Coast Guard fees at submission and charge your card so you never touch pay.gov, and we stay on it with the National Maritime Center until your credential is issued.
MM-SEAS Expert Access is $99 a year. It is your personal guidance counselor for USCG licensing: what training you need next, which sea time counts, and how to reach the credential you want, by phone, email, chat or a 1 on 1 video call. Expert Access members also get $50 off a Stress-Free MMC.
Need to renew, upgrade or get your first USCG license? We're here to help.
About the author
Nate Gilman is President and Co-Founder of MM-SEAS. He hawsepiped from the deck to a 3rd Mate Unlimited license with full STCW compliance over more than 15 years at sea, and is a veteran of the NOAA Commissioned Corps. He works directly with the National Maritime Center, USCG-approved training schools, and vessel operators on credentialing policy, and writes on sea service documentation, evaluation standards, and how mariners move up the license ladder.
