To renew your license you need a valid medical certificate. This can be an existing medical certificate that is still valid or a new certificate.
What happens when my medical certificate expires?
If the medical certificate expires before the working credential, the working credential is no longer valid.
What are the 3 dates on the medical certificate?
There are three expiration dates on each certificate;
1) For domestic/national certifications: The Medical Certificate is valid for 5 years from the date of examination.
2) For STCW: The Medical Certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of examination. If the mariner is under 18, the Medical Certificate is valid for 1 year from the date of examination.
3) For Pilots: The Medical Certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of examination.
When is the Date of Examination?
The Coast Guard considers the date of examination to be the date that it approves the issuance of a medical certificate. It will not coincide with the date the medical practitioner signed the CG-719K or CG-719 K/E; nor will it necessarily coincide with the issuance date of the medical certificate or MMC.
Not sure exactly what the CG-719K covers when it comes to your medical certificates? We break that down in more detail here: Does a CG-719K Renew My Domestic and STCW Medical Certificates?
We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!
If you're 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 comprehensive overview, start with the Ultimate USCG License Renewal Checklist.
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. 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.
