If your Medical is still valid, you can get away with renewing your MMC without renewing your Medical at the same time.
That being said, your MMC is invalid the second your medical is not valid. Mariners who only hold domestic (National) endorsements need to renew their medical every 5 years to keep their MMC valid. If you also hold STCW endorsements, then you need to keep your STCW medical up to date as well.
If you hold any STCW endorsement and your STCW medical is expired, your entire MMC in invalid and you cannot work under it.
If a mariner's MMC or corresponding medical is not current the entire MMC in invalid and the mariner is not allowed to work on their license until their medical and MMC are current.
We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!
For a complete step-by-step guide to renewing your MMC, check out:
- OUPV Six-Pack License Renewal
- 25 Ton License Renewal
- 50 Ton License Renewal
- 100 Ton Captain License Renewal
Start with the Ultimate USCG License Renewal Checklist for a complete overview.
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.
