How to Renew Your USCG License in 3 Minutes

You’ve done all of the hard work! Jumped through all of the hoops and have been working on vessels for the last few years. You look down and realize that it’s time to renew your Captain's License, Now what?

Here is a quick overview for each step you need to complete to renew you USCG License and STCW endorsements. If you are using MM-SEAS all of your documents should already be in the system, there are built in reminders and there are simple to use checklists to make this process simple and easy for you!

Step 1: Make sure you understand what you need for the professional requirements to renew. This includes gathering your sea service documents and counting up your sea days in the previous five years of your renewal application date.

Step 2: Once you know how many sea days you have you need to take the required training if needed and then ensure you have the training certificates in your possession.

Step 3: You either need to have an unexpired medical certificate or have submitted a medical certificate application.

Step 4: A photocopy - front, back, and all attachments of what you are renewing. This can be your uncanceled MMD, Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), license, STCW endorsement, Certificate of Registry (COR), or Document of Continuity.

Step 5: You need to hold a valid TWIC or have recent evidence of applying for a TWIC. (For a  special few you are exempt from the TWIC and can renew without one!)

Step 6: Evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying for an exemption from testing in 46 CFR 16.220.

Step 7: You need to pay the appropriate fee as set forth in 46 CFR 10.219 to pay.gov and keep the receipt for submission.

Step 8: A completed, signed application.

Step 9: Submit your completed, signed application, with all of the above eight steps documents attached, through Navita, the Coast Guard's new submission portal. With a Stress-Free MMC, an MM-SEAS Navita Navigator walks you through it on a short video call, or our team submits it for you.

These nine steps may seem a little daunting and we agree. We actually built MM-SEAS for this exact reason. Instead of wondering how many sea days you have or where your documents are, MM-SEAS gives you one location for all of your maritime documents and tells you exactly how many sea days you have documentation for!

If you need any help or have more questions about sea service use the “Ask us anything maritime” above!

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 complete guidance on 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 of the renewal process.

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.