Yes and No. The best thing you can do is submit a complete application, organized the way the USCG team reviewing it expects, so their job is as easy as possible.
Other than that, there is currently no standard way to speed up an application going through the USCG license application review process.
The USCG National Maritime Center (NMC) has experienced a significant surge in application submissions for Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) over the past several months. This surge combined with applications with errors are slowing the process down for everyone.
Here are the steps your USCG license will go through after your submit it to the The USCG National Maritime Center (NMC)
Step 1 The local USCG Regional Exam Center (REC)
Your local REC will review your application for generic issues with your paperwork. They pre-screen applications with a focus on ensuring you have a complete application including drug test and pay.gov issues.
The average time for your application to be at an REC is currently 5 business days.
Step 2 The Safety Desk at the USCG National Maritime Center
All applications go through a review at the Safety Desk at the USCG National Maritime Center. They conduct a background review on you. If you have had any current or prior convictions this is the office that will dig into your CG719C form as well as looking at your previously disclosed all convictions memos.
The average time for your application to be at an the Safety Desk is currently 5 business days.
Step 3 The Professional Evaluation Desk at the USCG National Maritime Center
The professional evaluators are looking at your complete package with a focus on sea service and training. The is currently a large wait to get to a professional evaluators desk. Once your application is in front of a professional evaluator it is typically taking less than 1 day.
The average time for your application to be at an Professional Evaluation Desk is currently 31 business days.
Step 4 MMC Printed by the USCG National Maritime Center
The USCG National Maritime Center will print your new Merchant Mariner Credential.
The average time for your new MMC to be printed by the National Maritime Center is currently 7 business days after it's been approved to Print by the Professional Evaluators.
Step 5 MMC Mailed to you by the USCG National Maritime Center
The USCG National Maritime Center will mail your new Merchant Mariner Credential directly to you.
The average time for your new MMC to be put in the mail by the National Maritime Center is currently 3 business days after it's been printed.
Step 6 Get Your New MMC in Your Mailbox
We recommend using the standard USPS shipping method that the USCG National Maritime Center uses. There are other options which we have seen create delays through clerical errors.
USPS has been doing a great job and we have been seeing the average time for USPS to deliver your new MMC to be 3 business days after it's been put in the mail by the USCG National Maritime Center.
That's great but how long is is taking for the entire process from submission to the REC to my mailbox?
We are seeing an average of 48 business days for USCG applications to be processed. This translates into 9 weeks of total processing time.
The USCG National Maritime Center is still holding to their 90 day application processing time which is 13 weeks. We expect this to shift to a longer timeframe as they continue to be feel the effects of the USCG license application surge they are experiencing.
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.
