For all captain renewal applications, you’ll need evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs.
You may also use a letter from a marine employer attesting to participation in a random drug testing program, or a letter attesting to pre-employment drug testing from your employer instead of a drug test.
There are a few exceptions to this requirement including increasing in scope, asking for a duplicate, or applying for an STCW only endorsement. No matter what type of evidence you use, it must be dated within 185 days of your application being submitted to the Coast Guard.
You’re required to have a valid drug test when you submit any paperwork or applications to the Coast Guard. All of these options need to be completed within 185 days of submitting your application. The most common mistake we see is related to drug testing paperwork. 11% of the applications submitted to the NMC had an issue with this.
There are three options to meet this requirement. You only need to fulfill one of the options.
Option One: Provide the results of a DOT 5 Panel testing for Marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, Phencyclidine, and Amphetamines. Make your life easier by bringing the CG-719P Periodic Drug Testing Form with you to the clinic with a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO).
You’re not required to use the CG-719P Form. However, it’s useful and ensures you’re submitting all of the necessary information.
The 719P form needs to be signed by the MRO and yourself. An MRO is any licensed medical doctor (including doctors of osteopathy (D.O.), a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed nurse practitioner that is approved as an active Medical Review Officer (MRO) through AAMRO or MROCC.
Option Two: Provide a letter on marine employer stationary or on command letterhead attesting to participation in random drug testing program. You must include the exact text from the Overview of Drug Test Requirements Option Two on the USCG website (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/drug_testing/) in your letter.
Drug testing letters from a Union will not be accepted by the NMC.
Option Three: Provide a letter on marine employer stationary attesting to pre-employment drug testing. You must include the exact text from the Overview of Drug Test Requirements Option Three on the USCG website (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/drug_testing/) in your letter.
MM-SEAS User Tip: When you add your Drug Test Paperwork, MM-SEAS will automatically alert you when your 185 day limit is coming up.
MM-SEAS Will Help You Keep Track of Your USCG Captains License Drug Test Paperwork You Need For Renewal
We understand that getting, upgrading and renewing your merchant mariner credential can be a frustrating experience.
This is why my team and I built MM-SEAS (www.mmseas.com). MM-SEAS makes the complicated licensing process for Captains, Deckhands, Mates, and Engineers simple with an easy to use software that handles the entire USCG licensing process for your first license, renewals and upgrades for you, stores your paperwork, and tracks your sea days.
Visit the MM-SEAS team on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more tips on license renewals and upgrades.
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 working on your USCG license renewal, we have everything you need to succeed. Explore our tailored guides for renewing your Six-Pack license, 25 Ton license, 50 Ton license, or 100 Ton Captain license. Start with the Ultimate USCG License Renewal Checklist for a complete overview and ensure a stress-free 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.
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.
