Where Can I Have My USCG Physical Done for My Captain's License?

Captain’s licenses such as the OUPV and Master license require a physical exam to be completed as part of the application process.

Any physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who is licensed in the US or US Territory can sign off on your medical exam on the CG-719K form.

Jump down to the second half of this blog to learn what to do if your primary care provider won't do your USCG physical or you are not at home.

We suggest the following steps for success:

1. Complete and print off a CG-719K form from the USCG NMC Medical website (https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/19/2003507072/-1/-1/0/CG_719K.PDF).
2. Schedule your medical exam with a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who is licensed in the US or US Territory.
3. Bring the printed form CG-719K with you to your medical exam appointment and have your medical provider complete and sign the form.

When you have your exam make sure you help the doctor read the instructions for the hearing test portion. All a doctor needs to do is whisper from greater than 5 ft away from you. If you can hear it, you have normal hearing and you've passed!

Also make sure that you sign the form on Page 9, Section X: Applicant Signature. It’s one of the most common mistakes we hear about with CG719Ks!

After your exam, scan all 10 pages into a single pdf and then email the completed CG-719K form directly to medaip@uscg.mil.  Make sure to include your full name in the subject line of your email to medical. We always strongly suggest this format: Last, First, MMC Reference number. Mine would be: Gilman, Nate, 3473478.

For your Medical Certificate, the MM-SEAS team does not handle the medical side as we're not medical professionals. We do however help you with all of the Merchant Mariner Credential paperwork as we are Maritime Professionals!

Where to get your physical done when your doctor can't do it or you are not at home:

If your primary care provider isn't able to do your physical exam (CG-719K), there are a few options out there for getting your physical taken care of.

Run a web search using a phrase such as "occupational health clinic near me", "work physical near me", or "DOT physical near me" (DOT stands for Department of Transportation - many places that are able to do a DOT physical can also do a USCG physical and the DOT physical is more common).

Many metropolitan areas and even smaller towns and cities in the US will have a Concentra location. Concentra is a chain occupational health company that recently bought up a number of other clinics around the country, meaning you can usually find one in your area.

Wherever you decide to go for your physical, be sure to call ahead to see if they are able to do the USCG physical. Sometimes it helps to tell the receptionist something like "it's a federal form, 10 pages long, and similar to the DOT physical".

What about finding a location to get the drug test done?

Some occupational clinics will also do the drug test, so you can schedule your physical and drug test at the same location. If you need to find a different place for the drug test, there are several companies that can help set one up, including US Drug Test Centers and National Drug Screening.

When setting up your test, we recommend that you email or call the company to make sure they understand that you need a DOT 5 Panel (SAMHSA 5 Panel, formerly NIDA 5), test for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine (PCP), and amphetamines.

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 Pro inside of the site.

No matter what, when you are ready to submit your application, you can choose to have the MM-SEAS staff create a  stress free application, handle the USCG application fees and work with the USCG on your behalf to resolve any issues for a flat fee of $349 or you can choose to submit on your own.

Pro MM-SEAS members get access to unlimited live 1 on 1 calls with one of our USCG Licensing Specialists. We've found that answering questions live with screen sharing in a video call makes both of our lives easier. Pro MM-SEAS members can access these features inside of MM-SEAS under License Guidance.