46 CFR 10.405: Qualified Assessor and Designated Examiner qualification

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets out what an applicant must show to become a Qualified Assessor (QA) or a Designated Examiner (DE) for towing officer assessment records (TOARs). Applicants must have documentary evidence of assessment experience, task qualifications and a suitable endorsement or credential. QAs and DEs must also show assessment experience, training or instruction within the past 5 years to renew.

Applies toApplicants to become a Qualified Assessor or a Designated Examiner for towing officer assessment records, and each QA and DE renewing their qualifications.

What it says

  1. A Qualified Assessor applicant must have documentary evidence of experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques.

    46 CFR 10.405(a)(1)“Experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques;”

  2. A Qualified Assessor applicant must have documentary evidence of qualifications in the task for which the assessment is being conducted.

    46 CFR 10.405(a)(2)“Qualifications in the task for which the assessment is being conducted; and”

  3. A Qualified Assessor applicant must have documentary evidence of holding an endorsement or other professional credential showing experience and qualification equal or superior to the level of knowledge, skills, and abilities to be assessed.

    46 CFR 10.405(a)(3)“Possession of the level of endorsement, or other professional credential, which provides proof that they have attained a level of experience and qualification equal or superior”

  4. A Designated Examiner applicant for TOARs must have documentary evidence of experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques on towing vessels.

    46 CFR 10.405(b)(1)“Experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques on towing vessels;”

  5. A Designated Examiner applicant for TOARs must have documentary evidence of qualifications on towing vessels in the task being assessed.

    46 CFR 10.405(b)(2)“Qualifications on towing vessels in the task for which the assessment is being conducted; and”

  6. Documentary evidence may be performance evaluations that include an evaluation of effectiveness in on-the-job organization and delivery of training, or a certificate from an "assessor training" course.

    46 CFR 10.405(c)“Documentary evidence may be in the form of performance evaluations, which include an evaluation of effectiveness in on-the-job organization and delivery of training”

  7. To renew their qualifications, each QA and DE must have experience, training, or evidence of instruction in effective assessment within the past 5 years.

    46 CFR 10.405(d)“each QA and DE must have either experience, training, or evidence of instruction in effective assessment within the past 5 years.”

Common questions

What proof do I need to become a Designated Examiner for TOARs?

You must have documentary evidence of assessment experience, training, or instruction on towing vessels, qualifications on towing vessels in the assessed task, and a towing vessel endorsement or other professional credential at the required level.

“To become a Designated Examiner (DE) for towing officer assessment records (TOARs), an applicant must have documentary evidence to establish—”

What counts as documentary evidence for a Qualified Assessor?

It may be performance evaluations that include an evaluation of effectiveness in on-the-job organization and delivery of training, or a certificate of successful completion from an "assessor training" course.

“or a certificate of successful completion from an “assessor training” course.”

How often must a QA or DE renew assessment qualifications?

Each QA and DE must have experience, training, or evidence of instruction in effective assessment within the past 5 years.

“each QA and DE must have either experience, training, or evidence of instruction in effective assessment within the past 5 years.”

The text of 46 CFR 10.405

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Qualification as Qualified Assessor and Designated Examiner

(a) To become a Qualified Assessor (QA), an applicant must have documentary evidence to establish—

(1) Experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques;

(2) Qualifications in the task for which the assessment is being conducted; and

(3) Possession of the level of endorsement, or other professional credential, which provides proof that they have attained a level of experience and qualification equal or superior to the relevant level of knowledge, skills, and abilities to be assessed.

(b) To become a Designated Examiner (DE) for towing officer assessment records (TOARs), an applicant must have documentary evidence to establish—

(1) Experience, training, or instruction in assessment techniques on towing vessels;

(2) Qualifications on towing vessels in the task for which the assessment is being conducted; and

(3) Possession of the level of endorsement on towing vessels, or other professional credential, which provides proof that they have attained a level of qualification equal or superior to the relevant level of knowledge, skills, and abilities described in the training objectives.

(c) Documentary evidence may be in the form of performance evaluations, which include an evaluation of effectiveness in on-the-job organization and delivery of training, or a certificate of successful completion from an “assessor training” course.

(d) In order to renew their qualifications, each QA and DE must have either experience, training, or evidence of instruction in effective assessment within the past 5 years.

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.