46 CFR 10.410: Quality Standard System for training providers

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section requires providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement to keep a Quality Standard System (QSS). The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or by a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization. Certain other documentation may satisfy parts of the QSS requirements, and organizations are subject to audits.

Applies toProviders of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement.

What it says

  1. Providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement must establish and maintain a QSS in accordance with Regulation I/8 of the STCW Convention.

    46 CFR 10.410(a)“must establish and maintain a Quality Standard System (QSS), in accordance with Regulation I/8 of the STCW Convention”

  2. The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or by a third party designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization.

    46 CFR 10.410(b)“The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or monitored through a third party that is designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization.”

  3. A Coast Guard-monitored QSS must have a documented quality policy and quality objectives that align with the training institution's commitment to achieve its missions and goals.

    46 CFR 10.410(c)(1)“Have a documented quality policy and quality objectives that align with the commitment by the training institution to achieve its missions and goals;”

  4. A Coast Guard-monitored QSS must maintain a manual that documents the objectives, authorities, and responsibilities that are essential controls for implementing the QSS.

    46 CFR 10.410(c)(2)“Maintain a manual that documents the objectives, authorities, and responsibilities that are essential controls for the implementation of the QSS”

  5. The Coast Guard may accept documentation from a nationally recognized academic accreditation body as meeting one or more of the paragraph (c) requirements. The documentation must be readily available for inspection upon request.

    46 CFR 10.410(d)“Documentation from a nationally recognized academic accreditation body may be accepted by the Coast Guard as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section.”

  6. The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the paragraph (c) requirements.

    46 CFR 10.410(f)“The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section.”

  7. Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period, and they must cooperate with Coast Guard audits.

    46 CFR 10.410(g)“Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period. Organizations must cooperate with Coast Guard audits.”

Common questions

Who must have a Quality Standard System under 46 CFR 10.410?

Providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement must establish and maintain a QSS.

“Providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement must establish and maintain a Quality Standard System (QSS)”

Who monitors the QSS?

The Coast Guard monitors the QSS, or a third party designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization monitors it.

“The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or monitored through a third party that is designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization.”

How often are training organizations audited?

Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period. They must cooperate with Coast Guard audits.

“Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period.”

Will the Coast Guard accept ISM documentation for QSS requirements?

Yes. The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c).

“The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section.”

The text of 46 CFR 10.410

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

Quality Standard System (QSS) requirements

(a) Providers of Coast Guard-approved courses, programs, training, and Coast Guard-accepted training creditable towards an STCW endorsement must establish and maintain a Quality Standard System (QSS), in accordance with Regulation I/8 of the STCW Convention (incorporated by reference, see § 10.103 of this part).

(b) The QSS must be monitored by the Coast Guard or monitored through a third party that is designated as a Coast Guard-accepted QSS organization.

(c) The Coast Guard-monitored QSS must—

(1) Have a documented quality policy and quality objectives that align with the commitment by the training institution to achieve its missions and goals;

(2) Maintain a manual that documents the objectives, authorities, and responsibilities that are essential controls for the implementation of the QSS, including—

(i) The core procedures required to meet the missions and goals of the institution;

(ii) The documents necessary for effective design, planning, operation, and control for the delivery of courses meeting the regulatory requirements;

(iii) The filing and archiving of records so they are retrievable and legible;

(iv) Action taken to stop recurrence of system, process, and product nonconformity; and

(v) Auditing, reviewing, and improving the performance of the training management system.

(d) Documentation from a nationally recognized academic accreditation body may be accepted by the Coast Guard as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section. The documentation must be readily available for inspection upon request.

(e) The Coast Guard will accept documentation from a training institution certified under a national or international Quality Management System Standard as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section. The documentation must be readily available for inspection upon request.

(f) The Coast Guard will accept company ISM documentation as meeting one or more of the requirements listed in paragraph (c) of this section.

(g) Organizations are subject to audits at least twice in a 5-year period. Organizations must cooperate with Coast Guard audits.

Sections it refers to

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.