46 CFR 11.304: STCW deck officer endorsement types
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section lists the STCW deck officer endorsements. It says the specific requirements for all of them are in the applicable sections in this part. Paragraph (b) is reserved.
Applies toSTCW deck officer endorsements for master, chief mate and officer in charge of a navigational watch.
What it says
The specific requirements for all STCW deck officer endorsements are detailed in the applicable sections in this part.
46 CFR 11.304(a)“Specific requirements for all STCW deck officer endorsements are detailed in the applicable sections in this part.”
Master on vessels of 3,000 GT or more is a management level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(1)“Master on vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management level).”
Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT or more is a management level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(2)“Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management level).”
Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) of vessels of 500 GT or more is an operational level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(3)“Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) of vessels of 500 GT or more (operational level).”
Master of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT is a management level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(4)“Master of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT (management level).”
Master of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters is a management level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(7)“Master of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters (management level).”
OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters is an operational level endorsement.
46 CFR 11.304(a)(9)“OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters (operational level).”
Common questions
Where are the requirements for STCW deck officer endorsements?
The specific requirements for all STCW deck officer endorsements are detailed in the applicable sections in this part. This section only lists the endorsements.
“Specific requirements for all STCW deck officer endorsements are detailed in the applicable sections in this part.”
What level is a Chief Mate endorsement for vessels of 3,000 GT or more?
Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT or more is a management level endorsement.
“Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management level).”
What level is an OICNW endorsement for vessels of less than 500 GT?
OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT is an operational level endorsement.
“OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT (operational level).”
The text of 46 CFR 11.304
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
STCW deck officer endorsements
(a) Specific requirements for all STCW deck officer endorsements are detailed in the applicable sections in this part.
(1) Master on vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management level).
(2) Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management level).
(3) Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) of vessels of 500 GT or more (operational level).
(4) Master of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT (management level).
(5) Chief Mate of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT (management level).
(6) Master of vessels of less than 500 GT (management level).
(7) Master of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters (management level).
(8) OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT (operational level).
(9) OICNW of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters (operational level).
(b) [Reserved]
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.