46 CFR 11.401: Ocean and near-coastal officer endorsements

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers national officer endorsements for ocean and near-coastal service. An ocean or near-coastal Master or Mate endorsement qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on other waters, with exceptions. It also sets rules for sail endorsements and for crediting service.

Applies toMariners seeking or holding MMC endorsements as Master or Mate on ocean or near-coastal waters.

What it says

  1. Subject to §§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate on ocean waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on any waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers, subject to the limitations of the endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.401(a)“any MMC endorsement for service as Master or Mate on ocean waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on any waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers subject to the limitations of the endorsement”

  2. Subject to §§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate on near-coastal waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on Great Lakes and inland waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers, subject to the limitations of the endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.401(b)“any MMC endorsement issued for service as Master or Mate on near-coastal waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on Great Lakes and inland waters”

  3. Near-coastal endorsements for unlimited tonnage require the same number of years of service as ocean-unlimited endorsements.

    46 CFR 11.401(c)“Near-coastal endorsements for unlimited tonnage require the same number of years of service as the ocean-unlimited endorsements.”

  4. A Master or Mate on vessels of 200 GRT or more, and a Master or Mate on vessels under 200 GRT, may be endorsed for Sail or Auxiliary Sail as appropriate.

    46 CFR 11.401(d)“A Master or Mate on vessels of 200 GRT or more, and a Master or Mate on vessels under 200 GRT, may be endorsed for Sail or Auxiliary Sail as appropriate.”

  5. A sail or auxiliary sail applicant must provide the equivalent total service required for conventional officer endorsements, including at least 1 year of deck experience on that specific type of vessel.

    46 CFR 11.401(d)“The applicant must provide the equivalent total service required for conventional officer endorsements, including at least 1 year of deck experience on that specific type of vessel.”

  6. Service on the Great Lakes will be credited day-for-day toward an oceans, near-coastal or STCW endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.401(e)(1)“Service on the Great Lakes will be credited on a day-for-day basis.”

  7. Service on inland waters other than the Great Lakes that are navigable waters of the United States may be substituted for up to 50 percent of the total required service.

    46 CFR 11.401(e)(2)“Service on inland waters, other than Great Lakes, that are navigable waters of the United States, may be substituted for up to 50 percent of the total required service.”

  8. Service on vessels to which STCW applies, whether inland or coastwise, will be credited day-for-day.

    46 CFR 11.401(e)(3)“Service on vessels to which STCW applies, whether inland or coastwise, will be credited on a day-for-day basis.”

Common questions

Can an ocean Master or Mate endorsement be used on other waters?

Yes, subject to §§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), it qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on any waters. Towing vessels upon western rivers are excepted, subject to the limitations of the endorsement.

“any MMC endorsement for service as Master or Mate on ocean waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on any waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers subject to the limitations of the endorsement”

How much sail experience is needed for a sail endorsement?

The applicant must provide the equivalent total service required for conventional officer endorsements. That includes at least 1 year of deck experience on that specific type of vessel.

“The applicant must provide the equivalent total service required for conventional officer endorsements, including at least 1 year of deck experience on that specific type of vessel.”

How is inland waters service credited toward an ocean or near-coastal endorsement?

Service on inland waters other than the Great Lakes that are navigable waters of the United States may be substituted for up to 50 percent of the total required service.

“Service on inland waters, other than Great Lakes, that are navigable waters of the United States, may be substituted for up to 50 percent of the total required service.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.401

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Ocean and near-coastal national officer endorsements

(a) Subject to the provisions of §§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), any MMC endorsement for service as Master or Mate on ocean waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on any waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers subject to the limitations of the endorsement.

(b) Subject to the provisions of §§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), any MMC endorsement issued for service as Master or Mate on near-coastal waters qualifies the mariner to serve in the same grade on Great Lakes and inland waters, except towing vessels upon western rivers subject to the limitations of the endorsement.

(c) Near-coastal endorsements for unlimited tonnage require the same number of years of service as the ocean-unlimited endorsements. The primary differences in these endorsements are the nature of the service and the scope of the required training, examination, and assessment.

(d) A Master or Mate on vessels of 200 GRT or more, and a Master or Mate on vessels under 200 GRT, may be endorsed for Sail or Auxiliary Sail as appropriate. The applicant must provide the equivalent total service required for conventional officer endorsements, including at least 1 year of deck experience on that specific type of vessel. For example, for an officer endorsement as Master of vessels of less than 1,600 GRT endorsed for auxiliary sail, the applicant must meet the total experience requirements for the conventional officer endorsement, including time as Mate, and the proper tonnage experience, including at least 1 year of deck service, on appropriately sized auxiliary sail vessels. For an endorsement to serve on vessels of less than 200 GRT, see the individual endorsement requirements.

(e) Service toward an oceans, near-coastal or STCW endorsement will be credited as follows:

(1) Service on the Great Lakes will be credited on a day-for-day basis.

(2) Service on inland waters, other than Great Lakes, that are navigable waters of the United States, may be substituted for up to 50 percent of the total required service.

(3) Service on vessels to which STCW applies, whether inland or coastwise, will be credited on a day-for-day basis.

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 March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.