46 CFR 11.424: Master of ocean vessels under 200 GRT

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets the minimum service needed for an officer endorsement as Master of ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT. It offers two service routes. It also covers sail or auxiliary sail vessel endorsements and STCW qualification.

Applies toApplicants for an officer endorsement as Master of ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT.

What it says

  1. One route to the endorsement is three years of total service on ocean or near-coastal waters.

    46 CFR 11.424(a)(1)“Three years of total service on ocean or near-coastal waters.”

  2. Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service.

    46 CFR 11.424(a)(1)“Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service.”

  3. Two years of the required service must have been as Master, Mate, or equivalent position while holding an MMC endorsement as Master, as Mate, or as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV).

    46 CFR 11.424(a)(1)“Two years of the required service must have been as Master, Mate, or equivalent position while holding an MMC endorsement as Master, as Mate, or as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV); or”

  4. The other route is two years of total service as a Master or Mate of ocean or near-coastal towing vessels, and the applicant must also complete an examination.

    46 CFR 11.424(a)(2)“Two years of total service as a Master or Mate of ocean or near-coastal towing vessels. Completion of an examination is also required.”

  5. To obtain an officer endorsement for sail or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant must submit evidence of 12 months of service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels.

    46 CFR 11.424(b)“In order to obtain an officer endorsement for sail or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant must submit evidence of 12 months of service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels.”

  6. The 12 months of sail or auxiliary sail service may have been obtained before the Master's MMC endorsement was issued.

    46 CFR 11.424(b)“The required 12 months of service may have been obtained prior to issuance of the Master's MMC endorsement.”

  7. A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement according to §§ 11.315, 11.317, 11.319, and 11.321 of this part.

    46 CFR 11.424(c)“A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.315, 11.317, 11.319, and 11.321 of this part.”

Common questions

How much service do I need for Master of ocean vessels under 200 GRT?

One route requires three years of total service on ocean or near-coastal waters. The other requires two years as a Master or Mate of ocean or near-coastal towing vessels, plus an examination.

“Three years of total service on ocean or near-coastal waters.”

Can inland service count toward the Master under 200 GRT endorsement?

Yes. Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service under the three-year route.

“Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service.”

What service is needed for a sail or auxiliary sail vessel endorsement?

The applicant must submit evidence of 12 months of service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels. That service may predate the Master's MMC endorsement.

“The required 12 months of service may have been obtained prior to issuance of the Master's MMC endorsement.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.424

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

Requirements for Master of ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT

(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an officer endorsement as Master of ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT is—

(1) Three years of total service on ocean or near-coastal waters. Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service. Two years of the required service must have been as Master, Mate, or equivalent position while holding an MMC endorsement as Master, as Mate, or as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV); or

(2) Two years of total service as a Master or Mate of ocean or near-coastal towing vessels. Completion of an examination is also required.

(b) In order to obtain an officer endorsement for sail or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant must submit evidence of 12 months of service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels. The required 12 months of service may have been obtained prior to issuance of the Master's MMC endorsement.

(c) A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.315, 11.317, 11.319, and 11.321 of this part.

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.