46 CFR 11.442: Service for Master of Great Lakes and inland vessels

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets the minimum service an applicant needs for an endorsement as Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT. An applicant may qualify through one of two service paths. Paragraph (b) is reserved.

Applies toApplicants for an endorsement as Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT.

What it says

  1. An applicant may qualify with three years of total service on vessels.

    46 CFR 11.442(a)(1)“Three years of total service on vessels.”

  2. Under the three-year path, eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of 100 GRT or more.

    46 CFR 11.442(a)(1)“Eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of 100 GRT or more.”

  3. Under the three-year path, one year of the required service must have been as a Master, Mate, or equivalent position on vessels of 100 GRT or more while the applicant held an MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, or Master of Towing Vessels.

    46 CFR 11.442(a)(1)“One year of the required service must have been as a Master, Mate, or equivalent position on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, or Master of Towing Vessels; or”

  4. As an alternative, an applicant may qualify with six months of service as operator on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels.

    46 CFR 11.442(a)(2)“Six months of service as operator on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels.”

Common questions

How much service do I need for Master of Great Lakes and inland vessels under 1,600 GRT?

The applicant needs three years of total service on vessels, with the further limits in paragraph (a)(1). A second path is six months of service as operator under paragraph (a)(2).

“Three years of total service on vessels.”

How much of the service must be on vessels of 100 GRT or more?

Under the three-year path, eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of 100 GRT or more.

“Eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of 100 GRT or more.”

Can towing vessel operator service qualify me for this endorsement?

Yes. Six months of service as operator on vessels of 100 GRT or more, while holding an MMC endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels, qualifies an applicant.

“Six months of service as operator on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.442

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

Requirements for Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT

(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT is—

(1) Three years of total service on vessels. Eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of 100 GRT or more. One year of the required service must have been as a Master, Mate, or equivalent position on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, or Master of Towing Vessels; or

(2) Six months of service as operator on vessels of 100 GRT or more while holding an MMC endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels.

(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.