46 CFR 11.501: Grades and types of national engineer endorsements
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section lists the thirteen grades of national engineer endorsements. It also sets where holders of Limited and Designated Duty Engineer endorsements may serve, and what propulsion types an engineer officer endorsement covers.
Applies toNational engineer endorsements, including Chief Engineer-Limited, Assistant Engineer-Limited and Designated Duty Engineer endorsements on steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels.
What it says
National engineer endorsements are issued in thirteen grades, starting with Chief Engineer and ending with Assistant Engineer-OSV.
46 CFR 11.501(a)“National engineer endorsements are issued in the grades of—”
Limited engineer endorsement holders may serve within any propulsion power limitations on vessels of unlimited tonnage on inland waters and of less than 1,600 GRT in ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes service.
46 CFR 11.501(b)“allow the holder to serve within any propulsion power limitations on vessels of unlimited tonnage on inland waters and of less than 1,600 GRT in ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes service”
A Chief Engineer-Limited may serve on oceans and near-coastal waters.
46 CFR 11.501(b)(1)“Chief Engineer-Limited may serve on oceans and near-coastal waters.”
Designated Duty Engineer endorsements allow the holder to serve within stated propulsion power limitations on vessels of less than 500 GRT.
46 CFR 11.501(c)“allow the holder to serve within stated propulsion power limitations on vessels of less than 500 GRT in the following manner:”
Designated Duty Engineers-Limited to vessels of less than 1,000 HP or 4,000 HP may serve only on near-coastal or inland waters.
46 CFR 11.501(c)(1)“Designated Duty Engineers-Limited to vessels of less than 1,000 HP or 4,000 HP may serve only on near-coastal or inland waters.”
Designated Duty Engineers-Unlimited may serve on any waters.
46 CFR 11.501(c)(2)“Designated Duty Engineers-Unlimited may serve on any waters.”
An engineer officer MMC endorsement authorizes service on steam, motor, or gas turbine-propelled vessels, or it may authorize all modes of propulsion.
46 CFR 11.501(d)“An engineer officer MMC endorsement authorizes service on steam, motor, or gas turbine-propelled vessels or may authorize all modes of propulsion.”
A holder of an engineer MMC endorsement restricted to near-coastal waters may serve, within the limitations of the MMC, on near-coastal, Great Lakes, and inland waters.
46 CFR 11.501(e)“may serve within the limitations of the MMC upon near-coastal, Great Lakes, and inland waters.”
Common questions
Where can a Designated Duty Engineer-Unlimited serve?
A Designated Duty Engineer-Unlimited may serve on any waters.
“Designated Duty Engineers-Unlimited may serve on any waters.”
Where can a Chief Engineer-Limited serve?
A Chief Engineer-Limited may serve on oceans and near-coastal waters.
“Chief Engineer-Limited may serve on oceans and near-coastal waters.”
Where can an engineer with a near-coastal restricted endorsement serve?
The holder may serve, within the limitations of the MMC, on near-coastal, Great Lakes, and inland waters.
“may serve within the limitations of the MMC upon near-coastal, Great Lakes, and inland waters.”
The text of 46 CFR 11.501
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Grades and types of national engineer endorsements issued
(a) National engineer endorsements are issued in the grades of—
(1) Chief Engineer;
(2) First Assistant Engineer;
(3) Second Assistant Engineer;
(4) Third Assistant Engineer;
(5) Chief Engineer-Limited;
(6) Assistant Engineer-Limited;
(7) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE);
(8) Chief Engineer Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels;
(9) Assistant Engineer Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels;
(10) Chief Engineer-MODU;
(11) Assistant Engineer-MODU;
(12) Chief Engineer-OSV; and
(13) Assistant Engineer-OSV.
(b) Engineer endorsements issued in the grades of Chief Engineer-Limited and Assistant Engineer-Limited of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels allow the holder to serve within any propulsion power limitations on vessels of unlimited tonnage on inland waters and of less than 1,600 GRT in ocean, near-coastal, or Great Lakes service in the following manner:
(1) Chief Engineer-Limited may serve on oceans and near-coastal waters.
(2) Assistant Engineer-Limited may serve on ocean and near-coastal waters.
(c) Engineer MMC endorsements issued in the grades of Designated Duty Engineer of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels allow the holder to serve within stated propulsion power limitations on vessels of less than 500 GRT in the following manner:
(1) Designated Duty Engineers-Limited to vessels of less than 1,000 HP or 4,000 HP may serve only on near-coastal or inland waters.
(2) Designated Duty Engineers-Unlimited may serve on any waters.
(d) An engineer officer MMC endorsement authorizes service on steam, motor, or gas turbine-propelled vessels or may authorize all modes of propulsion.
(e) A person holding an engineer MMC endorsement that is restricted to near-coastal waters may serve within the limitations of the MMC upon near-coastal, Great Lakes, and inland waters.
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.