46 CFR 11.524: Designated Duty Engineer service requirements

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets the service requirements for national Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) endorsements on steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels. Endorsements come in three levels of propulsion power limitations. Each level requires set time in the engineroom, part of it as a QMED or equivalent position.

Applies toApplicants for a Designated Duty Engineer endorsement on steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels.

What it says

  1. DDE endorsements are issued in three levels of propulsion power limitations, depending on the applicant's total service and completion of an appropriate examination.

    46 CFR 11.524(a)“Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) endorsements are issued in three levels of propulsion power limitations dependent upon the total service of the applicant and completion of an appropriate examination.”

  2. These DDE endorsements are limited to vessels of less than 500 GRT on certain waters as specified in § 11.501.

    46 CFR 11.524(a)“These endorsements are limited to vessels of less than 500 GRT on certain waters as specified in § 11.501.”

  3. For DDE of unlimited propulsion power, the applicant must have 3 years of service in the engineroom. Eighteen months of that service must have been as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) or equivalent position.

    46 CFR 11.524(b)(1)“the applicant must have 3 years of service in the engineroom. Eighteen months of this service must have been as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) or equivalent position;”

  4. For DDE of vessels of less than 4,000 HP/3,000 kW, the applicant must have 2 years of service in the engineroom. One year of that service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.

    46 CFR 11.524(b)(2)“the applicant must have 2 years of service in the engineroom. One year of this service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position; and”

  5. For DDE of vessels of less than 1,000 HP/750 kW, the applicant must have 1 year of service in the engineroom. Six months of that service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.

    46 CFR 11.524(b)(3)“the applicant must have 1 year of service in the engineroom. Six months of this service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.”

  6. A person holding a DDE endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.325, 11.327, 11.329, and 11.331 of this part.

    46 CFR 11.524(c)“A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.325, 11.327, 11.329, and 11.331 of this part.”

Common questions

How much engineroom service do I need for an unlimited DDE endorsement?

The applicant must have 3 years of service in the engineroom. Eighteen months of it must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.

“the applicant must have 3 years of service in the engineroom. Eighteen months of this service must have been as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) or equivalent position;”

What service is required for a DDE endorsement under 1,000 HP/750 kW?

The applicant must have 1 year of service in the engineroom. Six months of it must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.

“the applicant must have 1 year of service in the engineroom. Six months of this service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.”

What size vessels does a DDE endorsement cover?

DDE endorsements are limited to vessels of less than 500 GRT on certain waters as specified in § 11.501.

“These endorsements are limited to vessels of less than 500 GRT on certain waters as specified in § 11.501.”

Can a DDE get an STCW endorsement?

A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.325, 11.327, 11.329, and 11.331 of this part.

“A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.325, 11.327, 11.329, and 11.331 of this part.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.524

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

Service requirements for national endorsement as Designated Duty Engineer of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels

(a) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) endorsements are issued in three levels of propulsion power limitations dependent upon the total service of the applicant and completion of an appropriate examination. These endorsements are limited to vessels of less than 500 GRT on certain waters as specified in § 11.501.

(b) The service requirements for endorsements as DDE are—

(1) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels of unlimited propulsion power, the applicant must have 3 years of service in the engineroom. Eighteen months of this service must have been as a Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) or equivalent position;

(2) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels of less than 4,000 HP/3,000 kW, the applicant must have 2 years of service in the engineroom. One year of this service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position; and

(3) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels of less than 1,000 HP/750 kW, the applicant must have 1 year of service in the engineroom. Six months of this service must have been as a QMED or equivalent position.

(c) A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §§ 11.325, 11.327, 11.329, and 11.331 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.