46 CFR 11.703: Service requirements for First-Class Pilot endorsement

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets the minimum service an applicant needs for a First-Class Pilot endorsement. The amount depends on the waters for which pilotage is desired: general, river, or canal and small lakes routes. It also lists a Great Lakes Maritime Academy graduate exception, training-course substitution, and Master or Mate holders who meet the requirements.

Applies toApplicants for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot.

What it says

  1. For general routes, the applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of self-propelled vessels navigating on oceans, coastwise, and Great Lakes, or bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Great Lakes.

    46 CFR 11.703(a)(1)“The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of self-propelled vessels navigating on oceans, coastwise, and Great Lakes, or bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Great Lakes, as follows:”

  2. For general routes, 18 months of the 36 months must be spent performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.

    46 CFR 11.703(a)(1)(i)“Eighteen months of the 36 months of service must be performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.”

  3. For river routes, the applicant must have at least 36 months of deck department service on any vessel, including at least 12 months on vessels operating on rivers while performing bridge watchkeeping duties under supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.

    46 CFR 11.703(a)(2)“The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 12 months of service on vessels operating on the waters of rivers while the applicant is performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.”

  4. For canal and small lakes routes, the applicant must have at least 24 months of deck department service on any vessel, including at least 8 months on vessels operating on canals or small lakes.

    46 CFR 11.703(a)(3)“The applicant must have at least 24 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 8 months of service on vessels operating on canals or small lakes.”

  5. A graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in the deck class meets the service requirements for a First-Class Pilot endorsement on the Great Lakes.

    46 CFR 11.703(b)“A graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in the deck class meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot on the Great Lakes.”

  6. An individual using substituted service from an approved or accepted Pilot training course must have at least 9 months of shipboard service.

    46 CFR 11.703(c)“An individual using substituted service must have at least 9 months of shipboard service.”

  7. An individual holding an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT meets the service requirements for First-Class Pilot.

    46 CFR 11.703(d)“An individual holding an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot.”

Common questions

How much service do I need for a First-Class Pilot endorsement on a general route?

You must have at least 36 months of deck department service on self-propelled vessels on the waters the text lists. Eighteen of those months must be bridge watchkeeping under supervision.

“Eighteen months of the 36 months of service must be performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.”

Can a pilot training course replace some required service?

Yes. An approved or accepted Pilot training course may be substituted for part of the service, in accordance with § 10.404 of this subchapter. The individual must still have at least 9 months of shipboard service.

“Completion of an approved or accepted Pilot training course may be substituted for a portion of the service requirements of this section in accordance with § 10.404 of this subchapter.”

Does a Master or Mate endorsement meet the First-Class Pilot service requirements?

Yes, if the individual holds an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT.

“An individual holding an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.703

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

Service requirements

(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot is predicated upon the nature of the waters for which pilotage is desired.

(1) General routes (routes not restricted to rivers, canals and small lakes). The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of self-propelled vessels navigating on oceans, coastwise, and Great Lakes, or bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Great Lakes, as follows:

(i) Eighteen months of the 36 months of service must be performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.

(ii) At least 12 months of the 18 months of service required in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section must be on vessels operating on the class of waters for which pilotage is desired.

(2) River routes. The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 12 months of service on vessels operating on the waters of rivers while the applicant is performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or a qualified officer.

(3) Canal and small lakes routes. The applicant must have at least 24 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 8 months of service on vessels operating on canals or small lakes.

(b) A graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in the deck class meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot on the Great Lakes.

(c) Completion of an approved or accepted Pilot training course may be substituted for a portion of the service requirements of this section in accordance with § 10.404 of this subchapter. Additionally, roundtrips made during this training may apply toward the route familiarization requirements of § 11.705. An individual using substituted service must have at least 9 months of shipboard service.

(d) An individual holding an MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as First-Class Pilot.

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.