46 CFR 11.713: Pilot re-familiarization with navigated routes

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets how a First-Class Pilot keeps current knowledge of a route. If the pilot has not served a route within the past 60 months, the MMC endorsement is invalid for that route until one re-familiarization round trip is made, except as paragraph (b) provides. For certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at their discretion, allow a review of materials instead.

Applies toFirst-Class Pilots who have not served over a particular route within the past 60 months.

What it says

  1. A First-Class Pilot's MMC endorsement is invalid for a route not served within the past 60 months, and stays invalid until the pilot makes one re-familiarization round trip over that route, except as paragraph (b) provides.

    46 CFR 11.713(a)“If a First-Class Pilot has not served over a particular route within the past 60 months, that person's MMC endorsement is invalid for that route”

  2. Whether the re-familiarization requirement is met has no effect on the renewal of other Licenses or MMC endorsements.

    46 CFR 11.713(a)“Whether this requirement is satisfied or not has no effect on the renewal of other Licenses or MMC endorsements.”

  3. Round trips made within the 90-day period before renewal are valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.713(a)“Roundtrips made within the 90-day period preceding renewal will be valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.”

  4. Only for certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at their discretion, allow the requirement to be met by reviewing appropriate navigation charts, coast pilots, tide and current tables, local Notice to Mariners, and other materials giving current knowledge of the route.

    46 CFR 11.713(b)“For certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at their discretion, allow the re-familiarization requirement to be satisfied by reviewing appropriate navigation charts,”

  5. A person who uses the review method must certify, when applying for renewal of the MMC endorsement, the material reviewed and the dates of the review.

    46 CFR 11.713(b)“must certify, when applying for renewal of their MMC endorsement, the material they have reviewed and the dates on which this was accomplished.”

  6. A review within the 90-day period before renewal is valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.713(b)“Review within the 90-day period preceding renewal is valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.”

Common questions

What happens if a First-Class Pilot has not served a route in 60 months?

The pilot's MMC endorsement is invalid for that route. It stays invalid until the pilot makes one re-familiarization round trip over the route, except as paragraph (b) provides.

“If a First-Class Pilot has not served over a particular route within the past 60 months, that person's MMC endorsement is invalid for that route”

Can a pilot re-familiarize by reviewing charts instead of making a round trip?

Only for certain long or extended routes, and only if the OCMI chooses to allow it. The OCMI may, at their discretion, allow a review of materials to satisfy the requirement.

“For certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at their discretion, allow the re-familiarization requirement to be satisfied by reviewing appropriate navigation charts,”

Does a missed re-familiarization affect renewal of other endorsements?

No. Whether the requirement is satisfied has no effect on the renewal of other Licenses or MMC endorsements.

“Whether this requirement is satisfied or not has no effect on the renewal of other Licenses or MMC endorsements.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.713

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

Requirements for maintaining current knowledge of waters to be navigated

(a) If a First-Class Pilot has not served over a particular route within the past 60 months, that person's MMC endorsement is invalid for that route, and remains invalid until the individual has made one re-familiarization round trip over that route, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. Whether this requirement is satisfied or not has no effect on the renewal of other Licenses or MMC endorsements. Roundtrips made within the 90-day period preceding renewal will be valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.

(b) For certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at their discretion, allow the re-familiarization requirement to be satisfied by reviewing appropriate navigation charts, coast pilots tide and current tables, local Notice to Mariners, and any other materials that would provide the Pilot with current knowledge of the route. Persons using this method of re-familiarization must certify, when applying for renewal of their MMC endorsement, the material they have reviewed and the dates on which this was accomplished. Review within the 90-day period preceding renewal is valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.

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.