46 CFR 11.805: General requirements for staff officer endorsements

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets general requirements for staff officer endorsements on the MMC. An applicant takes no examination but must give the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need. Only each applicant for an original or a higher grade of endorsement must also show a passed chemical test for dangerous drugs or a qualifying exception.

Applies toApplicants for, and holders of, an endorsement as staff officer in the staff department.

What it says

  1. An applicant for a staff officer endorsement takes no examination but must give the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.

    46 CFR 11.805(a)“The applicant for an endorsement as staff officer is not required to take any examination; however, the applicant must provide to the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.”

  2. An applicant for a higher grade in the staff department must apply in the same manner as for an original endorsement and must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials when the new MMC is issued.

    46 CFR 11.805(b)“An applicant for a higher grade in the staff department must apply in the same manner as for an original endorsement and must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials upon issuance of the new MMC.”

  3. A staff officer may serve in a lower grade of service for which they are registered.

    46 CFR 11.805(b)“A staff officer may serve in a lower grade of service for which they are registered.”

  4. The Coast Guard may issue a duplicate MMC, and the text refers the reader to § 10.229 of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 11.805(d)“A duplicate MMC may be issued by the Coast Guard. (See § 10.229 of this subchapter.)”

  5. An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Renewal procedures are found in § 10.227 of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 11.805(e)“An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Procedures for renewing endorsements are found in § 10.227 of this subchapter.”

  6. Each applicant for an original or a higher grade of endorsement, as described in paragraph (b) of this section, must produce evidence of a passed chemical test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying for an exception from testing in § 16.220 of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 11.805(f)“must produce evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying for an exception from testing in § 16.220 of this subchapter.”

  7. An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.

    46 CFR 11.805(f)“An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.”

Common questions

Do I have to take an exam for a staff officer endorsement?

No. The applicant is not required to take any examination, but must give the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.

“The applicant for an endorsement as staff officer is not required to take any examination; however, the applicant must provide to the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.”

How long is an MMC valid?

An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Renewal procedures are in § 10.227 of this subchapter.

“An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance.”

What happens if I fail a drug test when applying for an MMC?

An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.

“An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.”

What happens to my old credentials when I upgrade to a higher staff grade?

An applicant for a higher grade must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials when the new MMC is issued.

“must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials upon issuance of the new MMC.”

The text of 46 CFR 11.805

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

General requirements

(a) The applicant for an endorsement as staff officer is not required to take any examination; however, the applicant must provide to the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.

(b) An applicant for a higher grade in the staff department must apply in the same manner as for an original endorsement and must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials upon issuance of the new MMC. A staff officer may serve in a lower grade of service for which they are registered.

(c) Title 46 U.S.C. 8302 addresses uniforms for staff officers who are members of the Naval Reserve.

(d) A duplicate MMC may be issued by the Coast Guard. (See § 10.229 of this subchapter.)

(e) An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Procedures for renewing endorsements are found in § 10.227 of this subchapter.

(f) Each applicant for an original or a higher grade of endorsement, as described in paragraph (b) of this section, must produce evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying for an exception from testing in § 16.220 of this subchapter. An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.

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.