46 CFR 11.807: Experience requirements for staff officer registry
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section lists the evidence of experience an applicant for a certificate of registry as staff officer must submit for each staff officer position. It also allows shore employment to count in part, counts a Great Lakes season as 1 year, and lets the Coast Guard accept equivalent qualifications in some cases.
Applies toApplicants for a certificate of registry as staff officer, and applicants for an endorsement under this section.
What it says
A Chief Purser applicant must show two years of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.
46 CFR 11.807(a)(1)“Chief Purser. Two years of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.”
A Junior Assistant Purser applicant does not need previous experience.
46 CFR 11.807(a)(4)“Junior Assistant Purser. Previous experience not required.”
A Medical Doctor applicant must hold a valid License as physician or surgeon issued under the authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.
46 CFR 11.807(a)(5)“A valid License as physician or surgeon issued under the authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.”
A Marine Physician Assistant applicant must have successfully completed an accredited course of instruction for a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner program.
46 CFR 11.807(a)(7)“Successful completion of an accredited course of instruction for a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner program.”
Employment on shore in connection with a vessel's business may be accepted instead of service aboard vessels. Related shore employment counts at 2 months of shore service to 1 month of creditable service aboard vessels.
46 CFR 11.807(b)“Related shore employment is accepted in the ratio of 2 months of shore service to 1 month of creditable service aboard vessels.”
When computing required service for an endorsement, one season of service on vessels on the Great Lakes counts as 1 year.
46 CFR 11.807(c)“service of one season on vessels on the Great Lakes is counted as service of 1 year.”
The Coast Guard may issue the MMC to an applicant, other than for Medical Doctor or Professional Nurse, who provides other qualifications that the Coast Guard considers equivalent to this section's experience requirements and consistent with a staff officer's duties.
46 CFR 11.807(d)“In the event an applicant for an endorsement, other than Medical Doctor or Professional Nurse, provides evidence of other qualifications that, in the opinion of the Coast Guard, is equivalent”
Common questions
How much experience do I need to be a Purser?
A Purser applicant must show one year of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.
“Purser. One year of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.”
Can shore work count toward staff officer experience?
Yes. Employment on shore in connection with a vessel's business may be accepted instead of service aboard vessels, at 2 months of shore service to 1 month of creditable service aboard vessels.
“Employment on shore in connection with a vessel's business may be accepted instead of service aboard vessels.”
How does Great Lakes service count toward the required length of service?
Service of one season on vessels on the Great Lakes is counted as service of 1 year when computing required service for an endorsement.
“In computing the length of service required of an applicant for an endorsement, service of one season on vessels on the Great Lakes is counted as service of 1 year.”
The text of 46 CFR 11.807
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Experience requirements for registry
(a) The applicant for a certificate of registry as staff officer must submit evidence of experience as follows:
(1) Chief Purser. Two years of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.
(2) Purser. One year of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.
(3) Senior Assistant Purser. Six months of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the Purser's office.
(4) Junior Assistant Purser. Previous experience not required.
(5) Medical Doctor. A valid License as physician or surgeon issued under the authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.
(6) Professional Nurse. A valid License as a registered nurse issued under authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.
(7) Marine Physician Assistant. Successful completion of an accredited course of instruction for a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner program.
(8) Medical Technician. A rating of at least hospital corpsman or health services technician, first class, in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, or an equivalent rating in the U.S. Army (not less than Staff Sergeant, Medical Department, U.S.A.), or in the U.S. Air Force (not less than Technical Sergeant, Medical Department, U.S.A.F.), and a period of satisfactory service of at least 1 month in a military hospital.
(b) Employment on shore in connection with a vessel's business may be accepted instead of service aboard vessels. Related shore employment is accepted in the ratio of 2 months of shore service to 1 month of creditable service aboard vessels.
(c) In computing the length of service required of an applicant for an endorsement, service of one season on vessels on the Great Lakes is counted as service of 1 year.
(d) In the event an applicant for an endorsement, other than Medical Doctor or Professional Nurse, provides evidence of other qualifications that, in the opinion of the Coast Guard, is equivalent to the experience requirements of this section and is consistent with the duties of a staff officer, the Coast Guard may issue the MMC.
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 March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.