46 CFR 12.613: STCW endorsement for survival craft and rescue boats

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets out how an applicant qualifies for an STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (PSC). The applicant must be at least 18, meet the Lifeboat Operator requirements and complete Basic Training. Holders must show continued competence every 5 years.

Applies toApplicants for an STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (PSC), and seafarers who held a Lifeboat Operator endorsement before January 1, 2017.

What it says

  1. An applicant for the PSC endorsement must be at least 18 years of age.

    46 CFR 12.613(a)(1)“Be at least 18 years of age;”

  2. The applicant must meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator endorsement in § 12.407 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code.

    46 CFR 12.613(a)(2)“Meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator endorsement in § 12.407 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code”

  3. The applicant must complete Basic Training (BT), which is found in § 12.602.

    46 CFR 12.613(a)(3)“Complete Basic Training (BT), found in § 12.602.”

  4. Seafarers qualified under paragraph (a) must give evidence every 5 years that they maintain the standard of competence in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code.

    46 CFR 12.613(b)(1)“must provide evidence of maintaining the standard of competence as set out in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code every 5 years.”

  5. The Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience, shown by 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years, as meeting paragraph (b)(1) for the areas listed in paragraph (b)(2).

    46 CFR 12.613(b)(2)“The Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience, through evidence of 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years”

  6. For areas not included in paragraph (b)(2), the Coast Guard will only accept evidence of assessments conducted ashore.

    46 CFR 12.613(b)(3)“The Coast Guard will only accept evidence of assessments conducted ashore as meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(1)”

  7. Applicants who cannot meet the 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years must meet paragraph (a) or complete approved or accepted refresher training.

    46 CFR 12.613(b)(4)“will be required to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or complete approved or accepted refresher training.”

  8. Seafarers who held an MMD or MMC endorsement as Lifeboat Operator before January 1, 2017 are eligible if they show sea service of not less than 12 months within the last 60 months, and that sea service must have been completed before January 1, 2017.

    46 CFR 12.613(c)“The sea service must be completed prior to January 1, 2017.”

Common questions

How old must I be to get a PSC endorsement?

An applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

“Be at least 18 years of age;”

How often must I show continued competence for a PSC endorsement?

Seafarers qualified under paragraph (a) must provide evidence of maintaining the standard of competence every 5 years.

“must provide evidence of maintaining the standard of competence as set out in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code every 5 years.”

What if I lack 1 year of sea service in the last 5 years for PSC?

You will be required to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) or complete approved or accepted refresher training.

“will be required to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or complete approved or accepted refresher training.”

The text of 46 CFR 12.613

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

Requirements to qualify for an STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats

(a) To qualify for an STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (PSC), the applicant must-

(1) Be at least 18 years of age;

(2) Meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator endorsement in § 12.407 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code (incorporated by reference, see § 12.103); and

(3) Complete Basic Training (BT), found in § 12.602.

(b) Continued professional competence. (1) Seafarers qualified in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section must provide evidence of maintaining the standard of competence as set out in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code every 5 years.

(2) The Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience, through evidence of 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years, as meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section for the following areas, as set out in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code:

(i) Taking charge of a survival craft or rescue boat during and after launch, including—

(A) Interpreting the markings on survival craft as to the number of persons they are intended to carry;

(B) Giving correct commands for launching and boarding survival craft, clearing the ship, and handling and disembarking persons from survival craft;

(C) Preparing and safely launch survival craft, operating its engine, and clearing the ship's side quickly; and

(D) Safely recovering survival craft and rescue boats.

(ii) Operating a survival craft engine, including—

(A) Rowing and steering a boat and steer by compass;

(B) Using individual items of equipment of survival craft, except for pyrotechnics; and

(C) Rigging devices to aid location.

(iii) Using locating devices, including communication and signaling apparatus, including—

(A) Using of portable radio equipment for survival craft.

(B) [Reserved]

(iv) Applying first aid to survivors.

(3) The Coast Guard will only accept evidence of assessments conducted ashore as meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section for the areas not included in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, as set out in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code.

(4) Applicants who cannot meet the requirement for 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years, as described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, will be required to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or complete approved or accepted refresher training.

(c) Seafarers holding an MMD or MMC endorsement as Lifeboat Operator before January 1, 2017 will be eligible for this endorsement upon showing evidence of sea service of not less than 12 months within the last 60 months. The sea service must be completed prior to January 1, 2017.

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.