46 CFR 12.615: STCW PSC-Limited endorsement qualification requirements

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets out what an applicant must do to qualify for an STCW PSC-Limited endorsement. The applicant must be at least 18, meet the Lifeboat Operator-Limited requirements, and complete Basic Training. It also covers proving continued competence every 5 years and a path for earlier Lifeboat Operator-Limited holders.

Applies toApplicants for an STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited), and seafarers who hold it.

What it says

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

    46 CFR 12.615(a)(1)“Be at least 18 years of age;”

  2. The applicant must meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator-Limited endorsement in § 12.409 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code.

    46 CFR 12.615(a)(2)“Meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator-Limited endorsement in § 12.409 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code (incorporated by reference, see § 12.103); and”

  3. The applicant must complete Basic Training (BT), found in § 12.601(c).

    46 CFR 12.615(a)(3)“Complete Basic Training (BT), found in § 12.601(c).”

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

    46 CFR 12.615(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. For the areas listed in paragraph (b)(2), the Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience, shown by 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years.

    46 CFR 12.615(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 listed in paragraph (b)(2), the Coast Guard will only accept evidence of assessments conducted ashore.

    46 CFR 12.615(b)(3)“The Coast Guard will only accept evidence of assessments conducted ashore as meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section”

  7. Applicants without 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years must meet the requirements of paragraph (a) or complete approved or accepted refresher training.

    46 CFR 12.615(b)(4)“will be required to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or complete approved or accepted refresher training.”

  8. Holders of an MMD or MMC endorsement as Lifeboat Operator-Limited before January 1, 2017, are eligible for this endorsement upon showing not less than 12 months of sea service within the last 60 months.

    46 CFR 12.615(c)“will be eligible for this endorsement upon showing evidence of sea service of not less than 12 months within the last 60 months.”

Common questions

How old must I be for a PSC-Limited 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 PSC-Limited?

Qualified seafarers must provide evidence of maintaining the standard of competence in Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code 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.”

Does sea service count toward PSC-Limited continued competence?

Yes, for the areas listed in paragraph (b)(2), the Coast Guard will accept 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years.

“The Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience, through evidence of 1 year of sea service within the last 5 years”

What if I lack the required sea service for PSC-Limited renewal?

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 12.615

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 Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited)

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

(1) Be at least 18 years of age;

(2) Meet the requirements for a Lifeboat Operator-Limited endorsement in § 12.409 and Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code (incorporated by reference, see § 12.103); and

(3) Complete Basic Training (BT), found in § 12.601(c).

(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 rescue boats and survival craft other than lifeboats, clearing the ship, and handling and disembarking persons from survival craft;

(C) Preparing and safely launching rescue boats and survival craft, other than lifeboats, starting the engine, and clearing the ship's side quickly; and

(D) Safely recovering rescue boats.

(ii) Managing survivors and survival craft after abandoning ship, including—

(A) Steering a rescue boat and steer by compass;

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

(C) Rigging devices to aid location.

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

(A) Using portable radio equipment for rescue boats and 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-Limited 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.