46 CFR 15.905: MMC authority on uninspected passenger vessels
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section says which MMC holders may serve on uninspected passenger vessels. Masters and Pilots of inspected self-propelled vessels may operate such vessels of less than 100 GRT and may serve as Master of those of 100 GRT or more. Certain Mates may serve as OUPV of less than 100 GRT only.
Applies toIndividuals holding an MMC endorsed as Master, Pilot or Mate of an inspected self-propelled vessel.
What it says
A holder of an MMC endorsed as Master or Pilot of an inspected self-propelled vessel may serve as operator of an uninspected passenger vessel of less than 100 GRT, within any MMC restrictions other than tonnage limitations.
46 CFR 15.905(a)“is authorized to serve as operator of an uninspected passenger vessel of less than 100 GRT within any restrictions, other than tonnage limitations, on the individual's MMC”
A holder of an MMC endorsed as Master or Pilot of an inspected self-propelled vessel may serve as Master, as required by 46 CFR 15.805(a)(6), of an uninspected passenger vessel of 100 GRT or more, within any MMC restrictions, including gross tonnage and route.
46 CFR 15.905(b)“is authorized to serve as Master, as required by 46 CFR 15.805(a)(6), of an uninspected passenger vessel of 100 GRT or more within any restrictions, including gross tonnage and route, on the individual's MMC”
A holder of an MMC endorsed as Mate of an inspected self-propelled vessel, other than Great Lakes, inland, or river vessels of less than 200 GRT, may serve as OUPV of less than 100 GRT only, within any MMC restrictions other than tonnage limitations.
46 CFR 15.905(c)“is authorized to serve as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) of less than 100 GRT within any restrictions, other than tonnage limitations, on the individual's MMC”
Common questions
Can a Master of an inspected vessel operate an uninspected passenger vessel under 100 GRT?
Yes. A holder of an MMC endorsed as Master or Pilot of an inspected self-propelled vessel may serve as operator, within any MMC restrictions other than tonnage limitations.
“is authorized to serve as operator of an uninspected passenger vessel of less than 100 GRT within any restrictions, other than tonnage limitations, on the individual's MMC”
Do MMC route and tonnage limits apply on uninspected passenger vessels of 100 GRT or more?
Yes. For vessels of 100 GRT or more, the Master or Pilot serves within any MMC restrictions, including gross tonnage and route.
“of an uninspected passenger vessel of 100 GRT or more within any restrictions, including gross tonnage and route, on the individual's MMC”
Can a Mate serve as OUPV?
A holder of an MMC endorsed as Mate of an inspected self-propelled vessel may serve as OUPV of less than 100 GRT. This excludes a Mate endorsed for Great Lakes, inland, or river vessels of less than 200 GRT.
“(other than Great Lakes, inland, or river vessels of less than 200 GRT) is authorized to serve as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV)”
The text of 46 CFR 15.905
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Uninspected passenger vessels
(a) An individual holding an MMC endorsed as Master or Pilot of an inspected self-propelled vessel is authorized to serve as operator of an uninspected passenger vessel of less than 100 GRT within any restrictions, other than tonnage limitations, on the individual's MMC.
(b) An individual holding an MMC endorsed as a Master or Pilot of an inspected self-propelled vessel is authorized to serve as Master, as required by 46 CFR 15.805(a)(6), of an uninspected passenger vessel of 100 GRT or more within any restrictions, including gross tonnage and route, on the individual's MMC.
(c) An individual holding an MMC endorsed as Mate of an inspected self-propelled vessel (other than Great Lakes, inland, or river vessels of less than 200 GRT) is authorized to serve as Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) of less than 100 GRT within any restrictions, other than tonnage limitations, on the individual's 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.