Deck Officers and Ratings
Information on how to gain a UK CoC for Deck Officers or Deck Watch Rating Certificate
Application process
In line with MIN 655, if you are applying for your first UK Certificate of Competency (CoC), you must post your application and original documents (except passport which must be an attested copy) at both NOE and CoC stages to:
Seafarer Certification 2/11
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
For all other applications, please email your application and scanned documents to deck@mcga.gov.uk
GMDSS applications should be sent to gmdss@mcga.gov.uk
Please ensure your documents are included as attachments or within a .zip folder. Unfortunately, we cannot open .rar extensions or links to file-sharing services (e.g. OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox etc).
Fast track requests
It is unlikely we will consider expediting a NOE (including Resit) or Rating application within our service standard of 28 days, or within 14 days for all other applications.
If you have been waiting longer than this and need us to assess your application on an urgent basis, please ask your company to email deck@mcga.gov.uk directly with your full name, date of birth and a compelling reason (including the vessel joining date).
For NOE applications, your company must also confirm to us that you meet all of the licence requirements i.e. the only barrier to gaining the licence is you need to sit the MCA oral exam.
For NOE resits, it is unlikely we will be able to consider a fast-track request if you’ve already had 3 attempts or more.
Booking your MCA oral exam
Information about how to book your oral exam will be emailed to you when you have met the requirements for an NOE.
Oral Exam Part A
From Spring 2023, the MCA OOW Unlimited, II/1, online oral examination will consist of the following elements:
- Part A: online computer-based proctored examination, and
- Part B: online face-to-face oral examination
Part A of the examination will be an integral part of the assessment for the MCA OOW Unlimited, II/1, Certificate of Competency (CoC). All OOW Unlimited, II/1, candidates with a first attempt Notice of Eligibility (NOE) issued from 1 May 2023 and all OOW Unlimited, II/1, candidates (including resits) with an NOE issued from 1 June 2023 must successfully complete Part A before being able to book Part B of the examination.
Further information can be found by accessing MIN 690. The accessibility statement for the Part A exam can be found at .
Oral exam syllabuses
It is recommended that you review the relevant oral exam syllabus before sitting your MCA oral exam.
CoC requirements
If you pass your MCA oral exam, please see our guidance on the requirements for a deck CoC application.
NOE resits
If you fail your MCA oral exam and wish to resit it, please email the NOE Fail to deck@mcga.gov.uk. The fee is currently £159 and should be paid for online to prevent delays.
This process also applies if you passed your oral exam more than 3 years ago.
Additional requirements for a third MCA Oral Exam attempt (or more)
From 3 July 2023, we will not be in a position to issue your NOE resit until we have received documentary evidence that you meet all of the CoC requirements (as per section 4.2 of MIN 690). Please send scanned copies of these documents by email to deck@mcga.gov.uk when you apply for your NOE resit.
Unused NOE
If you were issued with a NOE over 5 years ago but did not sit the exam, the fee is reduced (currently £90). We’ll also need to see two forms of evidence showing 6 months’ seagoing service in the last 5 years.
Merchant Navy
- MSF 4274 - Application form for an oral examination leading to the issue of a certificate of competency (STCW) for masters, chief mates and deck officers in the merchant navy
For guidance on the licence requirements, please see MSN 1856 Amendment 1
- Deck Officer of the Watch II/1: sections 3.1 and 3.2
- Chief Mate II/2 Unlimited: section 3.3
- Master II/2 Unlimited: section 3.4
Commercial and private yachts (over 24m)
- MSF 4343 - Application form for an oral examination leading to the issue of a certificate of competency (STCW) for masters, chief mates and deck officers on commercially and privately operated yachts and sail training vessels
For guidance on the licence requirements, please see MSN 1858 Amendment 1.
For conversions to a yacht CoC, please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/certification-for-deck-officers-on-commercial-and-private-yachts#conversions-to-a-yacht-coc
Watch rating certificate
For guidance on the certification requirements, please see MSN 1862 Amendment 1.
Tug CoC
- MSF 4260 - Application form for an oral examination leading to the issue of a certificate of competency (STCW) for masters and deck officers of tugs
For the licence requirements, please see MGN 495.
Fishing CoC
- MSF 4345 - Application form for an oral examination, leading to issue, conversion or upgrade of a certificate of competency for fishing deck officers
To find more information about training and certification for deck fishing vessel crew, please see MGN 411.
GMDSS STCW endorsement
- MSF 4354 - Application form for initial STCW endorsement and subsequent revalidation to GMDSS certificate of competence
For the endorsement requirements, please see MSN 1864 Amendment 1.
Radio operators working on offshore oil and gas installations or fishing vessels do not need a GMDSS endorsement. If you do request an endorsement, you’ll need to comply with MCA application requirements and provide STCW basic training certificates.
Please contact AMERC if you’ve lost your original GOC or ROC certificate and need a replacement.
Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) licence
- MSF 4807 - Application for the issue of a vessel traffic services (VTS) operator logbook, VTS endorsements and VTS revalidations
For the licence requirements, please see MGN 434 Amendment 2.
New tanker endorsements
- MSF 4210 - Application form for a tanker endorsement on a UK CoC
Sea service/training/occupation must be within the last 5 years:
Basic/Operational level
- Relevant MCA-approved Basic Tanker Training, and;
- MCA-approved Tanker Fire Fighting.
If you already hold Advanced Oil or Advanced Chemical tanker endorsement on your UK CoC, you automatically qualify for Basic Oil and Chemical endorsement (i.e. no training required).
Advanced/Management level
- You must meet the basic level requirements (as above) unless you are exempt because you hold the corresponding basic endorsement on your UK CoC, or you are applying for Advanced Oil/Chemical and hold the opposite Advanced Oil/Chemical endorsement on your UK CoC, and;
- Relevant MCA-approved Advanced Tanker Training, and;
- Two forms of evidence (e.g. discharge book and dangerous cargo testimonials) showing 90 days’ seagoing service on board a tanker carrying the relevant cargo.
Lapsed endorsements
If you previously held tanker endorsement(s) on your UK CoC but they were removed, you will still need to complete MSF 4210 and pay the fee, however, the requirements are:
- 90 days’ seagoing service on board a tanker carrying the relevant cargo, or;
- Relevant MCA-approved tanker training certificate(s), or;
- 30 months’ occupation in a role involving loading/unloading dangerous cargo.
IGF Code
- MSF 4350 - Application form for an IGF Certificate of Proficiency
For guidance on the requirements, please see MSN 1866 Amendment 1:
- Basic IGF - sections 9 and 10
- Advanced IGF - sections 9 and 11
For training for service on ships using fuels covered within the IGF Code, please see our list of MCA-approved training providers.
Given ordinary sea service testimonials do not cover all of the information we need, please consider using our IGF specific specimen report of service.
Limitation removal
To remove ECDIS or Davit limitations, please apply using form MSF 3901.
You can also use this form to change your name.
CoC replacement
You can apply for a replacement using form MSF 4299. If your CoC was stolen, you must report it to the Police.
CoC revalidation
Please see our detailed guidance on how to revalidate a UK CoC.
Royal Navy conversion to Merchant Navy
We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Navy, giving a route to Merchant STCW Certification based on the education and training, as well as experience, gained whilst in the Navy.
For those in the surface fleet, please see the Deck Royal Naval Conversion Flow Chart. More information can be obtained directly from the Royal Navy (contact details on request).
If you are a Submariner, we are currently in discussions regarding routes taking into account your education, training and experience. We can raise your case directly with our examiner for review if needed; please email us your Rank, service history and any relevant education and training.
PSSR, EFA and MFA
Your UK CoC is proof that you have met the requirements for PSSR (A-VI/1-4), EFA (A-VI/1-3) and MFA (A-VI/4-1). There’s also no requirement to update these three courses. If an employer is querying this, please refer them to sections 5.1 and 5.2 of MIN 643.
Pre-August 1998 grandfather rights
If a seafarer had 6 months sea service prior to August 1998, they were not required to complete PSSR or EFA originally (as per section 2.4 of MGN 97).
‘First Aid at Sea’ certificate issued before August 1998 should be considered as equivalent to MFA (A-VI/4-1) as per MGN 147.
Last updated 31 October 2023 + show all updates
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Updated to reflect MIN 434 Amendment 2 for VTS personnel.
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The email address for GMDSS applications has changed.
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Added link to MSF 4340 (Yacht Rating Certificate)
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Added Oral Exams Part A text and Accessibility attachment
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'NOE resits' section - added: Additional requirements for third attempt (or more) advice in line with section 4.2 of MIN 690.
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Added section on CoC requirements.
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Updated information on how to book an oral exam.
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Updated links to new M notices. Also added sections on how to book MCA oral exam and where to find the oral exam syllabuses.
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First published.