Seafarer medical certificates

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Overview

You must have an ENG 1 or an ML5 seafarer medical fitness certificate to work at sea.

Get an ENG 1 certificate

You need an ENG 1 certificate if you’re any of the following:

  • a seafarer
  • in charge of a ship
  • serving on a merchant ship or yacht
  • working on a fishing vessel in some situations

The maximum fee for an ENG 1 medical examination is £115.

If you’re working on a fishing vessel

You need an ENG 1 certificate if one or more of the following apply:

  • the vessel needs to be inspected at a foreign port
  • the vessel is over 24m long
  • you’re at sea for more than 72 hours
  • you’re fishing more than 200 miles off the UK coastline
  • you’re fishing beyond the continental shelf

If none of these apply, you need an ML5 certificate.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for an ENG 1 certificate.

Some seafarer medical certificates from other countries are accepted instead of an ENG 1 form.

Get an ML5 certificate

You need an ML5 medical certificate if you’re:

  • the master of a passenger ship that does not go to sea (Class IV or V)
  • the master of a commercial vessel that does not go to sea
  • the master or a crew member of a small commercial vessel certificated for Area Category 2 to 6 (no more than 60 miles from a safe haven)
  • a crew member or anyone else (for example catering staff) who normally works on a domestic passenger ship (Class VI or VIA) that goes to sea
  • working on a fishing vessel in some situations

Read the guidance about medical fitness requirements if you work on domestic vessels and small commercial vessels.

There is not a set fee for an ML5 certificate but your doctor will probably charge for this service.

If you’re working on a fishing vessel

You need an ML5 certificate if all of the following apply:

  • the vessel does not need to be inspected at a foreign port
  • you’re at sea for less than 72 hours
  • you’re fishing less than 200 miles off the UK coastline
  • you’re fishing within the continental shelf
  • you’re a new entrant and the vessel is less than 24m long
  • you’re an ‘existing fisher’ and the vessel is over 10m but less than 24m long

You’re an existing fisher if you were working for 4 weeks or more on a UK registered fishing vessel between 30 November 2021 and 29 November 2023.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for an ML5 certificate.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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