Captain’s License Upgrade Master 100 Ton to Master/Mate 200 Ton – Online Course & Exam

Online Final Examination

Take the Final Examination Online as soon as you are ready. The process is convenient, reliable and USCG approved. There is no software to download and your proctor mentors you through the process.

Prepare

Complete the Exam Modules which make up your Upgrade Master 100 Tons to Master/Mate 200 Tons Course. You must complete your Exam Modules before you may schedule your Final Examination.

Schedule

Contact us to connect with your proctor for the Online Final Examination. During the initial consultation you schedule your first exam session as well as ask questions you might have about the process.

Complete

Pass the Final Exam for the Exam Module which makes up the Upgrade Master 100 Tons to Master/Mate 200 Tons Course. Below is the Exam Module as well as the number of questions and passing grade that make up the Online Final Examination for the Upgrade Master 100 Tons to Master/Mate 200 Tons Course.

• Navigation and Deck General/Safety – 50 Questions – 70% to pass

Answers to FAQs

Below are answers to the most frequently asked question we receive about the Online Final Examination.

• All exam modules comprising a final examination must be completed on consecutive days within the same business week.
• The mariner must complete a minimum of two final exams per day.
• This gives you one day to complete the exam for the Upgrade Master 100 Ton to Master/Mate 200 Ton Course.
• There is one exam for Upgrade Master 100 Ton to Master/Mate 200 Ton Course.
• You have three chances to pass the final exam.
• Once you have completed your first attempt of the exam you have 90 days to finish any retesting that is required.
• The 90 day window starts from the day you took your first exam attempt.
• If you fail the final exam three times the USCG requires that you retake the entire course.
• If you must retake the entire course you do not need to repurchase the course, you pay a retest + administration fee.
• The Online Final Examination is the only final examination you need to take, there is no testing with the USCG.
• Our Online Final Examination has been approved by the USCG and is in lieu of testing at the REC.

Qualifications

The USCG qualifications an applicant must meet to Upgrade from Master up to 100 tons to Master/Mate 200 tons are based on the following USCG Checklists. 

• Near Coastal Master 200
• Near Coastal Mate 200
• Inland/Great Lakes & Inland Master 200
• Inland/Great Lakes & Inland Mate 200

General Requirements

• Must have U.S. Citizenship
• Must be at least age 19 for Master and 18 for Mate
• Medical Certificate Requirement
  • Original – Must hold a valid Medical Certificate or be approved for
    Medical Certificate
  • Renewal, ROG, New Endorsement – Must hold an unexpired Medical
    Certificate or submit a Medical Certificate application
• Drug Testing Compliant
• Mariner Fees must be paid

Sea Service Requirements

The scope or “route endorsement” of your license is based on the geographic location in which you gained your sea service and may be either Inland, Great Lakes & Inland or Near Coastal. A Near Coastal route endorsement allows the holder to operate up to 200 miles offshore and also covers “subordinate routes” such as Great Lakes & Inland. 

Near Coastal Master 200 Tons

• Recency – 90 days (of 720 total) in the past 3 years on vessels. Engine Department experience on vessels of the appropriate tonnage may be used for recency since overall service does not have to be on deck.
• 720 total days of service, in any position or department, on Ocean, Near Coastal or Great Lakes waters, OF WHICH service on inland waters may substitute for up to 360 days of the total required service
• 360 (of 720 total) days must have been as a master, mate, or equivalent position while holding an endorsement as master, as mate, or as operator of uninspected passenger vessels; OR 360 days as a Master or Mate of Ocean or N/C Towing Vessels and completion of an examination
• NOTE: Any service will be credited as follows:
  1. Service on Great Lakes will be credited day for day.
  2. Service on vessels to which STCW applies (inland or NC) will be credited day for day.

Near Coastal Mate 200 Tons

• Recency – 90 days (of 360 total) in the past 3 years on vessels. Engine Department experience on vessels of the appropriate tonnage may be used for recency since overall service does not have to be on deck.
• 360 days of deck service on Ocean, Near Coastal or Great Lakes waters OF WHICH service on Inland waters MAY substitute for up to 180 days of the required service, OR
• 90 days of deck service on ocean , near coastal, Great Lakes or inland waters while holding an endorsement as Master of Inland self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary sail vessels less than 200 GRT *11.422 tonnage calculation applies, OR
• An OUPV N/C may obtain this endorsement by completing an examination on rules and regulations for small passenger vessels; however, the applicant must still submit service too so a tonnage calculation may be completed IAW 11.422

Inland/Great Lakes & Inland Master 200 Tons

• Recency – 90 days (of 720 total) in the past 3 years on vessels. Engine Department experience on vessels of the appropriate tonnage may be used for recency since overall service does not have to be on deck.
• Great Lakes – 360 total days of service, in any position or department, OF WHICH:
  1. 180 days must have been as a Master, Mate, or equivalent position while holding a license or endorsement as Master, Mate, Master or Mate (Pilot) of towing vessels, or OUPV, AND
  2. 90 days of service on Great Lakes
• Inland – 360 total days of service, in any position or department, OF WHICH:
  1. 180 days must have been as a Master, Mate, or equivalent position while holding a license or endorsement as Master, Mate, Master or Mate(pilot) of towing vessels, or OUPV,

Inland/Great Lakes & Inland Mate 200 Tons

• Recency – 90 days in the past 3 years on vessels of any tonnage Service gained in the engineroom on vessels less than 200 GRT may be creditable for up to 25% of the deck service requirement for Mate
• Great Lakes – 180 days service in the deck department, OF WHICH:
  1. 90 days must have been on Great Lakes.
• Inland – 180 days service in the deck department.
• An OUPV Inland may obtain this Officer Inland endorsement by completing an examination – Applicants for Great Lakes endorsement also need 90 days service on Great Lakes

Master 200 Tonnage Calculations

• 90 days (25%) of service on vessels of 101 GRT or above, OR
  180 days (50%) of service on vessels of 67 GRT or above

Mate 200 Tonnage Calculations

• 45 days (25%) of service on vessels over 101 GRT, OR
  90 days (50%) of service on vessels over 67 GRT or above

Other Requirements

• First Aid (completed within 1 year) (original only)
• CPR (must be valid) (original only)

Exams

• Course completion certificate in lieu of Coast Guard examination (Upgrade Master 100 Ton to Master/Mate 200 Ton Course)

USCG License Application

You must submit an Application Packet to the US Coast Guard (USCG) to earn a license. You may submit your application packet to the USCG before or after taking a course.

IMPORTANT: Your course completion certificate (Certificate of Training) will satisfy the testing requirements for your license however, we recommend preparing your application and submitting it ASAP. The application evaluation process typically takes 4 to 6 weeks. You do NOT need to include your course completion certificate with your application. If your application is evaluated and approved for issuance, you will be given one year to complete the course!

If you need help putting your application together, we have prepared the following resources:

• A USCG Application Packet Course is included with your purchase! This course contains videos that guide you through each section of each form that makes up a USCG Application Packet so you can submit it to the USCG yourself.
• We have created an Application Form Generator to help prefill some of the forms for you.
• The National Maritime Center website has resources including live chat if you have questions for the USCG.
• If this process seems overwhelming, time consuming, or if you just want professional help putting your application together, we recommend contacting Diamond Marine Services. The team at DMS have credentialing experts and former National Maritime Center evaluators on their staff and can quickly guide you to a complete and properly prepared application. You can reach them at 877-335-6341.

Application Packet

A USCG application packet contains everything the USCG needs to process and issue your captain’s license. Fill out the Forms and complete the Tasks below to create an application packet. Don’t forget to try our Application Form Generator!

Forms

The US Coast Guard (USCG) application packet consists of the following USCG forms. Visit our Application Page for video tutorials of each form.

• Application – APPLICATION FOR MERCHANT MARINER CREDENTIAL (FORM CG-719B)
• Sea Service – SMALL VESSEL SEA SERVICE FORM (OPTIONAL CG – 719S)
• Physical – APPLICATION FOR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE (FORM CG 719K)
• Drug Test – DOT/USCG PERIODIC DRUG TESTING FORM (OPTIONAL 719P)
• Oath Form  – Merchant Mariner Oath (46 USC)
• Conviction Statement – DISCLOSURE STATEMENT FOR NARCOTIC, DWI/DUI, AND/OR OTHER CONVICTIONS (OPTIONAL FORM CG-719C)
• Certificate of Training – Issued upon course completion

Tasks

To complete an application packet you must complete the following tasks.

• TWIC – Applicants for original licenses must apply for a TWIC and include the receipt in their application packet.
• Pay.Gov – Go to Pay.Gov and pay processing and issuance of your license. 
• CPR & First Aid – Take this USCG Approved Online CPR & First Aid Course. Send a copy of your CPR & First Aid Card in with your application packet.

Application Packet Costs

The total cost of completing a USCG application packet will vary. The figures below are cost estimates based on our experience.

• Physical and Drug Test – $160 – This is our best estimate for a physical and drug test.
  • Any primary care physician can complete the USCG Physical (719K).
  • We recommend US Drug Test Centers 866-566-0261 for scheduling a drug screen at a local lab.
• TWIC – $125 – Applicants for original licenses must apply for a TWIC.
• Pay.Gov – $145 – Pay for processing and issuance of your license. Renewals and modification of an existing license will cost less.
• CPR & First Aid $74.95 – Online and USCG Approved.

Certificate of Training

The Certificate of Training satisfies USCG testing requirements. Once you complete the course and online final examination your Certificate of Training is issued. As a reminder, you can prepare and submit your application before completing the course. Keep in mind that due to USCG regulation, your Certificate of Training is only valid for one year.

• If you completed the course first, please include your certificate of training with your application.
• If you have already submitted your application, you can send your Certificate of Application via email to iasknmc@uscg.mil.

Email your Application Packet

Please follow the USCG Electronic Submission Instructions to email your complete USCG Application Packet to the Regional Examination Center (REC) nearest you. The USCG processes and issues your license once they have evaluated your application packet. The USCG evaluation process takes about four to six weeks.

If your packet is incomplete or filled out incorrectly the USCG will mail you a letter explaining what additional information they need. Get that information together and send it to the USCG to keep the process moving.