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Frequently Asked Questions:
Medical Certificates
1. What is a medical certificate?
A medical certificate is a document that serves as proof that a mariner meets the required
medical and physical standards, per the publication of the Federal Register (FR). This FR
incorporates the 2010 Amendments to the STCW Convention into the U.S. regulations. It also
makes other necessary changes to our national regulations for the purposes of reorganization,
clarification, and needed updates.
The medical certificate is the Coast Guard’s authorization that mariners have met the following
requirements:
• Have the physical capability to fulfill all the requirements of basic training as required
by Section A-VI/1 of STCW.
• Demonstrate adequate hearing and speech to communicate effectively and detect any
audible alarms.
• Have no medical condition, disorder or impairment that will prevent the effective and
safe conduct of the seafarer’s routine and emergency duties.
• Are not suffering from any medical condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea or
to render the seafarer unfit for service or to endanger the health and safety of other
personnel on board.
• Are not taking medication that has side effects that will impair judgment, balance or any
other requirements for effective and safe performance of routine and emergency duties
on board.
• Mariners are required to carry a valid medical certificate, once issued, to sail under the
authority of their MMC.
2. How do I request a duplicate medical certificate?
Submit your request for a duplicate medical certificate to the National Maritime Center (NMC)
via phone ((888) 427-5662) or e-mail (IASKNMC@uscg.mil). Per CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-
20 and 46 CFR 10.229, a request for a duplicate credential/medical certificate must include an
affidavit.
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Further information concerning this requirement is located on the NMC website under
National Maritime Center Announcements. A sample affidavit is also available on the
NMC Forms webpage on the Miscellaneous Documents tab.
3. What do I do with the medical certificate when I receive it?
The medical certificate folds in half, to be placed in the plastic sleeve located in the back of your
MMC booklet.
** VERY IMPORTANT: It is not to be taped, glued, laminated, peeled, or detached. **
• Use a blue or black ballpoint pen to sign your certificate as soon as you receive it.
• Do not separate the pages of your certificate.
• We require that you keep your certificate in the plastic sleeve at the back of your MMC.
• Note your expiration dates; they coincide with the type of service you are engaged in
(STCW, National or Pilot).
• If your certificate indicates that you have a medical waiver, you must comply with the
requirements of the accompanying waiver letter.
• In addition to a valid medical certificate, the waiver letter must be carried with you
when you sail under the authority of your MMC. As a result of the waiver, your
certificate may also carry a limited expiration date of 1 or 2 years.
4. What is the impact on employers?
After March 24, 2017, a person may not employ or engage an individual on a vessel subject to
STCW unless that individual maintains a current medical certificate.
After March 24, 2019, a person may not employ or engage any individual on a national voyage
that is required to hold an MMC unless that individual maintains a current medical certificate.
Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) Applicability
The MLC entered into force on August 20, 2013. The MLC requires mariners serving on
vessels to have a valid MLC medical certificate. The U.S. has not ratified the MLC. However,
the MLC contains a “no more favorable treatment clause” that requires ratifying governments
to impose MLC requirements on all vessels when calling on their ports.
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Vessels that cannot demonstrate compliance with the MLC may be at risk of port state control
actions, including detention, when operating in the port of a ratifying nation. The new medical
certificates meet the medical certification requirements of the MLC.
In the event a vessel is not subject to STCW but is subject to MLC and is calling on a port in a
country that has ratified the MLC, the Coast Guard will issue a medical certificate to qualified
crewmembers upon proper application under reference 46 CFR Part 10, Subpart C.
** If a mariner’s medical certificate expires during a voyage, it will remain valid until the next
United States port of call, provided that the period after expiration does not exceed 90 days. **
5. Is there a cost for the medical certificate?
There is no cost for a medical certificate.
Normal fees still apply to MMC transactions consistent with 46 CFR Table 10.219(a). A
medical certificate will not negate nor increase the normal MMC fees.
6. How do I apply for a medical certificate?
The CG-719K and CG-719K/E serve as applications for a medical certificate. To renew the
medical certificate prior to expiration, mariners must submit an application. Applications can
be submitted through a Regional Exam Center (REC) or directly to the NMC.
A CG-719B is not required and there are no fees associated with applying for a medical
certificate.
Mariners subject to the MLC but that do not hold an STCW endorsement must submit a
CG-719K or CG-719K/E for issuance of a medical certificate.
7. How do I submit an application?
For a medical certificate only, the preferred way to submit your CG-719K or CG-719K/E
(medical certificate applications) along with any supplemental medical information is via
e-mail to MEDAIP@uscg.mil. Please include your full name and reference number in the
subject line. Please ensure the applications are in PDF format, as picture formats (JPG, GIF,
etc.) cannot be accepted due to size limitations, and hyperlinks to the application cannot be
opened due to security reasons.
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8. What if I don’t have e-mail? Can I submit an application by fax or mail?
Yes. You can submit via fax or mail, but the processing time will be longer because your
documents must be scanned.
• Fax: (304) 433-3407. Please include your full name and reference number on the
cover sheet.
• United States Postal Service (USPS): National Maritime Center
Medical Evaluation Division
100 Forbes Drive
Martinsburg, WV 25404
9. Can I submit a scan and e-mail of a handwritten CG-719K or CG-719K/E?
Yes, if it can be read and understood by our staff. Your full name and contact information is
critical. This will allow us to reach you if any item needs correction.
10. Can I submit a renewal application for a medical certificate that has expired?
Yes. Send e-mail to [email protected]. Please include your full name and reference number
in the subject line. Please ensure the applications are in PDF format, as picture formats (JPG,
GIF, etc.) cannot be accepted due to size limitations, and hyperlinks to the application cannot
be opened due to security reasons.
11. Can I submit amplifying/additional information (AI) from my provider directly to the
NMC?
Yes. AI should be sent via e-mail to NMCMedicalClerks@uscg.mil.
NOTE: This is a different e-mail address than for the medical application. Sending additional
information to the application e-mail (MEDAIP@uscg.mil) WILL delay the continued
processing of your application.
12. Can I submit a mariner credential application (CG-719B) directly to the NMC?
No. CG-719B applications can ONLY be submitted to an REC.
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13. When should I submit my application?
Applications should be submitted at least 90 days in advance of the medical certificate
expiration date or 90 days prior to the date the medical certificate will be needed.
14. Can you clarify what a “Third Party” is?
A Third Party is an individual or a group that you authorize for the purpose of acting on your
behalf. Authorization allows for release of your information to the Third Party.
On page 10 of the CG-719K, it states that if the applicant completes and signs (c.) “CONSENT
FOR THIRD PARTY TO ACT ON MY BEHALF”, the National Maritime Center will send ALL
correspondence, INCLUDING YOUR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, to the Third Party.
If the mariner completes and signs (b.) “CONSENT FOR COAST GUARD TO RELEASE
INFORMATION TO A THIRD PARTY”, the National Maritime Center will send ALL
correspondence EXCEPT THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE to the Third Party. The Medical
Certificate will be sent to the Delivery/Mailing Address filled out on page 3, Section I or the
home address if no other address is supplied.
15. What are dates of examination and expiration?
Date of Examination
The Coast Guard considers the date of examination to be the date that it approves the issuance
of a medical certificate. It will not coincide with the date the medical practitioner signed the
CG-719K or CG-719 K/E; nor will it necessarily coincide with the issuance date of the medical
certificate or MMC.
Dates of Expiration
Pay close attention to the different expiration dates listed on the certificate. Each medical
certificate will carry more than one expiration date:
• Mariners who sail under the authority of an STCW endorsement: The
expiration date applicable to a mariner serving onboard vessels to which STCW applies
will be for up to 2 years past the date of examination unless the mariner is under the age
of 18, in which case the maximum period of validity will be 1 year.
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• Mariners who sail as pilots: The expiration date applicable to a mariner serving
under the authority of an endorsement as First-Class Pilot or acting as a pilot under
another endorsement will be a maximum period of 5 years.
• Expiration for national mariners: Medical certificates issued to national mariners
will be issued for a maximum of 5 years.
16. What about Medical Waivers?
Existing Medical Waivers:
The Coast Guard may grant a waiver if an applicant for an MMC does not possess the vision,
hearing or general physical condition necessary and extenuating circumstances warrant special
consideration.
Time-Restricted Medical Certificates:
Mariners may receive a time-restricted certificate. Those certificates will expire in either 1 or 2
years depending on the medical condition, condition status and the need for periodic medical
evaluations. This 1- or 2-year expiration date will apply to all medical certificate categories
(e.g., FCP, STCW and National Certificates). Applicants must comply with the accompanying
waiver letter to renew their certificate.
More information regarding operational limitations and restrictions on medical certificates can
be found at federalregister.gov.
