Deck Officers and Ratings
Information on how to gain a UK CoC for Deck Officers or Deck Watch Rating Certificate
Application process
If this is towards your first UK certificate, you must post your application and original documents (except passport which must be an attested copy) to:
Seafarer Certification 2/13
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
If you already hold a MCA-issued CoC or watch rating certificate: please email your application and scanned documents to deck@mcga.gov.uk
Fast track requests
If you have sent us an application and need us to expedite this 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). Fast track requests are at the manager’s discretion.
Please ask your company to use #FASTTRACK in the email’s subject line.
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.
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 £169 and should be paid for online to prevent delays.
This also applies if you passed your oral exam more than 3 years ago.
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
- 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.
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
- MSF 4371 - Application form for MCA issued watch rating certificate (navigational)
For guidance on the certification requirements, please see MSN 1862.
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.
Radio operators working on offshore oil and gas installations or fishing vessels don’t need 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 the 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.
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.
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.
Lasped endorsements
If you previously held tanker endorsement(s) on your UK CoC but they were removed, 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.
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
If you lose your CoC - through theft, loss or destruction - you must report it to the police. You can apply for a replacement using form MSF 4299. Please attach a copy of the Police report to your application.
If your lost certificate has also expired you should also apply for revalidation.
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.
Temporary certification replacement
Between 23 March 2020 and 31 January 2021, the MCA issued temporary electronic certification in line with MIN 611 Amendment 1 as an interim COVID-19 measure.
Our branch has started to contact seafarers who were issued these temporary certificates with a view to replace them with full term physical certification. This is being done in date order (the date the temporary CoC was issued).
If you need this expedited, please ask your company to email temporary.replacement@mcga.gov.uk, otherwise thank you for your patience.
If you relied upon MSN 1865 training self-declarations, you’ll need to provide us with valid STCW updated training in order to obtain the full physical CoC.