100-Ton Master OUPV / Master Practice Questions

Sample questions — OUPV / Master

Drawn from the same bank used on USCG licensing exams. Correct answers and explanations are shown — read every explanation, even for questions you get right.

1. 1. What does the OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels) credential authorize?

   • A.Operating an uninspected vessel carrying no more than six passengers, at least one of whom is carried for hire✓
   • B.Operating any inspected small passenger vessel up to 100 gross tons
   • C.Operating a vessel carrying up to twelve passengers on near-coastal routes
   • D.Operating a towing vessel of unlimited horsepower

   Why: The OUPV — commonly called the 'six-pack' — lets the holder carry up to six passengers (with at least one for hire) on an uninspected vessel. Carrying seven or more passengers, or operating an inspected vessel, requires a Master's license and a vessel with a Certificate of Inspection.

2. 2. How often must a Merchant Mariner Credential officer endorsement normally be renewed?

   • A.Every year
   • B.Every 3 years
   • C.Every 5 years✓
   • D.It never expires

   Why: MMC officer endorsements are valid for five years and must be renewed, which includes meeting recency-of-service or open-book exam requirements, a current physical, and drug-test compliance.

3. 3. On an uninspected vessel, a B-I marine fire extinguisher is suitable for which class of fire?

   • A.Class A — ordinary combustibles like wood
   • B.Class D — combustible metals
   • C.Class C — energized electrical only
   • D.Class B — flammable liquids such as gasoline and oil✓

   Why: Marine extinguishers carried on uninspected vessels are rated 'B' for flammable-liquid fires (fuel, oil), the most likely shipboard fire. The Roman numeral (I or II) indicates the size/capacity, not the fire class.

4. 4. The Certificate of Inspection (COI) for a small passenger vessel specifies all of the following EXCEPT:

   • A.The maximum number of passengers permitted
   • B.The authorized route and operating area
   • C.The minimum manning required
   • D.The recreational fishing licenses of the passengers✓

   Why: The COI states the route, passenger and crew limits, required safety equipment, and minimum manning. Passengers' personal fishing licenses are not a vessel-certification matter and never appear on the COI.

5. 5. A float plan left ashore before a voyage should include:

   • A.Only the operator's name
   • B.Vessel description, persons aboard, route, and expected return time✓
   • C.The current fuel price
   • D.A list of the passengers' employers

   Why: A useful float plan describes the vessel, lists those aboard, states the intended route and destination, and gives an expected return time plus whom to call if overdue. It gives search-and-rescue a starting point if the vessel fails to return.

6. 6. The 'rule of the road' requirement to maintain a proper lookout applies to a six-passenger charter operator:

   • A.Only at night
   • B.At all times by sight and hearing, and by all available means appropriate to the conditions✓
   • C.Only in fog
   • D.Only when carrying passengers for hire

   Why: Rule 5 requires every vessel to keep a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means (including radar if fitted) at all times, so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and risk of collision. It is not limited to night or fog.

7. 7. A vessel used commercially to carry passengers for hire that is 5 net tons and operates only on state waters must comply with which documentation requirement?

   • A.State registration; federal documentation is not required below 5 net tons✓
   • B.Federal documentation is required for any vessel used in commerce regardless of size
   • C.USCG Certificate of Documentation with a fishery endorsement
   • D.Neither state nor federal documentation is required for vessels under 10 GT

   Why: Under 46 CFR 67.7, a vessel of at least 5 net tons must be documented only when engaged in coastwise trade or the fisheries on the navigable waters of the United States (or the EEZ); coastwise trade means transporting passengers/merchandise on those federal navigable waters. Because this 5-net-ton vessel operates solely on state (intrastate) waters, it is not in coastwise trade and is not required to be federally documented — it is instead subject to state numbering/registration (46 U.S.C. Ch. 123; 33 CFR 173). (Note: the cutoff is the waters, not the tonnage — at 5 net tons the vessel meets, and is not below, the documentation threshold.)

8. 8. According to NVIC 04-08 and 46 CFR 11.201, which first aid certification is required as a condition of issuance for a new OUPV license?

   • A.CPR and first aid from a USCG-accepted provider✓
   • B.Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification only
   • C.Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
   • D.First aid training is not required for OUPV credentials

   Why: Under 46 CFR 11.201(h) and NVIC 04-08, applicants for OUPV credentials must hold a current CPR and first aid certification from a USCG-accepted provider. This certification must remain valid throughout the credential's period of validity.

9. 9. Under 46 CFR 4.06-5, what blood alcohol content (BAC) level establishes a presumption of intoxication for a person operating a vessel?

   • A.0.04 percent (40 mg per 100 mL)✓
   • B.0.08 percent (80 mg per 100 mL)
   • C.0.10 percent (100 mg per 100 mL)
   • D.0.02 percent (20 mg per 100 mL)

   Why: Under 33 CFR 95.020(b), an individual operating a vessel other than a recreational vessel is "under the influence" of alcohol when their blood alcohol concentration is 0.04 percent (40 mg/100 mL) or greater — half the 0.08 percent threshold typical for motor-vehicle operators, reflecting the stricter standard for commercial mariners (statutory basis: 46 U.S.C. 2302(c)). (Note: 46 CFR 4.06-5 governs post-serious-marine-incident chemical-testing responsibilities, not the BAC standard.)

10. 10. What is the maximum gross tonnage of uninspected passenger vessels an OUPV (Six-Pack) license authorizes you to operate?

    • A.100 GRT
    • B.200 GRT
    • C.Less than 100 GRT✓
    • D.500 GRT

    Why: Under 46 CFR 10.467, an OUPV license authorizes operation of uninspected passenger vessels of less than 100 gross register tons. The vessel must carry no more than 6 passengers for hire.

11. 11. STCW Basic Safety Training certification must be renewed every how many years to remain valid?

    • A.3 years
    • B.5 years✓
    • C.7 years
    • D.10 years

    Why: Under STCW 2010 Manila Amendments and 46 CFR 11.302, STCW proficiency certificates including Basic Safety Training must be revalidated every 5 years to ensure continued competence.

12. 12. A mariner holds an OUPV near coastal license and wants to upgrade to Master of Towing Vessels. Which additional requirement is specifically associated with the towing vessel endorsement?

    • A.A towing officer assessment and completion of an approved towing vessel officer training program✓
    • B.Only an additional 180 days of sea service on any vessel
    • C.Completion of a radar observer unlimited course
    • D.No additional requirements beyond standard Master upgrade requirements

    Why: Under 46 CFR 11.464, the towing-specific requirement for a Master of Towing Vessels endorsement is a completed Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR) — described in 46 CFR 10.404(c) — evidencing practical demonstration of towing skills signed off by a Designated Examiner (or, alternatively, completion of a Coast Guard-approved towing officer training course). This practical towing assessment is what distinguishes the towing endorsement from a standard Master upgrade, so option 0 is correct; the other options (added sea service on any vessel, a radar observer unlimited course, or no extra requirement) do not capture the TOAR requirement.

13. 13. A mariner holds an OUPV near coastal license and an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate. Their BST was completed 6 years ago. What must they do before operating on an international near coastal voyage?

    • A.Nothing; STCW BST certificates do not expire once issued
    • B.Revalidate the STCW BST certificate, as it must be current within 5 years✓
    • C.Obtain an STCW Officer of the Watch endorsement to replace the expired BST
    • D.Apply for a national endorsement waiver through the NMC

    Why: Under the STCW 2010 Manila Amendments and 46 CFR 11.302, STCW BST proficiency certificates must be revalidated every 5 years. A certificate issued 6 years ago is expired and must be renewed before the mariner may operate on a voyage requiring STCW compliance.

14. 14. Under 46 CFR, crew members on a small passenger vessel must be familiar with the vessel's emergency procedures. How often must crew drills be conducted?

    • A.Monthly for abandon-ship and fire drills✓
    • B.Weekly for each type of emergency drill
    • C.Only at the start of each season or new crew member
    • D.Quarterly, documented in the vessel's log

    Why: 46 CFR 185.520 requires monthly fire and abandon-ship drills for crew on inspected small passenger vessels to ensure crew proficiency in emergency procedures.

15. 15. A vessel's COI lists a maximum operating distance of 100 miles from a harbor of safe refuge. Which of the following would violate this condition?

    • A.Anchoring overnight 95 miles offshore
    • B.Transiting to a destination 110 miles from the nearest harbor of safe refuge✓
    • C.Operating in seas above 4 feet within the authorized distance
    • D.Carrying 2 more crew than the COI minimum

    Why: The COI defines the maximum distance from a harbor of safe refuge; operating at 110 miles exceeds the authorized 100-mile limit, violating 46 CFR 176.700 regardless of weather conditions.

16. 16. Which statement about the passenger safety briefing on a small passenger vessel is CORRECT?

    • A.It may be replaced entirely by posting written instructions in the passenger cabin
    • B.It must be conducted verbally or by an audio/visual presentation before or immediately after departure✓
    • C.It is only required when the voyage exceeds 30 minutes in duration
    • D.It is optional if all passengers have previously sailed aboard the vessel

    Why: 46 CFR 185.506 requires a muster/safety briefing to be conducted verbally or by approved audio/visual means; posted signs alone do not satisfy the requirement, and the briefing applies to every voyage with new passengers.

17. 17. Which federal agency is primarily responsible for conducting Port State Control (PSC) examinations on foreign-flagged vessels in U.S. ports?

    • A.U.S. Coast Guard✓
    • B.U.S. Customs and Border Protection
    • C.Maritime Administration (MARAD)
    • D.National Transportation Safety Board

    Why: The U.S. Coast Guard is the designated PSC authority in the United States under 46 CFR Part 2, conducting examinations of foreign vessels to verify compliance with international conventions such as SOLAS, MARPOL, and STCW.

18. 18. A vessel is detained in a U.S. port following a PSC inspection. Who must be notified of this detention, in addition to the vessel's master?

    • A.The flag state administration and the vessel owner or operator✓
    • B.Only the vessel's P&I Club insurer
    • C.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) directly
    • D.The port's harbormaster and local police

    Why: Per established PSC procedures and 33 CFR Part 160, the flag state administration and the vessel's owner or operator must be notified when a vessel is detained, allowing the flag state to provide assistance in rectifying deficiencies.

19. 19. Within what timeframe must a vessel owner or operator report a marine casualty involving a death or an injury requiring professional medical treatment beyond first aid to the nearest USCG Marine Safety Office?

    • A.As soon as possible, but no later than 5 days✓
    • B.Within 24 hours of the occurrence
    • C.Within 48 hours of the occurrence
    • D.Within 10 days of the occurrence

    Why: Under 46 CFR §4.05-10, marine casualties must be reported to the nearest USCG Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) as soon as possible, with a written report filed within 5 days using form CG-2692.

20. 20. Which of the following is NOT a valid endorsement on a USCG Certificate of Documentation?

    • A.Commercial diving endorsement✓
    • B.Coastwise endorsement
    • C.Fishery endorsement
    • D.Registry endorsement

    Why: The valid endorsements on a Certificate of Documentation are coastwise, fishery, registry, and recreational per 46 U.S.C. §12105; there is no 'commercial diving endorsement' — dive vessels operate under other USCG certificates of inspection.

Frequently asked questions

Is OUPV / Master on the 100-Ton Master exam?

Yes — OUPV / Master is one of the tested modules on the 100-Ton Master licensing exam. Candidates must score 70% on each module to pass.

How many OUPV / Master questions are on the 100-Ton Master exam?

The USCG draws from a bank of 145 OUPV / Master questions across all exams. The exact number on any single sitting varies, but Rules of the Road is typically the largest module and has the highest passing threshold (90%).

What is the best way to study OUPV / Master for the 100-Ton Master exam?

Work through the practice questions in this bank until you can answer them consistently above the passing threshold. Review every explanation — understanding why the wrong answers are wrong matters more than memorizing facts.