Credential Management
License renewal tracker
USCG credentials expire every five years, and a lapse means you can't legally work on it until you renew. Enter your issue date to see exactly when your renewal window opens, set a reminder, and check what you'll need — then see where you could upgrade next.
USCG credentials are valid for 5 years from issue.
What renewal needs
- ▸Current TWIC card
- ▸USCG physical exam (CG-719K)
- ▸Drug test (CG-719P)
- ▸Recency — ONE of: 1 year sea service in the last 5, an approved refresher course, or the open-book exam
Upgrade path
OUPV / 6-Pack→
Master 100-Ton→
Master 200-Ton→
Merchant Mariner Credential
Add sea time + pass the Master modules (Deck General, Chart Plotting) to step up to a 100-Ton Master.
Saved on this device only. Dates and requirements are guidance — the National Maritime Center makes the final call, and renewal rules vary by credential and endorsement. Confirm at uscg.mil/nmc. Not affiliated with the USCG/NMC.
Don't let it lapse
- The window opens a year early. You can renew in the final 12 months of validity — do it early so processing doesn't catch you short.
- Expired ≠ done. There's a one-year grace to renew, but the credential isn't valid for service while it's lapsed.
- Recency is the catch. You generally need a year of sea service in the last five — or an approved course or open-book exam to substitute.