How to Get a Captain's License for Boating
When you possess a United States Coast Guard Captain's License, a variety of career and income opportunities become available. Licensed captains can (with restrictions) carry passengers on yacht charters and dinner cruises, transport boats for manufacturers and yacht brokers, and command vessels for organizations and private individuals. Boat captain licenses are issued by the National Maritime Center section of the United States Coast Guard. For an applicant to receive the captain's license, he or she must complete a set of rigorous general requirements. In addition, each class of captain's license has its respective criteria.
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Things You'll Need
- Proof of citizenship and driver's license
- First aid and CPR certifications
- Proof of physical and vision exams, and negative drug test
- Character references
- Possible certifications for safety training and bridge team work
- Possible certifications for radio or radar competence
- Possible safe boating course completion
- Signed proof of sufficient "on the water" time for the specific license
Instructions
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Decide which type of license is appropriate for your needs. For example, the Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) "6-Pack" License allows the captain to command small vessels with six or fewer passengers in local waters. The OUPV Limited License is called the "launchtender license," because it's tailored to captains who move boats around for marinas, camps and yacht clubs. The Limited Master's License allows command of vessels of less than 100 gross registered tons. This is the same as the OUPV Limited License, but is issued for Coast Guard-inspected vessels. Finally, the Master 100 Tons License is divided into several tonnage categories, and is appropriate for Coast Guard-inspected vessels such as small ferries, dinner cruise boats and whale watching or sightseeing vessels.
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Ensure that you have satisfied the following requirements: Minimum age for the specific license (18 or 21), proof of citizenship and driver's license, First Aid and CPR Course certifications, physical and vision exams, a negative drug test and character references. You may need to certify competence in basic safety training and bridge team work. Some licenses may also require a Radio Operator's Certificate, demonstrated familiarity with radar-based navigation and Safe Boating Course completion.
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Document your boating experience in relation to the specific license requirements. Each license calls for different amounts of "on the water" time; however, all time must be documented and verified before your application will be approved for testing. All logged time must be signed by the captain of the vessel upon which you served.
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Complete the written exam. Although the exam might include questions on some topics while not including others, applicants must be well-versed in all Coast Guard regulations, inland and international Rules of the Road, and virtually anything else related to boating and vessel command. At this point, you will need to decide if you can accomplish the preparation by yourself, or if it makes more sense to avail yourself of a Captain's License Preparation course. Some of these courses also offer start-to-finish licensing. Two of the best known license education/completion organizations are the Maritime Institute and Safeboating America (visit safeboatingamerica.com).
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