Credentialing

Applying for your first Merchant Mariner Credential is a multi-step process. With careful attention to the requirements of each step, a Merchant Mariner Credential is simple to obtain despite the time consuming process.

Merchant Mariner Credentials and Merchant Mariner Medical Certificates are issued by the National Maritime Center (NMC), the division of the U.S. Coast Guard tasked with credentialing merchant mariners. Recent updates to the National Maritime Center website have created enormous confusion over the requirements to obtain your first Merchant Mariner Credential. This guide will offer simplification of the process and suggestions for completing the various steps.

Step 1: Apply for TWIC ($124.00)

The NMC requires prospective applicants to have at least applied for a TWIC from the Transportation Security Administration. This involves an in-person visit to an enrollment center to have your fingerprints and photograph taken. To reduce the time spent at the enrollment center, you may pre-enroll on the TSA TWIC website. To learn more about what you must bring to the enrollment center, pre-enroll online, and schedule an appointment at the enrollment center, visit the TSA TWIC website. The cost to obtain your TWIC is $124.00.

The enrollment center nearest to Pickford is located in St. Ignace at 396 N State Street. The next nearest enrollment center is located in Burton, Michigan.

Step 2: Schedule a Medical Exam & Drug Screening ($135.00 )

All applicants for a Merchant Mariner Credential will need to undergo a physical and drug screen to fulfill the requirements of USCG Forms 719K and 719P. These appointments should be scheduled as soon as possible following your appointment at the TWIC enrollment center.

The Medical Exam & USCG Form 719K

Prior to arriving for your medical exam, download USCG Form 719K (valid forms must show an expiration date of 09/30/2028 in the upper right corner) and complete as much as you can on pages 1 through 4, and on page 10. The form explains what is required to be completed in detail – make sure to read and follow the instructions carefully.

Note: In Section I on page 3, you will be asked to check which endorsements you are seeking. For the purposes of this application, you will want to check only Deck, Engine, and Food Handler. These are known as the “Basic Three” that all professional mariners on the Great Lakes have on their endorsement, and allows you to work in any department. Even if you strongly wish to work in one department over the others, carriers may reject your employment application if your credential is missing any of these three endorsements. For this reason, it is a requirement for scholarship applicants to select all three endorsements on the 719K. The other endorsements listed require prerequisite sea-service or training and should not be selected. Doing so may cause significant delays in processing your application or outright denial of a Merchant Mariner Credential.

Note: In Section XI on page 10, there are questions pertaining to authorization to release information between your medical practitioner, the United States Coast Guard, and a named Third Party Organization. This portion of the form is used to authorize third party licensing agents hired by professional mariners to handle affairs on their behalf, and/or authorize your medical practitioner to communicate directly with the USCG to discuss your medical condition. Many entry level applicants leave this section blank, although each applicant should consider this section independently. MaritimeScholarship.com is not a credentialing agent and should not be listed on any portion of this section.

You may discover that the National Maritime Center offers a simplified version of the medical exam through the use of USCG Form 719K/E. Due to regulatory changes, this form will not result in the issuance of a Medical Certificate – a requirement for employment with major carriers on the Great Lakes. Scholarship applicants must use USCG Form 719K to be considered for scholarship awards.

The 5-Panel DOT/USCG Drug Screening & USCG 719P

Your drug screen will be completed using USCG Form 719P (valid forms must show an expiration date of 09/30/2028 in the upper right hand corner). Typically, the clinic will have these forms readily available and the U.S. Coast Guard prefers that they are completed by the clinic. The drug screen is a typical 5-Panel urinalysis screening. You will usually have the results of your drug screening within 10 days.

Quick & Easy Scheduling in Sault Ste. Marie

Taking care of your medical exam and drug screen is simple if you opt to have them performed at MyMichigan Occupational Health & Primary Care (550 Osborn Boulevard) in Sault Ste. Marie. Medical exams require an appointment, and drug screens are available on a walk in basis.

Schedule your medical exam by calling (906) 253-1039 and let them know you want to schedule a merchant mariner medical exam. In the days leading up to your appointment, you can pre-fill your USCG Form 719K ahead of time. The cost for the medical exam is $75.00.

After scheduling your medical exam with Dr. Scott Bartz, you should call Melissa with the drug screening office to let her know when your appointment is with Dr. Bartz and that you will be heading to her office to complete the Mariner drug screening. No appointment is required, but it is wise to confirm her availability on the date of your medical exam and get some helpful information about the drug screening procedure. You will likely be informed to avoid excessive water or caffeine intake prior to providing a urine sample, and should you need to get a spot in the parking garage, she can assist with making arrangements for obtaining a pass for your appointment day. Cost for the drug screen is $60.00

Step 3: Sea Service & Criminal Conviction Declarations

This step in the application process declares any sea days you may have on small commercial vessels such as the Sugar/Neebish/Drummond/Mackinac Island ferries, and any previous criminal convictions. If these do not apply to you, they do not need to be included as part of your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

Declaring Previous Sea Service

It is rare that applicants for their first Merchant Mariner Credential will have previous sea service. This would be obtained through employment or operating an owned, documented vessel with an official number. Days spent aboard recreational craft do not count toward sea service. Generally, days spent aboard smaller vessels and reported to the National Maritime Center for consideration during endorsement upgrades add additional complexity to the evaluation process, delaying issuance of advanced endorsements, and often results in tonnage limitations being applied to your credential. For these reasons, many who are seeking employment with major Great Lakes carriers elect not to report this sea service to simplify the application process and future document renewals. Otherwise, previous sea service may be reported using USCG Form 719S (valid forms must show an expiration date of 09/30/2028 in the upper right hand corner).

Declaring Criminal Convictions

Those applying for a Merchant Mariner Credential are required to report all criminal convictions (including driving-related convictions that go beyond minor traffic infractoins) using USCG Form 719C (valid forms must show an expiration date of 09/30/2028 in the upper right hand corner). This form details exactly what information is required to be provided. This information is used to determine eligibility for a Merchant Mariner Credential, and failure to fully report past criminal convictions may significantly delay the issuance of a Merchant Mariner Credential or result in outright denial. If you have no past criminal history, you do not need to include this form in your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

Step 4: The Merchant Mariner Oath & Merchant Mariner Credential Application ($10.00)

To apply for a Merchant Mariner Credential, you must use USCG Form 719B (valid forms must show an expiration date of 09/30/2028 in the upper right hand corner). This form can be challenging to complete if you are unfamiliar with what is being asked of you. Detailed instructions for each section are provided in the first two pages of the form – be sure to read these carefully. Additional information is provided by the National Maritime Center in the following video:

When filling out the USCG Form 719B, you should note the following:

Section II: Requested Coast Guard Credential(s); Credential or Endorsement Type(s) Requested

To obtain your first Merchant Mariner Credential to work with major carriers on the Great Lakes, you should mark only Entry Level in the Original column (lower left most check box). For the description of endorsements required, you should write “Ordinary Seafarer, Wiper, Steward’s Department Food Handler (F.H.)“. These are the “Basic Three” endorsements every Great Lakes mariner will hold. Remember, even if you wish to work in only one department, failing to have all three endorsements on your Merchant Mariner Credential may disqualify you from employment with one or more major carriers. In order to add another endorsement to your credential, you have to repeat the application process over again and pay the applicable fees.

Section III: Safety and Suitability

If you answer “Yes” to any question in 2. Criminal Record, you must complete and submit USCG Form 719C as part of your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

Sectoin IV: Mariner’s Consent/Certification

For your first Merchant Mariner Credential, you must bring this form with you to a Notary Public and have them print, sign, and date the appropriate lines in the Applicant’s Signature portion. In addition, you must provide a copy of the Merchant Mariner Oath Form to complete in the presence of the notary, upon which they will place their official seal. Costs for notary public services are generally $10, sometimes less, and are available at many local banks on a walk-in basis.

Step 5: Pay Application Fee & Submit Application to National Maritime Center ($140.00)

In order to process your application, you must go to to the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) User-Fee Program at Pay.gov to pay the $95.00 Evaluation Fee and $45.00 issuance fee.

This form is straight forward, however there is sometimes confusion over what to select for payment options. For your first Merchant Mariner Credential with the Basic Three endorsements, your selections should be as follows:

When you have completed payment of the user fees, remember to print the proof of payment. You will need to submit a copy of this to the National Maritime Center with your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

Assembling Your Final Application Packet

At this point, you will have everything you need to assemble your Merchant Mariner Credential Application (click to expand each component to see additional detail):

Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)

You may receive your TWIC in the mail before you have your physical exam and drug screen results returned. If this is the case, make a copy of both sides of your TWIC to include with your application. Otherwise, you can submit your application without it – the National Maritime Center can verify the status of your TWIC during the evaluation of your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

USCG Form 719B – Application for Merchant Mariner Credential

Double check to ensure all required components of the form are filled out accurately and completely.

Merchant Mariner Oath

This should be completed and bear the signature and seal of a Notary Public.

USCG Form 719P – DOT/Periodic Drug Testing Form

The facility which performed your drug screen will return this form to you with the results of the urinalysis. If you haven’t received this within 10 business days, contact the facility to check on the status of your results.

USCG Form 719C – Disclosure Statement for Narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or Other Convictions

This only applies if you must disclose a criminal record to the National Maritime Center. If you have a clean record, do not include this form with your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

USCG Form 719S – Small Vessel Sea Service Form

This only applies if you have previous sailing experience on vessels under 200 gross register tons. If you have no previous sea service to report, or wish not to report previous sea service, you may exclude this form from your Merchant Mariner Credential application.

Pay.gov Proof of Payment

You must include the proof of payment provided by Pay.gov as part of your Merchant Mariner Credential application package.

Once you have gathered these documents and checked them for accuracy, create a digital scan of each document. The scans should be created so that each document is a single PDF file. Avoid creating separate PDF files for each individual page of the application packet, and avoid including everything in a single PDF file. PDF files should be named in the following manner:

Smith, John A. – 719B.pdf

…and so on.

You will need to apply for your Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate seprerately from your Merchant Mariner Credential. To do so, you only need the following form:

USCG Form 719K – Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate

This should be completed and signed by your physician. Use of the USCG Form 719K/E form should be avoided.

Like the other documents, create a single PDF document of the entire form and save it.

Once you have all the forms prepared in PDF format, visit the National Maritime Center’s ASAP Portal to upload your applications. The following video demonstrates how to use ASAP:

Once you upload and submit the required documents for both your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) and Medical Certificate (MED Cert), the National Maritime Center will send you a confirmation email with information about how to check the status of your application.

Processing time for Merchant Mariner Credentials varies throughout the year. Data gathered from Sept-2024 through Aug-2025 shows that processing times ranged from 34 days to 77 days after submitting an application. Within the industry, mariners regularly anticipate wait times of 90 days or more. Recent years have also witnessed several federal government shutdowns. During a shutdown, the National Maritime Center is non-operational which leads to significant backlogs and delays.

What You Will Receive

Upon successful completion of this process, you will receive three separate credentials:

Each will arrive separately, and all are required for employment with the major carriers on the Great Lakes. Many miss the Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate in the mail, or disregard it as a needed component of your total documentation. Without a valid Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate, your Merchant Mariner Credential is not valid! The Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate is small, and resembles a receipt from a grocery store. Your Merchant Mariner Document will arrive with a clear plastic pouch that is applied to the large orange area on the document. The Merchant Mariner Medical Document folds in half, and should be placed in that pouch for safe keeping and presentation to the crew for inspection aboard your first ship.