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United States · Captain’s license

Captain’s license cost: Coast Guard fees, TWIC and courses

The Coast Guard charges three fees for an original OUPV or Master endorsement under 1,600 GRT: $100 to evaluate the application, $95 for the exam and $45 to issue the credential. That’s $240 by our sum, and a new TWIC from TSA adds $127. The total cost of a captain’s license also includes your course, if you take one, and the medical exam and drug test, whose prices the regulations don’t set.

  • $240Coast Guard fees for an original
  • $127TWIC for a new applicant
  • $95 to $140Coast Guard renewal fees
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How much does a captain license cost?

ItemFee
Evaluation fee$100
Exam fee$95
Issuance fee$45
TWIC, new applicant$127
Medical examNot set by the Coast Guard
Drug testNot set by the Coast Guard

The first three are the Coast Guard’s fees for an original officer endorsement on vessels of less than 1,600 GRT, which covers OUPV and Master up to 100 GRT. You can pay them all with the application, or in phases: evaluation when you apply, the exam fee before the first exam section, and issuance before the credential is issued. Payment is electronic and must be the exact amount. TSA’s TWIC fee is non-refundable and covers five years.

Renewal and upgrade fees

ItemFee
Renewal evaluation$50
Renewal open-book exercise$45
Renewal issuance$45
Raise of grade evaluation$100
Raise of grade exam$45
Raise of grade issuance$45
TWIC renewal, online$119

The $45 renewal exam fee is charged when the Coast Guard processes an open-book exercise. Only one issuance fee is charged per credential, however many endorsements are on it. The regulations give Mate to Master as an example of a raise of grade.

How renewal works →

Course prices

CoursePrice
Sea School, online OUPV$650
Captain’s License Class, online OUPV$695
Sea School, classroom OUPV$850 to $1,100
The Captain School, OUPV class$900
Sea School, online Master upgrade$300
The Captain School, Masters class$400

Prices are from each school’s website, checked in October 2026. Sea School’s classroom price depends on the location. The Captain School adds a $100 testing fee on exam day, and Sea School’s online Master upgrade adds a $50 exam fee.

The schools compared →Online courses side by side →

Who pays no Coast Guard fees

Members of the uniformed services on active duty, members of the Selected Reserve and members of the Public Health Service Ready Reserve Corps don’t pay evaluation, exam or issuance fees. Volunteers and staff of charitable, not-for-profit, youth-oriented organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America or the YMCA, can get a no-fee credential, but it’s restricted to that organization’s vessels.

Sources: eCFR · TSA · Sea School and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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Exam and renewal

RenewalThe exam