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United States · Captain’s license

The USCG captain’s license exam: subjects and retest rules

The Coast Guard sets the subjects for each endorsement in Table 2 to 46 CFR 11.910, and they change with the route. For an OUPV or a Master under 100 GRT, the USCG captain’s license exam covers chart navigation, the Navigation Rules, seamanship, weather, firefighting, emergencies and the regulations for your type of vessel. You can sit it with the Coast Guard, or pass an approved course instead.

  • 1 yearTo finish every section after approval
  • 2 retestsFor one or two failed sections
  • 3 monthsWait after failing a full retake
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What’s on the USCG captain’s license exam?

For an OUPV, Table 2 to 46 CFR 11.910 lists these subject areas, among others:

  • Piloting: distance off, bearings, fixes and running fixes, chart navigation and dead reckoning
  • Electronic navigation, aids to navigation, charts and navigation publications
  • The Inland Navigation Rules and, unless your route avoids those waters, the international COLREGS
  • The magnetic compass and compass error
  • Weather systems and tides
  • Vessel handling, anchoring and mooring
  • Fire prevention and firefighting, and emergency procedures
  • Rules and regulations for uninspected vessels, and pollution prevention

Master endorsements under 200 GRT add subjects such as the rules and regulations for inspected small passenger vessels (T-boats). Mate endorsements of 100 GRT or more, and inland Master above 100 GRT, have extra topics. Anyone seeking a sail endorsement is also tested on sail vessel safety, maneuvering and terminology.

Failing a section and retesting

If you fail one or two sections, you can retest those sections twice during the next 3 months. Fail three or more and you take the complete exam again; fail three or more on that one too and you wait at least 3 months and pay a new exam fee. Every exam and retest must be finished within 1 year of your approval to test.

If sea time kept you from retesting, the Coast Guard can extend the 3-month window, but not beyond 7 months from your first exam.

Language and orally assisted exams

The exam is given only in English. For an endorsement limited to vessels of less than 200 GRT, which covers OUPV and Master under 100 GRT, you can ask for an orally assisted exam, and the Coast Guard offers one if you have trouble reading the questions. An endorsement earned this way is limited to the route and type of vessel on which you got the majority of your service.

Questions, passing scores and approved courses

The National Maritime Center publishes the number of questions and the passing score for each exam; the regulations don’t set them. Approved schools run their own exams in place of the Coast Guard’s, and each school publishes its own format.

Approved courses compared →National Maritime Center ↗
Sources: eCFR and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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