Mate 500 GT
Near Coastal
Mate up to 500 GT near coastal is the watch-officer endorsement below Master 500 — you stand a bridge watch and serve as second-in-command. A common stepping stone for crew building toward Master 500 who don’t yet have the command time.
Controlling regulation: 46 CFR 11.430
Where this fits in the ladder
Sea service
360
days required
Est. cost
$3,125–$5,400
training + docs + fees
Timeline
~1.4 yr
at full-time pace
Sea service requirement
360 days on deck of vessels operating near coastal, with 90 in the last 3 years.
Each day must be documented with a sea service letter showing vessel name, USCG Official Number, gross tonnage, route, position, dates, and total days served.
Track your sea service days free →STCW training required
Basic Safety Training
Personal survival, fire prevention, first aid, personal safety. Required for any mariner on an ocean or near coastal vessel.
Proficiency in Survival Craft
Launching lifeboats, rescue boats, and survival craft. Required for officers on STCW-regulated vessels.
Advanced Fire Fighting
Command and control of fire-fighting operations on vessels. Required for Master and officer-level endorsements 500 GT+.
GMDSS Radio Operator
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System communications. Required for officers on ocean-going vessels with GMDSS equipment.
Written exam modules
Taken at a USCG Regional Exam Center. Practice each module free below.
Rules of the Road
COLREGS + Inland Rules — the hardest module for most candidates. 90% to pass.
Deck General
Seamanship, rigging, anchoring, cargo, firefighting. 70% to pass.
Navigation Problems
Plotted on paper training chart — dead reckoning, fixes, speed/time/distance.
Stability
GM, free surface effect, loading calculations. Not required for OUPV.
Application documents
TWIC Card
$125.25 · 5-year validity · TSA application + biometrics
Physical (CG-719K)
~$100–300 · Valid 12 months from exam date · Any licensed physician
Drug Test (CG-719P)
~$60–80 · Must be within 185 days of NMC receipt · SAMHSA-certified lab
Cost breakdown
Estimates only. Excludes optional exam-prep courses, travel, and lodging. Verify current NMC fees before applying.
How to apply at the NMC
The application path is the same for every credential — only the documents and exams above change.
- 1
Complete the application form (CG-719B)
Fill out the Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (CG-719B). Small-vessel operators may document time on the Small Vessel Sea Service Form (CG-719S). List every endorsement you are applying for.
- 2
Assemble your supporting documents
Gather your TWIC, CG-719K medical certificate (within 12 months), CG-719P drug test (within 185 days), sea service letters, course completion certificates, and a copy of any current MMC. Missing or stale documents are the #1 cause of delays.
- 3
Submit to the National Maritime Center
Send the package to the NMC by email, mail, or fax, or hand it to a Regional Exam Center. Pay the applicable evaluation, examination, and issuance user fees (46 CFR 10.219) via Pay.gov.
- 4
NMC evaluation
An evaluator reviews your file against 46 CFR. If anything is missing you receive an Awaiting Information (AI) letter; once complete you get an Approval to Test (ATT) letter, valid 12 months, listing the exam modules you must pass.
- 5
Take any required exams at a REC
Schedule your modules at a Regional Exam Center within the ATT window. Each module is graded separately — passes are banked, and you retest only the modules you miss.
- 6
Issuance
Once evaluation, exams, and the safety/security (TWIC) check are all cleared, the NMC prints and mails your MMC. A credential is valid for five years.
Forms and fees are set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Confirm the current CG-719 forms and NMC user fees at the National Maritime Center before submitting.
Build your Mate 500 GT plan
Track your credentials, log sea service days, and see exactly how close you are — free.