QMED
Qualified Member, Engine Dept.
A Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED) is the engine-room counterpart to Able Seaman — a qualified engine rating (Oiler, Junior Engineer, Fireman/Watertender, and others). It is the entry credential for an engine-department career and a prerequisite for the licensed-engineer ladder.
Controlling regulation: 46 CFR 12.501
Where this fits in the ladder
Sea service
180
days required
Est. cost
$925–$2,100
training + docs + fees
Timeline
~0.7 yr
at full-time pace
Sea service requirement
180 days in the engine department for the first rating; additional ratings require their own qualifying service. Verify the day count for each specific rating at the NMC.
Practical assessment: RFPEW onboard engine-watch assessments.
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.
Rating Forming Part of an Engineering Watch
Practical assessments for engine-room watchkeeping. Earned through documented onboard assessments. Required for QMED-level STCW ratings.
Written exam modules
Taken at a USCG Regional Exam Center. Practice each module free below.
QMED Rating Exam
Engine-department exam for the specific rating sought (Oiler, Junior Engineer, etc.). Open-book on regulations.
Engineering Safety & General
Engine-room safety, pollution prevention, basic thermodynamics, and watchkeeping. 70% to pass.
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 QMED plan
Track your credentials, log sea service days, and see exactly how close you are — free.