How to Obtain a Captain’s License in California: A Comprehensive Guide

Boating in California is a beautiful and unique experience. From engaging in watersports and fishing in Big Bear Lake to watching marine wildlife at Point Reyes, you can enjoy countless boating opportunities along California’s 840-mile-long coast — not to mention its many lakes and rivers.

With a captain’s license, you can do even more in California. Officially known as a Merchant Mariner Credential, a captain’s license issued by the United States Coast Guard authorizes you to operate your boat commercially. It ensures you’re trained in navigation, safety, and emergency procedures and even helps with getting insurance.

With the added knowledge, safety, and credibility that accompany a captain’s license, you’ll be ready to explore everything California has to offer.

Types of Captain’s Licenses in California

In California, you can earn an OUPV/Six-Pack captain’s license or a more advanced Master license for 25-ton, 50-ton, or 100-ton vessels, depending on your experience. Both types of licenses are available for inland waters or for near-coastal and ocean waters.

Each class of captain’s license has its own experience, testing, and medical requirements that ensure a captain’s competency. 

Six-Pack Captain’s License Requirements

The Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV), or Six-Pack license, allows captains to commercially operate an uninspected boat carrying up to six passengers.

To apply for a Six-Pack license, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have legal status to work in the U.S.
• Hold a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card
• Get certified in CPR and basic first aid
• Pass a physical and a drug test
• Document a minimum of 360 days of boating experience, 90 of which must fall within three years of your application
• Pass a Coast Guard-approved captain’s license course and exam

Master Captain’s Licenses (25, 50, or 100-Ton) Requirements

With a Master captain’s license, you aren’t limited to uninspected vessels, and you can carry more than six passengers on inspected vessels. 

This type of license requires:

• A minimum age of 19
• U.S. citizenship
• A TWIC card
• CPR and first aid certification
• A physical and a drug test
• A captain’s license course and exam

In addition to these requirements, you must have documented experience on the water. For an inland-only license, you need 360 days of experience. If you want a near-coastal and ocean waters license, you’ll need 720 days of experience with at least half of that outside the boundary line. In either case, 90 days of this experience must take place within three years of your application.

A Sailing Endorsement requires additional experience on a sail or auxiliary sail vessel — 180 days if you pair it with an inland license and 360 days if paired with a Master near-coastal license.

Boater’s Card vs. Captain’s License in California: A Common Misunderstanding

California is one of many states that requires mariners to take a boating safety course to legally operate watercraft with motors over a certain horsepower. The course ensures that boaters understand navigation, emergency procedures, and local boating laws. The California Boater Card, often simply called a boater’s card, provides proof of passing the course.

A boater’s card and a captain’s license may seem similar, but they grant very different privileges and are issued by two very different authorities. Confusing the two can lead to painful consequences and steep fines.

Captain’s licenses are required by the Coast Guard for all commercial maritime operations in the U.S., such as carrying passengers for hire. They demand a higher level of maritime knowledge and experience, and they involve much more rigorous testing. 

The California Boater’s Card is issued by a local state entity, the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. By January 2025, they will require boater’s cards for recreational boat operators of all ages, but the cards do not qualify holders for commercial operations.

Steps to Earn Your California Captain’s License

Now that you know the nuances of getting a captain’s license in California, you can start the process with confidence. Below is a step-by-step guide to getting your license, but keep in mind that many of the steps can overlap. 

Step #1: Get Experience on the Water

You don’t have to wait until you start pursuing the other requirements for your license before you begin collecting your required days of boating experience. Remember, one “day” means at least four continuous hours underway on the water.

You can start the next steps without completing all 360 or 720 days, but schedule them soon. Some of the later steps have firm timing windows.

Step #2: Sign Up for a USCG-Approved Captain’s License Course and Exam

In California, you can take one of several courses catering to various levels of maritime responsibility to prepare for your captain’s license exam. Among these, Mariners Learning System stands out for several reasons:

• Convenient: We offer fully online courses so you can study on your own time, anywhere you are.
• Comprehensive: Our courses cover everything you need to know to prepare yourself for your future responsibilities as a captain. We’re committed not just to passing on information for a test but to ensuring you leave with deep knowledge that will serve you well in practical situations.
• Effective: Our high pass rate shows that our teaching methods and material are effective and comprehensive. Plus, you can retake our Coast Guard-approved exam until you succeed. (Find out for yourself by signing up for a free trial of one of our courses today!) 

Some people wonder, why not just take the Coast Guard’s exam?

While you certainly can, the Coast Guard’s exam pulls from a database of more than 10,000 questions that may or may not relate to captain’s licensing. Our test focuses only on useful and relevant information for captains, reducing the burden of unnecessary information.

Step #3: Meet All Remaining Coast Guard Requirements

If you go directly to the Coast Guard for your exam and licensing, you’ll need to meet all requirements within six months of your application. However, when you take a captain’s license course with Mariners, you have a year to complete the course and another year to meet Coast Guard requirements.

The exception is the drug test, which must take place within six months of submitting your actual application. We recommend students wait to get these until they complete the program and are close to submitting their captain’s license application.

Step #4: Send in Your Captain’s License Application

Once you meet the captain’s license requirements and pass the exam, you can apply for your license with the Coast Guard. They typically process your paperwork within a few months, though be sure to follow the document submission instructions carefully. A mistake there can cause a significant delay.

Earning a Captain’s License in California: Final Thoughts

Though captain’s license requirements are technically the same throughout the country, each state has unique opportunities and considerations related to fulfilling those requirements.

If you’re interested in earning a captain’s license in California, we’d be happy to help. Learn more about our courses today.