Form CG-719B: Application for Merchant Mariner Credential

How to Complete the CG-719B Application in Navita™

Form CG-719B is the Application for a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). Under the current submission process, you complete the CG-719B online by starting a Merchant Mariner Credential application in Navita™. You do not need to download, fill out, or upload a blank CG-719B.

Navita™ builds the form from the information you enter, guides you through the requirements for your transaction, and generates a completed copy for your records after submission.

Before You Start

Gather the information and documents you may need before opening the application:

• Your Social Security number or Alien Registration Number, if applicable

• Your Mariner Reference Number if the Coast Guard has credentialed you before

• Your current contact information and mailing address

• Your TWIC information

• Your current MMC, if you are renewing, upgrading, or adding an endorsement

• The exact captain's license and endorsements you are requesting

• Supporting documents saved as PDFs

• A payment method for the applicable Coast Guard fees

• The contact information for an individual you want to authorize as a third party, if applicable

Knowing the exact endorsement, tonnage, route, propulsion, and vessel limits you are requesting will make the online application easier to complete. Review the NMC checklists or 46 CFR 10.109 if you are unsure which credential applies.

Start Your Merchant Mariner Credential Application

1. Go to the Navita™ Mariner Portal and select Create Account / Sign In.

2. Sign in through Login.gov. If you do not have a Login.gov account, create one and set up an authentication method.

3. Complete or review My Account. Information saved there automatically populates your applications.

4. From the Navita™ home page, select Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) (719B).

5. Read the Privacy Act Statement, select the acknowledgment checkbox, and select Next.

6. Review the form instructions and select Next again.

Navita™ saves your progress each time you select Next. To resume an unfinished application, open My Applications and select the Application ID or Continue Application.

For detailed instructions covering the entire submission process, including document uploads, fees, and final submission, follow our step-by-step guide to submitting your captain’s license application through Navita™.

Section I: Applicant Information

Enter or confirm your:

• Legal name and any alias or maiden name

• Social Security number or Alien Registration Number

• Mariner Reference Number, if applicable

• Date and place of birth

• Citizenship

• Physical description

• Home and mailing addresses

• Preferred contact information

• Next of kin or emergency contact, if you choose to provide one

Fields marked with a red asterisk are required. A post office box may be used as a mailing address, but not as your home address.

Check all identification numbers carefully before continuing. An incorrect Social Security number, Alien Registration Number, or Mariner Reference Number can delay the application.

Choose Your Transaction Type

Navita™ asks what you want the Coast Guard to do with your credential. Your selection determines which questions and requirements appear next.

If you are renewing and making changes, list only the endorsements being added, upgraded, modified, removed, or placed into continuity. Your other eligible endorsements renew unless you tell the Coast Guard otherwise.

Add Your Captain’s License Endorsements

After selecting the transaction type, add each endorsement you are requesting.

1. Select an Endorsement Category and Capacity, or use Search Endorsements.

2. Enter the applicable tonnage, route, propulsion, or vessel limitations.

3. Use Endorsement Details to explain a restriction or request that the available fields do not cover.

4. Select Add Endorsement.

5. Review the endorsement in the Added Endorsements table.

6. Select Yes when asked whether you are adding another endorsement, or continue to the next section.

Be specific. For example, applicants should identify whether they are seeking an OUPV/Six-Pack license, a 25/50/100-Ton Master license, or an upgrade or endorsement such as assistance towing or sailing.

Section III: Safety and Suitability

This section covers TWIC status, criminal and drug-related history, and consent for a National Driver Registry check.

TWIC Information

Original captain’s license applicants are generally not TWIC-exempt. Enter the requested TWIC information and upload any documentation required by the application checklist.

Criminal Record Disclosure

Answer every criminal record and drug-use question accurately. If you answer Yes, Navita™ gives you options to:

• Complete Form CG-719C online when it launches at the end of the application

• Upload applicable supporting records

• Complete the CG-719C and upload supporting records

Previously disclosed information does not automatically mean you should answer No. Read each question carefully and answer it according to the wording and time period shown in Navita™.

National Driver Registry Consent

National Driver Registry consent is required for an original credential, renewal, or new officer endorsement. It is not required for a Document of Continuity.

By providing consent, you authorize the Coast Guard to obtain information about your driving record. The Coast Guard must give you an opportunity to review and comment on the information before using it to disapprove an application or take action against your MMC.

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 7101(g), 46 U.S.C. 7302(c), and 46 U.S.C. 7505.

Section IV: Consent and Electronic Signature

Navita™ guides you through the applicable consent and certification items:

• Mariner Outreach System: Optional participation in the Maritime Administration program used to determine mariner availability during a national emergency or sealift crisis

• Continuity acknowledgment: Required when applying for a Document of Continuity

• Parental consent: Required if the applicant is younger than 18

• Applicant certification: Your legal certification that the information provided is true and complete

Review every answer before signing. Your electronic signature certifies that the application is accurate. Fraudulent information may result in denial and possible referral for prosecution.

The Coast Guard no longer requires the original MMC oath to be notarized, effective December 17, 2024. You must still complete the certification and electronic signature in Navita™.

Authorize a Third Party

Navita™ calls an authorized third party a proxy. Complete this section only if you want an individual to act on your behalf during the application process.

For the current Navita™ release:

• Only an individual may be designated as a proxy

• Organizations and businesses cannot be designated

• The individual’s name, address, phone number, and email address are required

• You must electronically sign the authorization

• A person registered as a Mariner User in Navita™ cannot serve as your proxy

Do not list Mariners Learning System as your third party. MLS provides captain’s license education but does not act as the applicant’s Navita™ proxy.

Review and Pay Your Fees

1. On the Final Review page, select Review and check every section.

2. Correct any errors before continuing.

3. Review the fee breakdown on the Fees page.

4. If applicable, answer the fee-waiver question.

5. Select Pay Fees to continue to Pay.gov.

6. Complete the payment and download the official Pay.gov receipt as a PDF.

7. Return to the Fees page in Navita™ and select Upload Files.

8. Upload the PDF receipt.

A screenshot of the Pay.gov confirmation will not upload. Download the actual receipt. Your application remains incomplete until the receipt is uploaded.

Upload Your Supporting Documents

The Application Requirements checklist shows the documents required for your transaction. Requirements are grouped into General, Sea Service, and Other Requirements.

Each row identifies:

• The requirement

• Whether it is required or optional

• Its current status

• Where to upload the supporting PDF

Upload each document to the matching checklist requirement. Navita™ currently accepts PDFs for these uploads. Confirm that every required item is satisfied before submitting.

Depending on your transaction, supporting documents may include:

• Mariners Learning System Certificate of Completion

• CG-719S sea service forms

• CG-719P drug testing documentation

• TWIC documentation

• CPR and first-aid certification

• Conviction or court records, if applicable

• Pay.gov receipt

Your CG-719K does not belong in this checklist. The Medical Certificate requires a separate Medical Certificate (719K/719K/E) application in Navita™.

Submit and Save Your Application

The Submit Application button appears only after every required checklist item is satisfied and the applicable fee is paid.

1. Select Submit Application.

2. Confirm that Navita™ displays the successful-submission message.

3. Select Finish.

4. Use Download to save a PDF copy of the completed CG-719B for your records.

5. Record your application reference number.

Downloading the form does not submit the application. Only selecting Submit Application sends it to the National Maritime Center.

Frequently Asked Questions About the CG-719B

Do I still download and complete a blank CG-719B?

No. Start a Merchant Mariner Credential application in Navita™ and complete the questions online. Navita™ generates the CG-719B from your answers.

How many CG-719B pages do I upload?

None. You do not upload a separately completed CG-719B. Complete the online application and upload only the supporting documents listed in the Application Requirements checklist.

What if I do not have a Mariner Reference Number?

First-time applicants may not have one. Complete the required identification fields and leave the Mariner Reference Number blank when it does not apply. The Coast Guard assigns a permanent Mariner Reference Number when it creates your mariner record.

Which transaction should an original captain’s license applicant select?

Select First Credential, then add the captain’s license endorsement and applicable limits you are requesting.

Which transaction should I select for an OUPV-to-Master upgrade?

Select Add / Upgrade Endorsement(s) if you are upgrading without renewing. Select Renewal with Add / Upgrade / Remove Endorsement(s) if you are renewing and upgrading in the same application.

What if I am unsure which license to request?

Review the NMC checklists, 46 CFR 10.109, or the NMC Military to Mariner resources. Mariners Learning System students may also contact Student Support for help identifying the course certificate they earned.

Do I need to authorize Mariners Learning System as my third party?

No. Do not list MLS as your proxy. Only authorize an eligible individual if you want that person to act on your behalf during the credentialing process.

Is a notarized oath still required?

No. The NMC removed the notarization requirement for original MMC oaths effective December 17, 2024. You must still complete the applicant certification and electronic signature.

Where do I upload my CG-719K?

Do not upload it to the MMC application. Start a separate Medical Certificate (719K/719K/E) application in Navita™, complete the online sections, print the generated form for your medical provider, and return to Navita™ to upload and submit the signed form.

How do I return to an unfinished application?

Select My Applications from the home page, then select the Application ID or Continue Application. Navita™ saves your progress when you select Next.

Sources

• Navita™ Help

• National Maritime Center Navita™ Guide

• National Maritime Center Checklists

• 46 CFR 10.109, Classification of endorsements

• Change to Oath Requirement

• Contact the National Maritime Center

Disclaimer

Coast Guard forms, fees, and submission procedures can change. This guide reflects the Navita™ process as of September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the National Maritime Center before submitting your application.