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25/50 or 100-Ton Master Captain’s License - Online Course and Exam
$895.00
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- The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Master's captain's license authorizes the holder to operate both inspected and uninspected vessels. Inspected vessels are those certified by the USCG to carry more than six paying passengers plus crew. Examples include ferry boats, harbor tour boats, and whale-watching boats.
- Individuals who wish to operate inspected vessels that carry more than six passengers, such as charter boats, tour boats, or ferries in United States waters, must obtain a 25/50/100-Ton Master's captain's license.
- An inspected passenger vessel is a boat or ship that is required to comply with specific safety regulations set by the U.S. Coast Guard. These regulations cover construction standards, safety equipment, crew training, and operational guidelines. The vessel undergoes regular inspections to ensure adherence to these standards. The vessel will have a Certificate of Inspection (COI) onboard, which specifies the maximum number of paying passengers allowed and indicates the type of Master’s license required for operation.
- An uninspected vessel has less stringent requirements and typically carries six or fewer passengers for hire. In contrast, inspected vessels can carry more than six paying passengers and must adhere to strict construction, safety, equipment, and manning regulations.
- There are various versions of the Master's license. The USCG Master licenses available include the Master's Inland (authorizes operation on inland waters), the Master's Near Coastal (permits operation on inland waters and up to 200 miles offshore), and the Master's Near Coastal with Great Lakes (allows operation on inland waterways, the Great Lakes, and up to 200 miles offshore). The tonnage categories - 25, 50, or 100 tons - correspond to the maximum size of inspected vessels you can professionally operate; you will be restricted to 100 gross tons for uninspected vessels.
- To qualify, you must have adequate documented sea service time on vessels of appropriate tonnage, be at least 19 years old, and have U.S. citizenship. Additionally, you need a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), successful completion of a USCG-approved Master-level course and proctored exam, and a physical examination and drug test. You must also hold a valid CPR and First Aid certification and pay the application fees to the Coast Guard.
- No, you are not required to progress sequentially through the tonnage categories. Based on your documented sea service experience on appropriately sized vessels, you may qualify directly for a 50- or 100-ton license.
- Sea service can be documented using official logs, letters from vessel owners or operators, or sea service forms that detail the capacity in which you served, the vessel(s) size, and the time spent on board.
- Yes, the USCG accepts military sea service, but you need to provide appropriate military documentation that certifies your role and time spent on vessels.
- Yes, under certain conditions, the time spent serving on foreign-flagged vessels may count. However, the NMC reviews these on a case-by-case basis. You must provide valid documentation of your service.
- The license is valid for five years. To renew it, you must demonstrate recent sea service or pass a Coast Guard-approved written requirement in lieu, undergo a physical examination, remain drug-free, and pay an application fee.
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"I tested tonight and had great success. Thank you for all your guidance through this experience. The staff at Mariners couldn't be more professional, patient, and prompt. I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned on the water. Thank you, Mariners Learning System."
Read Our ReviewsOverall rating: 4.767857 / 5 from 112 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
This online course and exam for the 25/50 or 100-Ton Master Captain's License offers a comprehensive program with great materials and presentation. Customers praise the well-put-together program and the ease of access to US Coast Guard Licensing experts.
Summary topics
- Course Material Quality: 16%
- Program Quality: 9%
Review topics: ["experience","material","customer service","flash cards","program","test","class","aids","curriculum","information","videos","system","presentation","content","package","instruction","format","copy","books","captain","lessons"].
Review highlights
- "I was impressed with the way the material was presented - video, aural, text, questions, quiz and review." —
- "Unbelievable program and support staff!" —
- "Very detailed material with good visual aids to assist with comprehension." —
Reviews
Great experience would recommend to
"Great experience would recommend to anyone"
I love it so far.
"I love it so far. The one thing I would add is the ability to listen to lectures on a mobile device while having other apps open. When I'm driving I need to navigate with google maps or waze and I cannot do so without closing the lecture which then resets when I reopen the mariner's learning app."
The course is very well
"The course is very well organized, and the interface is easy to use. It's fairly priced against its competition. A 25-year Navy Surface Warfare Officer who commanded two ships, I found the material succinct and salient. It was an enjoyable review of my knowledge, and I learned a few things too! There are typographical(?) errors that detract from the overall experience, and a few times when the material was probably wrong due to a misspelling or oversight. I would teach the navigation differently. Instead of independent fixes and navigation information extraction, I recommend the creation of a scenario-style series of fixes along an established track to teach the skills. Overall, I enjoyed the course and found it very useful in the pursuit of my merchant marine credentials."
So far, so good…haven’t taken
"So far, so good…haven’t taken the final exam, yet, but soon. One thing, however: the wording of some of the questions is…well…just weird. Perhaps its on purpose, but some of them read as if the answer is the OPPOSITE of what one would think, such as “X vessel would stay out of the way of all of the following exept______” instead of “which of the following would X vessel not have to stay out of there way of?” No biggie, but still annoying. Thanks."
Received and activated my course.
"Received and activated my course. Easy to operate, and included a "how to utilize and navigate the learning system". So far have only made use of it on my laptop, but will begin to use mobile app for continued learning while traveling."
I'm missing the box. I
"I'm missing the box. I only have the plotting exam."
There are a number of
"There are a number of questions on the exam not covered by the material provided. Finding the answer to these questions thus is by process of elimination after multiple re exams"
Great course!! Lots to learn
"Great course!! Lots to learn but the tools provided are spot on for reinforcing the learning process. I really enjoy the flash cards for prepping for each lessons quiz!!"
I really appreciate how it’s
"I really appreciate how it’s designed to do at your own pace and times"
Q&A
- How long in study materials in hours is the 25 ton master course. I have 1000+ days operating boats ranging from river rafts, jet boat, mid size offshoot fishing boats 22-30’, and houseboats 55’. I want to have an understanding of i study 2 hours daily before work if I can complete this by May 1
- The Master's online course is prescribed as a 81-hour program. Due to its self-paced nature, the average student takes around 50 - 55 hours to complete.
- How long do I have access to the course materials after purchase? I don't plan on taking the exam until 2028 so I can earn my days at sea.
- You have one year from activation, not purchase, to complete our course and pass our final exam. Then, you had an additional year from the date you pass our final exam to submit a complete application packet to the Coast Guard. You can purchase our hard copy study guides and study from them until you are ready to purchase our online course.