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APPROPRIATE LICENSES AND TRAINING 

Many questions regarding the interpretation of the following statement in NAO 217-103 SECTION 7.07a.2, have been posed to the NOAA Small Boat Program. The statement is

"..all designated [Class III motorboat and Small Research Vessel] operators must possess a valid USCG license appropriate to the intended service of the vessel."

This statement was purposely left vague to allow flexibility in determining exactly what grade of license is appropriate for a Class III motorboat or SRV operator. Some factors that will affect the determination of appropriate licensing include the route, employment, number of passengers and geographic location in which the vessel will operate. The most basic and minimally acceptable USCG License for a Class III motorboat operator would be the "Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessels" also known as an OUPV or "six pack" license because the holder of such a license is limited to a total of six passengers which can be carried for hire.

Most Line Office field activities have required their operators to hold a USCG License endorsed for service as "master (or mate) of near coastal steam or motor vessels of not more than 100 gross tons." This license is appropriate for many field activity operators, however, there are other grades of licensing that may also be deemed appropriate. To illustrate the wide range of potentially appropriate endorsements, consider the license attributes that can be used to construct an endorsement:

To make an educated decision as to the appropriate level of licensing of a given operator, one must understand the terms used in a license endorsement, examination topics for each grade of license, and sea service required to attain a particular license. All of this information is given in 46 CFR Part 10 - Licensing of Maritime Personnel (PDF file, 456 KB, the whole section!) as follows:

• Section 10.103 - Definitions of terms used in this part.
• Section 10.203 - Quick reference table for license and certificate of registry requirements.
• Subpart D (Sections 10.401 to 10.497) - Professional Requirements for Deck Officer's Licenses
• Section 10.910 - Subjects for deck licenses.

NOTE: The bulleted hypertext above links to GPO Access, ElectronicCode of Federal Regulations

Further Assistance or Questions Regarding Approriate Levels of Operator Training or Boat Manning

For further assistance or any question pertaining to the appropriate level of licensing, certification, training, or manning to operate a NOAA motorboat or small research vessel, fill out and submit this form.

PERSONS WHO DO NOT HAVE A "someone@noaa.gov" EMAIL ADDRESS READ THIS
BEFORE WASTING YOUR TIME WITH THIS FORM !!!

Motorboat Class, Gross Tons, and/or Dimensions	Class A, < 16' Class I, 16' to 26' Class II, 26' to 40' Class III, 40' to 65' SRV, >65' <300 Gross Tons
	Gross Tons:
	Breadth: Depth: Length:
Length of Longest Operational Day	Less than 12 hours 12 to 24 hours 24 hours or more
Special Equipment	RADAR ARPA DSC HF Radios or Satellite communications
Route	Inland/Rivers Great Lakes Bays & Sounds Near Coastal (<20 mi) Oceans
Maximum Distance from Safe Harbor or Support Ship	Less than 3 miles 3 to 20 miles 20 to 200 miles Greater than 200
Geographic Area of Operations
Nature of Operations	Patrol Diving Weight Handling/Fishing Observation Towing Tours/Outreach/Education Briefly describe unusual or novel operations here.
Maximum Number of Passengers
Vessel Cruising Speed (knots)
Please Provide Guidance for	Vessel Manning USCG Licensing Certifications Applicable Training Training Vendors   Enter other specific questions here.
Email Address