100 Ton Captain License Requirements: 720 Days & Cost
What is a 100 ton captain license?
A 100 ton captain license is a US Coast Guard Master endorsement for vessels under 100 gross register tons (GRT). It lets you run inspected passenger boats carrying more than six paying guests, as well as six-pack charters. You need 720 days of sea time for near-coastal waters (360 for inland). You also need to be 19 and a US citizen, and to pass a USCG exam or an approved course.
Rules checked against 46 CFR on Cornell LII, October 29, 2026. Course prices were checked on each school's own site the same day.
The license is printed on your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), which is valid for 5 years. Our USCG captain's license guide compares it with the OUPV ("six-pack"). This page covers only the Master.
What the Master adds over an OUPV:
- More than six passengers. Headboats, sightseeing boats, dinner cruises, water taxis and whale-watching boats are inspected small passenger vessels. They need a Master, and you work within the limits of the boat's Certificate of Inspection.
- Further offshore. A near-coastal Master can go out to 200 miles. The OUPV stops at 100 (46 CFR 10.107).
- STCW recognition. A near-coastal Master under 100 GRT counts as STCW-compliant within the limits of the endorsement (46 CFR 11.428).
A sightseeing boat in Boston Harbor: with more than six paying passengers aboard, a boat like this is inspected and needs a Master in the wheelhouse. Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0.
"100 ton" is a ceiling, not a guarantee. The Coast Guard issues the Master endorsement at 25, 50 or 100 GRT, depending on the boats you logged your time on. It uses whichever figure is higher: the largest boat you did at least 25% of your days on, or 150% of the largest boat you did at least 50% of your days on. Any figure in between is rounded up to the next step. If more than 75% of your time was on boats of 5 GRT or less, you're limited to under 25 GRT (46 CFR 11.422).
So you don't need time on a 100-ton boat. If half your days were on a 40 GRT sportfisher, 150% of that is 60, which rounds up to the 100-ton step. If all your days were on a 20-foot skiff, you'll get a small ticket.
What are the 100 ton captain license requirements?
| Requirement | Master <100 GRT, inland | Master <100 GRT, near-coastal |
|---|---|---|
| Total sea time | 360 days on any waters | 720 days |
| Where the time is logged | Anywhere | At least 360 days on ocean or near-coastal waters. Inland or Great Lakes time covers up to 360 |
| Sail endorsement | 6 months on sail | 12 months on sail |
| Recent service | 90 days in the last 3 years | Same |
| What counts as a day | 8 hours. On boats under 100 GRT the Coast Guard may accept as few as 4 | Same |
| Minimum age | 19 | 19 |
| Citizenship | US citizen | US citizen |
| Medical | CG-719K physical | Same |
| Drug test | DOT test no more than 185 days old when you apply | Same |
| First aid / CPR | First aid course within the past year (or proof of STCW Basic Training), plus a current CPR card | Same |
| TWIC | Proof you hold one or have applied | Same |
| Exam | At a Regional Exam Center, or a USCG-approved course instead | Same |
| Paperwork | CG-719B application, CG-719S sea service forms | Same |
Sources: 46 CFR 11.457, 11.428, 11.201, 10.107, 10.225, 16.220. The regulations count a year as 360 days.
The inland column surprises people: an inland Master needs the same 360 days as an OUPV. If you only plan to run bays, rivers and sounds, and you're 19 and a US citizen, there's little reason to stop at the six-pack.
How much does a 100 ton captain license cost?
The course is the biggest cost. Prices as listed on each school's site on October 29, 2026:
| School | Course | Format | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mariners Learning System | Master course and exam | Online | $895 |
| Maritime Institute | Master 100 tons | Online, 85 days, exams taken in person | $975 |
| Maritime Institute | Master 100 tons | 2-week classroom (CA, VA, WA, HI) | $1,600–$1,758.40 |
| Maritime Institute | OUPV-to-Master upgrade | Online, 4 weeks, exams taken in person | $600 |
| Sea School | Master 25–100 GRT upgrade | 3 days in person (Zoom and online options too) | $400 at most sites; $450–$575 at a few |
| Chapman School of Seamanship (Stuart, FL) | OUPV-to-Master upgrade | 3 days | $370 |
| Chapman School of Seamanship | OUPV + Master together (includes Assistance Towing) | 11 days | $1,200 |
Coast Guard fees for an original officer endorsement are a $100 evaluation fee, a $95 exam fee and a $45 issuance fee. That comes to $240 if you test at a Regional Exam Center (46 CFR 10.219). Mariners Learning System says that if an approved course replaces the exam, you pay only the $100 and the $45, so $145.
The same MLS page estimates the other costs: up to $200 for the physical if insurance doesn't cover it, $75–$95 for the drug test and about $125 for the TWIC. Prices for first aid and CPR courses vary by provider.
Realistic total: about $1,250–$2,350 (roughly €1,100–€2,080) from scratch, not counting first aid/CPR, at about $1.13 to €1. Upgrading from an OUPV costs less, because you've already paid for the TWIC and the six-pack course.
How long does it take to get a 100 ton captain license?
Sea time is the slow part. 720 days is two full working years at sea, or many more years of weekend boating. Working as a deckhand or mate, or crewing deliveries, gets you there much faster than leisure trips.
Once the days are logged:
- Course: 3 days for an upgrade, about 2 weeks in a classroom, or self-paced online (Maritime Institute gives you 85 days).
- NMC processing: the National Maritime Center said in July 2026 that complete applications should be processed within 4 months (NMC notice via AMO). An incomplete application holds things up.
- Deadlines: apply within a year of passing your course, with a drug test no more than 185 days old.
If your sea time is already documented, allow 4–6 months from course to card.
Can you upgrade from OUPV to a 100 ton license?
Yes, and most captains go that way. Upgrade courses cover only the Master material, which is why they cost $370–$600 rather than $900 or more.
What you need for the upgrade:
- More sea time. A near-coastal Master needs 720 days in total, and the 360 you used for your OUPV count toward that. For inland only, you may already have enough.
- Age 19 and US citizenship. Only the OUPV on non-documented boats is open to non-citizens.
- A fresh drug test. One is required for a raise of grade as well as for an original credential (46 CFR 16.220).
- An upgrade course or the REC exam, then a new application to the NMC.
Raising tonnage later: you can raise a 25 or 50 GRT limit with 90 more days on deck of a vessel in your highest tonnage step. Alternatively, 6 more months of deck service on vessels in that step moves you up one step (46 CFR 11.422).
What jobs can you get with a 100 ton boat captain license?
The 100-ton Master is the working license for US passenger boats:
- Headboats and party fishing boats.
- Sightseeing, dinner and sunset cruises, plus whale and dolphin watching.
- Water taxis and small ferries.
- Dive and snorkel boats that carry more than six.
- Delivery and relief captain work on US-flag boats under 100 GRT. See boat delivery captain jobs.
- Captain or mate on smaller US-flag yachts.
Whale-watching trips like this one at Depoe Bay, Oregon, are steady 100-ton work, because a full boat means more than six passengers. Photo: Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Superyachts are different. Most large yachts fly foreign flags such as the Cayman Islands, Marshall Islands or Malta, and their captains need MCA tickets. That route usually starts with a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster. Plenty of Fort Lauderdale crew hold both a USCG Master and an MCA ticket.
For what captain work pays and where it's posted, see yacht captain jobs and yacht captain salary. Getting licensed in Florida? Our captain's license Florida guide lists local schools and the FWC charter license.
100 ton captain license FAQ
Can I take the 100 ton captain license course online?
Yes. Mariners Learning System ($895) and Maritime Institute ($975) both sell online Master courses, though Maritime Institute's final exams are taken in person.
Do I need time on a 100-ton boat to get a 100 ton license?
No. Half your days on a boat over 33 GRT works, because 150% of that is above 50 and rounds up to 100. So does a quarter of your days on a boat over 50 GRT.
Can a non-US citizen get a 100 ton captain license?
No. Every officer endorsement requires US citizenship except the OUPV limited to non-documented boats.
What's the difference between a six-pack and a 100 ton license?
The six-pack (OUPV) limits you to six paying passengers on uninspected boats. The 100-ton Master covers inspected passenger vessels and needs twice the sea time for near-coastal waters.
Does a 100 ton license let me captain a superyacht?
Usually not. Most superyachts are foreign-flagged and over 100 GT, and they want MCA certificates.
How long is a 100 ton captain's license valid?
Five years, the same as any Merchant Mariner Credential.
Start logging sea time
Every one of those 720 days comes from working on boats, and our yacht jobs guide shows where that work is. Sign up free on Radius and check in at the port you're in. Once your ENG1, STCW and CV are verified, captains and recruiters hiring nearby can find you on the live map.