The Coast Guard has just announced another improvement to their processes to reduce the time it takes to issue a Merchant Mariner Credential.
The newest improvement is a new rule that only full and complete Merchant Mariner Credential applications will be accepted from now on. This means that perfect applications without the common issues will be able to be issued their Merchant Mariner Credentials even faster by the Coast Guard National Maritime Center.
On December 1, 2024 the Coast Guard National Maritime Center will begin rejecting any application with issues in the CG-719B application form, Oath, TWIC, Drug Test, Evaluation Fees, or previous convictions paperwork.
The Coast Guard will email mariners a Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application form with checkboxes next to issues and notes on what the issues found were.
Mariners must address the issues noted on the form and resubmit the entire, updated application to [email protected].
The Coast Guard Regional Exam Center Initial Evaluation team will then do another evaluation and issue another Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application form if they find any issues. Mariners must continue this process and resubmit entire, updated applications each time to [email protected].
The Coast Guard should be applauded for this new policy which will make perfect applications, without the common issues, go through the Coast Guard National Maritime Center even faster. It is a step in the right direction for both reducing the Merchant Mariner Credential application backlog and the total time for perfect applications submitted to be issued by the Coast Guard.
As of just this August, the National Maritime Center has an application backlog of 10,668 and an average wait time for MMC issuance of 51 business days. In 2023, there were almost 34,000 problems and issues on applications mainly related to mistakes on drug test forms, Coast Guard approved course certificates, sea service forms, and simply filling out the Coast Guard CG-719B application form.
To prepare for the upcoming rule change I asked the Coast Guard Credentialing Experts who I work with at MM-SEAS USCG Licensing Software their three top three tips to avoid a Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application.
Tip 1: Always select "Merchant Mariner" as a mariner's occupation in both locations on the online form during the TWIC application process.
The Coast Guard National Maritime Center can only access TWIC data for Coast Guard licensing when the applicant has selected "Merchant Mariner" as their occupation in both locations of the form during the online TWIC application process. This limitation is due to language in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for C4IT (CG-6) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and should be resolved in the near future. Until it is resolved, if the TIM# box is indicated on a mariner's Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application form, they will need to call the TSA-TWIC Hotline (1-855-347-8371). It may take up to 2 hours waiting on hold to switch their occupation to "Merchant Mariner." A TIM number is then provided by TSA, which the mariner must provide in a statement to the Coast Guard when they resubmit their entire application package to [email protected].
Tip 2: Always sign as the mariner and check the National Driver Registry (NDR) box on page 4 of the CG-719B.
Authorizing the Coast Guard to look at the National Driver Registry (NDR) on your behalf is mandatory for all New, Renewal, and Upgrade applications. Mariners also need to sign the application and attest that the information they have provided in the application package is factual and that if any document in the application contains fraudulent information, the mariner's application will be denied and the mariner will not be allowed to submit any type of application to the Coast Guard for 1 calendar year. Here’s a video from the National Maritime Center that highlights how to fill out a CG-719B.
To do both of these make sure the NDR box is checked and that section 5 where it says “Signature of Applicant” is signed on page 4 of the CG-719B.
Tip 3: Ensure Drug Test documentation meets the Coast Guard National Maritime Center requirements.
You’ll need evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs, a letter from a marine employer verifying participation in a random drug testing program, or a letter verifying pre-employment drug testing from your employer instead of a drug test for all Merchant Mariner Credential application packages except for applications for Increases of Scope (e.g., increasing tonnage from 500GRT to 1600 GRT, removing a HP limitation or going from Near Coastal to Oceans), solely containing (STCW) International Endorsements, a replacement/duplicate request, or putting any part of your MMC into continuity.
If you take a DOT 5 Panel drug test, make sure the result clearly says negative. Negative dilute results will not be accepted by the Coast Guard. Make sure to check with the company giving you the test that the lab where your sample is sent for evaluation is a Non-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-approved lab and that the Medical Review Officer (MRO) is certified.
If negative results from a DOT 5 Panel drug test or your employer letter are older than 185 days, the Coast Guard will issue you a Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application.
