How to revalidate a CoC and STCW certificates
- Checked 6 October 2026
Contents6
1 In short
Masters and officers revalidate their certificate of competency at intervals not exceeding five years: they meet the medical fitness standards and show continued professional competence, for example with at least 12 months of sea service in the preceding five years. Training certificates follow their own rules: for basic safety training, competence in personal survival and fire fighting is shown every five years. Rating certificates have no single international revalidation interval.1–4
2 Revalidating a certificate of competency
Every master, officer and radio operator who serves at sea, or intends to return to sea after a period ashore, must at intervals not exceeding five years meet the standards of medical fitness and establish continued professional competence.5
Continued professional competence can be shown in one of these ways:6
- approved seagoing service in functions appropriate to the certificate for at least 12 months in total during the preceding five years;
- performing functions considered equivalent to that seagoing service;
- passing an approved test;
- completing an approved training course or courses;
- at least three months of approved seagoing service in a supernumerary capacity, or in a lower officer rank, immediately before taking up the rank for which the certificate is valid.
The Administration that issued the certificate sets the revalidation procedure: which of these routes it accepts, which documents it wants and how to apply.
3 How training certificates stay valid
Training certificates do not all expire the same way. For each document below, the rule comes from the STCW Code or, where there is none, the table says so.
| Document | How it is kept valid |
|---|---|
| Basic Safety Training | Every 5 years the seafarer provides evidence of competence for parts A-VI/1-1, A-VI/1-2. Parts A-VI/1-3, A-VI/1-4 have no international interval.7 |
| Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats | Every 5 years the seafarer provides evidence of maintaining the required standard of competence.8,9 |
| Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats | Every 5 years the seafarer provides evidence of maintaining the required standard of competence.9,10 |
| Advanced Fire Fighting | Every 5 years the seafarer provides evidence of maintaining the required standard of competence.9,11 |
| Medical First Aid | The STCW Convention sets no refresher interval for this training.9,12 |
| Security Awareness Training | The STCW Convention sets no refresher interval for this training.9,13 |
| Basic Training – Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations | |
| Advanced Training – Oil Tanker Cargo Operations | |
| Basic Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters | Masters and officers continuing to serve on ships in polar waters show continued competence at intervals not exceeding 5 years.16,17 |
| Passenger Ship Crowd Management Training | At intervals not exceeding 5 years the seafarer completes refresher training or provides evidence of having maintained the required standard of competence.18 MoreLess |
| General Operator’s Certificate (GOC) | To keep serving at sea on ships under STCW, the holder revalidates this certificate at intervals not exceeding 5 years.19 |
| Generic ECDIS Training | There is no international renewal interval for this document.20–22 |
4 Medical certificate
Revalidation needs a valid medical certificate. It is valid for no more than two years, or one year for seafarers under 18, and may be issued for a shorter period. Seafarer medical examination23
5 Rating certificates
Certificates of proficiency for ratings, such as a watch rating or able seafarer certificate, have no single international revalidation interval: the validity is shown on the document and set by the issuing State.4,24
6 Frequently asked questions
How often do I need to revalidate my CoC?
At intervals not exceeding five years, by meeting the medical fitness standards and showing continued professional competence.1
Can I revalidate without 12 months of sea time?
Yes, by another approved route: equivalent functions, an approved test, an approved course, or three months of supernumerary or lower-rank service before taking up the rank. The issuing Administration decides which routes it accepts.6
Do I need to redo basic safety training every five years?
Every five years you provide evidence of continued competence in personal survival techniques and in fire prevention and fire fighting. Elementary first aid and personal safety have no international interval.3
Does a watch rating certificate expire?
There is no single international interval for rating certificates of proficiency: the validity is shown on the document and set by the issuing State.4