Seafarer certification
Certificate Application Processing delays
Maritime New Zealand is currently experiencing high volumes of applications for licensing and certification. Please be aware this has extended our usual response and processing times. Where possible, please take the extended timeframes into account when submitting your application.
Ways you can help us minimise delays on your application:
- make sure applications are complete* using the checklists provided on our website
- where possible, submit applications well before they are needed
* A complete application means all the required supporting information for your application type is received, where applicable payment has been made and your application has been referred to an Advisor for assessment.
Pre-assessments discontinued
Maritime NZ is no longer offering a pre-assessment service for sea service. All pre-assessment applications already received will be processed by 31 October 2024.
Please apply for the seafarer certificate you need – you do not have to wait for a sea service pre-assessment. We will review your sea service as part of your application and there is no additional charge for that.
If you are planning to apply for a seafarer certificate soon, we encourage you to download the relevant form and apply before long. Please note any fees are non-refundable should your application be unsuccessful.
Application forms can be found here
Physical certificate – passport booklet change
From July 2022, if your Seafarer certification is issued in a passport booklet style format you will see a difference in how this looks.
You can see a photo of how these now look below.
Due to problems with sourcing supplies, we have changed how we print these. The front and back cover is now a white security label instead of being printed directly onto the booklet and laminated. Certificates issued in the card-style format have not changed.
Contact us
The best way of contacting us is by email
We are monitoring our email and will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.
Please use the following email addresses:
seafarers@maritimenz.govt.nz for all seafarer enquiries
operators@maritimenz.govt.nz for vessel related safety and certification
ship.registration@maritimenz.govt.nz for Part A and Part B registrations
exemptions.officer@maritimenz.govt.nz for all exemptions
enquiries@maritimenz.govt.nz for all other general enquiries
Alternatively you can use our online enquiry form.
Contact us online
If you don’t have email
We are still answering the phones but there may be a delay in our response times.
New Zealand (toll free): 0508 22 55 22
Calling from outside New Zealand: +64 4 473 0111
Calls to this number are answered Monday to Friday 0900 – 1630 New Zealand local time (excluding national public holidays).
