Medical and eyesight requirements for seafarers
On this page:
Requirements for ring-fenced certificates
If you’re one of the seafarers who ring-fenced their ticket(s), you will also need a medical certificate to keep working. The medical certificate will be due two years from the date your verification card was issued.
When it’s time, here’s what you need to do:
It’s that simple
Requirements for national certificates
To apply for or renew a national certificate of competency or proficiency, you need to prove that your medical fitness and eyesight meet the required standards. For national certificates any GP can conduct a medical examination.
Print out this certificate to take along to the GP:
CERTIFICATE of Medical Fitness - National or Ring-fenced seafarers[PDF: 101kB, 1 page]
Information on what is covered in a medical is set out in this guidance document
Medical guideline for seafarers[PDF: 271kB, 10 pages]
Looking for a GP
The medical examination for any national certificate may be conducted by any New Zealand registered GP.
Search the list of registered doctors on the Medical Council of New Zealand website:
Medical Council of New Zealand
[www.mcnc.org.nz]
Find an optometrist
If you are applying for a new Deck certificate then you’ll need to have an eyesight and colour vision test conducted by a registered optometrist.
If you require an eyesight test by a registered optometrist, search the Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board’s online register.
You can search the register for optometrists by name or location:
Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board
[www.odob.health.nz]
Requirements for STCW or STCW-F certificates
To apply for or renew an STCW or STCW-F certificate of competency or proficiency, you need to prove that your medical fitness and eyesight meet the required standards. For an STCW or STCW-F certificate the medical examination must be conducted by an approved medical practitioner.
Looking for an approved Medical Practitioner?
There is a particular form used:
Medical Exam FORM for STCW or STCW-F seafarers[PDF: 195Kb, 5 pages]
This is the certificate:
CERTIFICATE of Medical Fitness - STCW or STCW-F seafarers[PDF: 130kB, 1 page]
Find an optometrist
If you are applying for a new Deck certificate then you’ll need to have an eyesight and colour vision test conducted by a registered optometrist.
If you require an eyesight test by a registered optometrist, search the Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board’s online register.
You can search the register for optometrists by name or location:
Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board
[www.odob.health.nz]