National certificate
National certificates and endorsements
Certificates and endorsements for vessels operating in restricted limits and for vessels less than 24 metres in coastal and offshore waters must be renewed every 5 years.
This page explains which national certificates and endorsements this applies to, and the medical and sea‑service requirements you must meet.
Certificates and endorsements covered
This renewal requirement applies to the following national certificates:
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Skipper Restricted Limits
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Skipper Coastal/Offshore
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Master Yacht <24m
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Marine Engineer Class 4 (MEC 4)
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Marine Engineer Class 5 (MEC 5)
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Marine Engineer Class 5 – steam
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Marine Engineer Class 5 – motor and steam
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Marine Engineer Class 6 (MEC 6).
It also applies to these endorsements:
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Skipper Restricted Limits endorsed for vessels of 500–3000 gross tonnage (SRL 500–3000GT)
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passenger endorsement
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Cook Strait endorsement
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high‑speed endorsement
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square‑rigged endorsement.
Medical fitness and fit and proper person requirements
To renew your national certificate or endorsement you must:
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show that your medical fitness and eyesight meet the required standards
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meet Maritime NZ’s fit and proper person requirements.
Guidance on medical and eyesight standards is available on the medical‑fitness pages and in the medical guidelines for seafarers.
Your medical certificate of fitness must always be current if you are working on board a vessel.
Sea service requirements
To renew a certificate, you must provide evidence of one of the following:
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at least 6 months of approved sea service in the 5 years before you apply to renew, or
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at least 45 days of sea service in the 3 months immediately before you apply to renew.
If you do not meet these sea‑service requirements, or your certificate has expired, alternatives to sea service may be available. These may include:
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practical competency assessment
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further training and assessment.
Maritime NZ can also recognise experience in certain non‑seagoing roles as equivalent to sea service.
To renew an endorsement, you must provide evidence of the following:
Passenger
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At least six months on a passenger vessel in the previous five years, or
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45 days in the three months preceding the date of application
Cook Strait
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At least two Cook Strait crossings in the 12 months preceding the date of application
500–3000GT
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At least six months on a ship of 500–3000GT operating in restricted limits in the previous five years, or
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45 days in the three months preceding the date of application
Steam
At least six months on a steam ship in the previous five years, or 45 days in the three months preceding the date of application
Square-rigged sailing ship
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At least six months on a square-rigged sailing ship in the previous five years, or 45 days in the three months preceding the date of application
High-speed
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At least six months on a high-speed ship operating in restricted limits in the previous five years, or 45 days in the three months preceding the date of application
Endorsement applications that require a renewal assessment will incur a separate fee.
The following endorsements do not require a renewal assessment:
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<24m endorsement
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<500GT endorsement