Deck Certificate Guide

Master Yachts (less than 3,000 GT): the exact requirements

Command of commercial yachts of less than 3,000 GT, covering the vast majority of the superyacht fleet, issued under STCW Regulation II/2. Every requirement below comes from section 3.6 of MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, effective 18 May 2026.

Updated July 2026 · Source: MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, section 3.6

What the Master (less than 3,000 GT) CoC lets you do

The Master (Yachts, less than 3,000 GT) Certificate of Competency qualifies you to command commercial yachts of up to 3,000 GT, typically 50m to 90m plus. The job is as much management as seamanship: budgets, crews of 10 to 30, charter and flag-state compliance, shipyard periods and owner relations sit alongside navigation. It is issued under STCW Regulation II/2 and its requirements are set out in section 3.6 of MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2. This is the primary target qualification for most career yacht officers.

Exact requirements

  1. Chief Mate baseline: hold or meet the qualifications for Chief Mate Yachts (less than 3,000 GT).
  2. Sea service (s3.6(a)): while serving as an OOW Yachts (less than 3,000 GT, II/1), a minimum of 24 months' onboard yacht service as a deck officer, including at least 240 days watchkeeping service. All of this service must be on vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length, and must include 12 months on vessels of 24 metres or over in load line length, or 6 months on vessels of 500 GT or more.
  3. Management-level STCW endorsements: the applicable ancillary certificates per section 6 of the notice. For the exact list, check the current notice on gov.uk.
  4. Oral examination: the MCA oral examination.

"While serving as a OOW yachts, less than 3000 GT, II/1, have completed a minimum of 24 months' onboard yacht service as a Deck Officer, including at least 240 days watchkeeping service. All of this service must be completed on vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length and include; 12 months on vessels of 24 metres or over in load line length, or 6 months on vessels of 500 GT or more"

MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, section 3.6(a) · Read the full notice on gov.uk

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Related: Deck career overview · Yacht Rating Certificate · OOW Yachts (less than 3,000 GT) · Chief Mate Yachts (less than 3,000 GT) · Master Yachts (less than 500 GT) · Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited · Master Yachts Unlimited