Deck Certificate Guide

Master Yachts (less than 500 GT): the exact requirements

Command of commercial yachts of less than 500 GT, typically vessels in the 24m to 50m range, issued under STCW Regulation II/2. Every requirement below comes from section 3.5 of MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, effective 18 May 2026.

Updated July 2026 · Source: MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, section 3.5

What the Master (less than 500 GT) CoC lets you do

The Master (Yachts, less than 500 GT) Certificate of Competency qualifies you to command commercial yachts of up to 500 GT. You carry ultimate responsibility for the vessel, crew, guests and regulatory compliance, answering to the owner or management company rather than another officer. It is issued under STCW Regulation II/2 and its requirements are set out in section 3.5 of MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2. It is often the first command qualification sought by officers on smaller superyachts.

Exact requirements

  1. Chief Mate baseline: hold or meet the qualifications for Chief Mate Yachts (less than 3,000 GT).
  2. Sea service (s3.5(b)): while serving as an OOW Yachts (less than 3,000 GT, II/1), a minimum of 12 months' onboard yacht service as a deck officer, including at least 120 days watchkeeping service, on vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length.
  3. Management-level STCW endorsements: the applicable ancillary certificates at management level, 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 12 months' onboard yacht service as a deck officer, including at least 120 days watchkeeping service, on vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length"

MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2, section 3.5(b) · 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 3,000 GT) · Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited · Master Yachts Unlimited