---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7101"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7101"
heading: "Issuing and classifying licenses and certificates of registry"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7101"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 71 — Licenses and Certificates of Registry"
---

# §7101. Issuing and classifying licenses and certificates of registry

- (a) [Licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) and certificates of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) are established for individuals who are required to hold [licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) or certificates under this subtitle.
- (b) Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46), the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46)—
  - (1) issues the [licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) and certificates of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1); and
  - (2) may classify the [licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) and certificates of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) as provided in subsections [(c)](#c) and [(f)](#f) of this section, based on—
    - (A) the tonnage, means of propulsion, and horsepower of machine-propelled vessels;
    - (B) the waters on which vessels are to be operated; or
    - (C) other reasonable standards.
- (c) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may issue [licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) in the following classes to applicants found qualified as to age, character, habits of life, experience, professional qualifications, and physical fitness:
  - (1) [masters](/usc/46/10101.md?p=1), mates, and engineers.
  - (2) pilots.
  - (3) operators.
  - (4) radio officers.
- (d) In classifying individuals under [subsection (c)(1)](#c-1) of this section, the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) shall establish, when possible, suitable career patterns and service and other qualifying requirements appropriate to the particular service or industry in which the individuals are engaged.
- (e) An individual may be issued a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) under [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2) of this section only if the applicant—
  - (1) is at least 21 years of age;
  - (2) is of sound health and has no physical limitations that would hinder or prevent the performance of a pilot’s duties;
  - (3) has a thorough physical examination each year while holding the [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), except that this requirement does not apply to an individual who will serve as a pilot only on a vessel of less than 1,600 gross tons as measured under [section 14502 of this title](/usc/46/14502.md), or an alternate tonnage measured under [section 14302 of this title](/usc/46/14302.md) as prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) under [section 14104 of this title](/usc/46/14104.md);
  - (4) demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46), that the applicant has the requisite general knowledge and skill to hold the [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2);
  - (5) demonstrates proficiency in the use of electronic aids to navigation;
  - (6) maintains adequate knowledge of the waters to be navigated and knowledge of regulations for the prevention of collisions in those waters;
  - (7) has sufficient experience, as decided by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46), to evidence ability to handle any vessel of the type and size which the applicant may be authorized to pilot; and
  - (8) meets any other requirement the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) considers reasonable and necessary.
- (f) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may issue certificates of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) in the following classes to applicants found qualified as to character, knowledge, skill, and experience:
  - (1) pursers.
  - (2) medical doctors.
  - (3) professional nurses.
- (g) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may not issue a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) or [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) under this section unless an individual applying for the [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) or certificate makes available to the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46), under section 206(b)(7) of the National Driver Register Act of 1982 ([23 U.S.C. 401](/usc/23/401.md) note), any information contained in the National Driver [Register](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) related to an offense described in [section 205(a)(3)(A)](/usc/23/205.md) or (B) of that Act committed by the individual.
- (h) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may review the criminal record of an individual who applies for a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) or [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) under this section.
- (i) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) shall require the testing of an individual who applies for issuance or renewal of a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) or [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1) under this chapter for use of a [dangerous drug](/usc/46/2101.md?p=8) in violation of law or Federal regulation.
- (j) The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may issue a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2) under this section in a class under [subsection (c)](#c) to an applicant that—
  - (1) has at least 3 months of qualifying service on vessels of the uniformed services (as that term is defined in [section 101(a) of title 10](/usc/10/101.md?p=a)) of appropriate tonnage or horsepower within the 7-year period immediately preceding the date of application; and
  - (2) satisfies all other requirements for such a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 539; Pub. L. 98–557, § 29(a), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2873; Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4101(a), Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 509; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 720, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3938; Pub. L. 113–281, title III, § 305(a), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3043.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 7101 | 46:214 |
|  | 46:224 |
|  | 46:226 |
|  | 46:228 |
|  | 46:229 |
|  | 46:229a |
|  | 46:229b |
|  | 46:242 |
|  | 46:243 |
|  | 46:244 |
|  | 46:247 |

Section 7101(a) provides the authority for the establishment of licenses and certificates of registry for officers and individuals operating vessels who are required to hold them under Subtitle II.

Subsection (b) authorizes the Secretary to issue licenses and certificates of registry based on tonnage, means of propulsion, horsepower, vessel operating area, and other reasonable standards.

Subsection (c) authorizes the Secretary to issue licenses to masters, mates, engineers, pilots, operators, and radio officers when found qualified as to age, character, habits of life, experience, professional qualifications, and physical fitness. These qualifying standards must by necessity be reasonable and related to the rigors of the profession.

Subsection (d) requires the Secretary to establish, when possible, suitable career patterns and service for and other qualifying requirements appropriate to the particular service or industry for the individuals so engaged.

Subsection (e) sets forth the requirements that pilots must meet before being issued a license.

Subsection (f) authorizes the Secretary to issue certificates of registry to qualified individuals as pursers, medical doctors, and professional nurses.

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Sections 205(a)(3)(A) or (B) and 206(b)(7) of the National Driver Register Act of 1982, referred to in subsec. (g), are sections 205(a)(3)(A), (B) and 206(b)(7) of Pub. L. 97–364, which are set out as a note under section 401 of Title 23, Highways.

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 113–281 added subsec. (j).

1996—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 104–324 inserted “as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title” after “1,600 gross tons”.

1990—Subsecs. (g) to (i). Pub. L. 101–380 added subsecs. (g) to (i).

1984—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 98–557 inserted exemption for pilots on a vessel of less than 1,600 gross tons.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.

### Plan for Licensing Operators of Fishing Industry Vessels

Pub. L. 100–424, § 3, Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1590, required the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, within two years after Sept. 9, 1988, to prepare and submit to the Congress a plan for the licensing of operators of documented fishing, fish processing, and fish tender vessels.