---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7116"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7116"
heading: "Examinations for merchant mariner credentials"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7116"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 71 — Licenses and Certificates of Registry"
---

# §7116. Examinations for merchant mariner credentials

- (a) **Requirement for Sample Exams.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) shall develop a sample [merchant mariner credential](/usc/46/2101.md?p=20) examination and outline of merchant mariner examination topics on an annual basis.
- (b) **Public Availability.—** Each sample examination and outline of topics developed under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be readily available to the public.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 315(b)(1), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 62; amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(c), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1753.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 119–60 struck out subsec. (c). Text read as follows: “In this section, the term ‘merchant mariner credential’ has the meaning that term has in section 7510.”