---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7509"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7509"
heading: "Medical certification by trusted agents"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7509"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 75 — General Procedures for Licensing, Certification, and Documentation"
---

# §7509. Medical certification by trusted agents

- (a) **In General.—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law and pursuant to regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46), a trusted agent may issue a medical certificate to an individual who—
  - (1) must hold such certificate to qualify for a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document, or endorsement thereto under this part; and
  - (2) is qualified as to sight, hearing, and physical condition to perform the duties of such [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), certificate, document, or endorsement, as determined by the trusted agent.
- (b) **Process for Issuance of Certificates by Secretary.—** A final rule implementing this section shall include a process for—
  - (1) the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) of the department in which the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) is operating to issue medical certificates to mariners who submit applications for such certificates to the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46); and
  - (2) a trusted agent to defer to the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) the issuance of a medical certificate.
- (c) **Trusted Agent Defined.—** In this section the term “trusted agent” means a medical practitioner certified by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) to perform physical examinations of an individual for purposes of a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document under this part.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 309(a), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 56.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Implementation Deadline

Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 309(b), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 57, provided that: “Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 2016], the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue a final rule implementing section 7509 of title 46, United States Code, as added by this section.”