Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)

Certificate of competency application

Overview

Please download a new form for each application you make so we send you the right certificate and charge you the right fee.

You need to let us know if you move house - contact us to give us your new address.

You can use this form to:

• apply for a new certificate
• renew your certificate
• apply for replacement of your lost, stolen, or damaged certificate
• apply for a national law equivalent to your old certificate
• remove a restriction from your certificate
• add an endorsement to your certificate
• change your name on your certificate.

Temporary crewing permit

Pending AMSA assessment and approval, you may be eligible to apply to operate temporarily outside of the conditions of your certificate of competency, or while you wait for your certificate to be renewed.
 
Your employer can apply to us for a temporary crewing permit by completing and submitting a temporary crewing form 779 and a copy of the risk assessment to dcvapplications@amsa.gov.au.
 
Your employer will also need to provide evidence that you have submitted a renewal application with Australia Post - an Australia Post lodgement receipt number - before the temporary crewing application will be considered. 

If approved, a temporary crewing permit can only be issued for up to a maximum of 90 days.

How to complete this form

The 426 form is an interactive online form. As you complete it, the form will generate the application requirements specific to your certificate of competency and application type.

You can complete the form:

• entirely online, or
• by filling in the first 2 fields on the online form and then downloading the form, printing it, and completing by hand.

If you are unable to access or download the application form please contact AMSA Connect.

Documents you will need

First aid certificate. This must be less than 3 years old and needs to show that you completed the HLTAID011 Provide First Aid unit of competency, not just the annual cardiopulmonary resuscitation unit. Check the equivalent first aid certificates we accept.

All AMSA certificate of competency applications require a current first aid certificate.

Documents you might need

• Certificate of medical fitness. This must be current. We can also accept an AMSA STCW medical if you already have one. 
• Course completion certificate. We need the certificate that says what course you finished, not just the list of units you completed. However, if you have completed all of the training and assessment requirements for the course and are simply waiting for your certificate of completion, we can accept an alternative arrangement from your training organisation. Of course, you must provide us with your certificate of completion as soon as you have received it.
• AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment (AMPA). This must be less than 1 year old and the certificate of competency applied for and the AMPA must match the course completion certificate. We need the front page of the AMPA, and it must be signed by the person who assessed you – the AMSA approved AMPA assessor.
• Radio licence issued by ACMA. If you can’t find your radio licence you can contact the Office of Maritime Communications for a copy.
• Sea service. We prefer that you record your sea service on a Record of sea service form.
• Copy of both sides of your current certificate of competency. If you are revalidating or replacing a certificate this helps us to make sure we don’t miss any information that should be on your new certificate.

The checklist of the documents you must supply is in the “Attachments” section of your form. The checklist changes depending on what you are applying for, but we need all the documents with a check box. You must tick the box against each attachment indicating that you have attached it. 

Please do not attach original documents to your application. Copies of documents are accepted, and those copies do not have to be certified.

Submitting the form

Lodging your application with Australia Post

You must lodge your application in person at an AMSA-contracted Australia Post outlet.

If you live in a remote rural location or cannot access an Australia Post outlet, please contact AMSA Connect. Under exceptional circumstances, we can offer an accessible service for people who cannot access an Australia Post outlet.

Australia Post will:

• Check your form is complete. This includes making sure you have included your middle name(s) if you have them and checking that you have attached the documents named in the checklist.
• Take payment of the application fee. Payment may be made by credit card, cash or EFTPOS. Australia Post will provide you with a tax invoice and attach a payment record to your application. Please note the payment record is not a tax invoice and we will not be able to provide you with a tax invoice if you misplace the one provided by Australia Post.
• Take your photograph and attach it to your application.
• Check you have signed the Declaration and consent.
• Check your identity using our proof of identity requirements.
• Submit your application to AMSA.

If you have not fully completed the form and attached all the required documents Australia Post will not accept your application. Read our incomplete application policy.

More information

After you submit your application

When we receive your application, we will send you an email letting you know we have it.

If we request further documentation:

• do not submit your documents separately
• do provide all of the documents from your checklist or processing of your application may be delayed
• do not send us your task book. Your task book must be signed by the RTO, where you completed your training course. We need to see copies of the first page with your details after it is signed by the RTO final assessor, then any sea service pages you have completed within the task book needed for your application.

Low complexity certificates: Once we have approved your application your certificate of competency will be issued and mailed to the delivery address given on your application form. We will also email you an interim certificate of competency. If you haven’t given us an email address, you will not get an interim certificate of competency in this way and you will need to wait for your certificate to arrive in the post.

High complexity certificates: Once we have assessed your application you will be invited to contact AMSA Connect to arrange your final assessment.

Please allow at least 30 days for your certificate to be issued. We take steps to verify documents and sea service. Issue of your certificate of competency may be delayed where we cannot verify information provided to us. 

Lodgement of an application does not automatically entitle you to a certificate of competency or renewal of your certificate. It also does not indicate acceptance of your sea service.

Moving house—remember to let us know

If you have applied for a certificate of competency and move house while we are assessing your application, you need to tell us. This will avoid any delays with you receiving your certificate. Just call or email AMSA Connect.

If you already have a certificate of competency, you must let us know within 21 days if you change your name or address.

There may be an additional cost if we need to reissue your certificate to a different address.

Access the form