Exemption 20—Marine Safety (Special operations)

You can apply to us for this exemption by completing and submitting the Miscellaneous form (AMSA 758), explaining in part B that you would like to apply for Marine Safety (Special operations) Exemption. 

What this exemption will allow you to do

Exemption 20 will let you perform duties as a master on a domestic commercial vessel used for infrastructure building or maintenance workboat operations without a certificate of competency.

To be eligible for Exemption 20, we must consider that you are able to be the master of a workboat that is all of the following:

• less than or equal to 7.5 metres long
• powered by an outboard engine of less than or equal to 38 kilowatts
• operating in smooth and inland waters
• not carrying passengers
• operating within 100 metres from shore, or a structure attached to the shore.

You will need to hold any license required to operate the vessel recreationally in the waters where you are operating. 

We may impose additional restrictions on your operation depending on the condition of the waters you are operating in.

Legislation and incorporated material

• Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency—national law) [1]
• National Standard for Commercial Vessels [2] 
• Marine Order 504 (Certificates of operation and operation requirements – national law) [3]

Related information 

• Domestic qualifications [4]
• Miscellaneous form (for matters not covered by other forms) form 758 [5]
• Fees, levies, and payments [6]
• Tenders and auxiliary vessels [7]

Superseded

• Exemption 20 – In force 1 February 2018 [8]
• Exemption 20 - In force 1 July 2013 [9]