Revalidation of Deck certificates of competency

If you hold a Deck certificate of competency you should apply to us to revalidate your certificate before it expires, if it has not been suspended or revoked. Whether your certificate is valid, or has expired, the revalidation requirements are the same.

You must complete a sea service and course component to revalidate your certificate. Read more about how to revalidate your Deck certificate of competency:

• Master less than 24 metres foreign going
• Mate less than 500 gross tonnage
• Watchkeeper deck less than 500 gross tonnage
• Watchkeeper deck
• Chief mate less than 3000 gorss tonnage
• Master less than 500 gross tonnage
• Chief mate
• Master less than 3000 gross tonnage
• Master
• Watchkeeper deck less than 3000 gross yachts
• Chief mate less than 3000 gross tonnage yachts
• Master less than 500 gross tonnage yachts
• Master less than 3000 gross tonnage yachts

You will need to meet a number of requirements before we can accept refresher courses you have completed overseas:

We recognise these courses from countries with which we hold an agreement, if the applicant meets the above requirements:

At the time of revalidation, if you hold a Master or Deck officer certificate of competency you must hold one of the following certificates:

• a valid Global maritime distress and safety systems (GMDSS) radio operator’s certificate
• a Certificate of recognition GMDSS radio operator’s certificate.

Recognition of an equivalent function

We do recognise some equivalent functions if you work in the below occupations:

• Technical, engineering, and marine superintendents
• Surveyors (i.e. inspectors) appointed under the Navigation Act 2012 (the Act) or working for a recognised organisation as defined by the Act
• Lecturers in AMSA approved Registered training organisations.

To be assessed for the above you will need to lodge a Seafarer form 419 along with proof of at least  2 and a half years’ service in the five years immediately preceding application. This service must have been completed in the type of positions identified above from a non-seagoing sector of the maritime industry. We will require a statement from the employer organisation, written on company letterhead paper which demonstrates that you have maintained your professional competence and you will be capable of exercising the full capacity, function levels and limitations applying to your certificate. When preparing the statement, reference should be made to the criteria outlining the revalidation course for Deck officers. You can find this criteria in the syllabus document.

In our assessment of the submission for full revalidation, we will consider whether a full or partial revalidation training course is required.

All revalidation course completions, where applicable, must be completed within 5 years of application.

You may be required to complete the full Certificate of proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting depending on your employment history.

If you hold a Deck certificate of competency we will accept a combination of either Part A (eg shipmaster's medical, legislation, stability and cargo work etc) or Part B (eg BRM, passage planning, navigational equipment etc) revalidation courses and a written statement on company letterhead paper from your employer covering the other competencies required for the Deck officers revalidation course.

Find an approved training organisation.

Acceptance of sea service completed on tugs

Tugs operating outside port limits

If you have sea service on tugs which operate outside port limits the normal revalidation process applies. Please see the relevant qualification.

Harbour tug

If you have at least 2 and a half years of sea service in the last 5 years immediately preceding the application as a Harbour tug Master or Mate employed in Australian ports only, we will accept this time as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate your Deck certificate of competency. Tug masters and Mates will still need to complete continued competence in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting, and also hold a security awareness endorsement. The certificate of competency will be restricted to use within the port limits where the tug operates, unless you hold a valid Global maritime distress and safety systems (GMDSS) radio operator’s certificate.

Revalidate as a port or coastal pilot

These options do not apply to holders of a Certificate of recognition or Restricted certificate of recognition.

Port pilots restricted to an Australian port

If you are a port pilot working in Australian ports only and you have at least 2½ years’ service in the 5 years immediately preceding your revalidation application, we will accept that service as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate your Deck certificate of competency. The supporting letter confirming 2½ years pilotage service in the past 5 years, which is to be provided by the your employer, should also highlight the safety training (such as man over board drills) that you participated in during this period.

Please note that your revalidated Certificate of competency would have a restriction which would allow you to work only within 12 mile radius to seaward of the port limits where you are a licenced pilot.

Required courses

You will also need to complete the approved two day continued competence course in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting.

Find an approved training organisation.

If you are a port pilot you will not be required to hold either a valid Australian GMDSS radio operator’s certificate or Australian GMDSS certificate of recognition.

Additional certificates

You will need to hold the following valid certificates:

• Certificate of medical fitness
• Security awareness training endorsement.

Removing restrictions

You can remove the restriction at any time by revalidating your certificate in full. If you are a port or coastal pilot serving in Australian ports or employed in the compulsory pilotage areas of the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef, you can gain a full revalidation which has no restrictions. To gain full revalidation, you must have at least 2½ years’ service in the 5 years immediately preceding your revalidation application. We will accept that service as meeting the competencies of Part B revalidation course (eg Bridge Resource Management, passage planning, navigational equipment etc). To be elegible for a full revalidation you would need to satisfy one of the following options:

• Complete Part A revalidation course at an approved training provider (eg shipmasters medical, legislation, stability and cargo work, etc), and full courses in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats and Advanced fire fighting within the preceding 5 years.
• Complete an approved Advanced pilots’ development course and full courses in Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast recue boats and Advanced fire fighting within the preceding 5 years including appropriate deck revalidation course components.

You will also need to hold:

• a valid GMDSS radio operator’s certificate or Australian GMDSS certificate of recognition
• a valid Certificate of medical fitness
• security awareness training endorsement.