At a glance
To revalidate your GMDSS radio operator certificate, you need to:
- Demonstrate continued competence
- Prepare your supporting documents
- Apply to AMSA
On this page:
- How to revalidate
- Choose your revalidation pathway
- Pathway 1 - with qualifying sea service
- Pathway 2 - with other industry experience
- Pathway 3 - complete a revalidation course
- Apply to revalidate
How to revalidate
You need to revalidate your certificate every 5 years to keep it current.
To revalidate your certificate, you will need to demonstrate continued competence.
Apply early to avoid delays
You should apply within the 6 months before your certificate expires to avoid a gap in validity.
Learn more about when to revalidate and how expiry dates are calculated.
Choose your revalidation pathway
What you need to do depends on whether you have recent qualifying sea service.
Select the pathway that applies to you.
Do you have a GMDSS Certificate of Recognition (CoR)?
To revalidate a GMDSS CoR you need to revalidate your overseas (primary) certificate first.
Find out how to revalidate a CoR.
- If you have qualifying sea service
What you need
1) Recent qualifying sea service
2) Evidence of your sea service and participation in required drills1) Check your recent qualifying sea service
You need either:
- at least 360 days in the 5 years before you apply
- at least 90 days in the 6 months before you apply.
Your sea service must:
- include maintaining a radio watch as a master or officer of the watch
- be on a seagoing vessel fitted with GMDSS equipment
- be completed while your GMDSS radio operator certificate is valid.
We calculate sea service from the date we receive your application. For example, your 90 days must be within the 6 months before you apply.
Service on special vessels
If your sea service was completed on an FPSO, FSO or dynamically positioned ship type, it will not satisfy this requirement. You should complete a revalidation course instead.2) Provide evidence of sea service
You will need to provide evidence of your sea service when you apply.
You should provide your evidence using the STCW sea service template.
Your employer must confirm:
- your qualifying sea service
- your participation in mandatory abandon ship and fire drills
- your participation in scheduled drills required under the vessel’s safety management system.
- If you have other industry experience
You may be able to revalidate without qualifying sea service if you have performed duties or functions that AMSA considers equivalent to sea service.
Provide evidence of equivalent duties and functions
Equivalent duties and functions may include:
- electrotech or radio technician for a company regularly involved in the use, installation and testing of the full suite of GMDSS equipment
- GMDSS lecturers in AMSA approved registered training organisations regularly conducting GMDSS courses
- dedicated radio operators in fully GMDSS equipped installations other than ships.
You must provide a letter from your employer explaining:
- your position
- the duties and functions you performed
- when and for how long you performed them
- how the work maintained your professional competence.
AMSA will assess whether your duties or functions are equivalent to qualifying sea service.
- If you complete a revalidation course
Use this pathway if you do not have recent qualifying sea service and want to complete an approved revalidation course.
You must complete an AMSA-approved GMDSS revalidation course within the 5 years before you apply.
The course must meet STCW Code Section A-IV/2.
You must complete your revalidation course in Australia with an AMSA approved training provider. We do not accept revalidation courses completed overseas.
Apply to revalidate
Once you have completed the requirements for your pathway, you can apply to revalidate your certificate.
Before you apply, read our guide on how to revalidate an STCW certificate.
The step-by-step guide explains:
- which supporting documents you need
- how to prepare and submit your documents
- application fees and processing times
- what happens after you apply.