Sea service is the documented time you have spent working on a vessel. For USCG licensing purposes, it is the core eligibility requirement — without the right number of sea-service days, in the right type of work, on the right type of vessel, no examination score will qualify you for a license. Getting the documentation right from the start saves significant delay when you eventually apply.
The form: CG-719S
The USCG NMC uses form CG-719S (Record of Sea Service) to verify time on the water. You fill out the vessel details, dates, and duties; the vessel master or a responsible officer signs to attest the accuracy. Download the current version at dco.uscg.mil/nmc — do not use a copy found elsewhere, as the NMC periodically revises it.
What to record for each period of service
- Vessel name and official number (from USCG documentation) or state registration number
- Gross tonnage and length overall
- Propulsion type (sail, power, or both)
- Your capacity (ordinary seaman, able seaman, mate, master, or other)
- Dates aboard and total days served in that period
- Waters sailed (near-coastal, inland, Great Lakes, or ocean)
Who signs
The form requires the signature of the vessel master or owner, with contact information for follow-up. The NMC may contact the signer to verify entries. Keep a copy of every signed CG-719S — they are difficult to replace once the vessel operator is no longer accessible.
What counts toward near-coastal sea service
For a near-coastal OUPV or Master endorsement, at least 90 of your qualifying days must be on near-coastal or ocean waters — meaning outside protected bays and rivers. Passages from San Diego Bay to the Channel Islands, or any transit in open coastal water outside the bay, count as near-coastal. Log each water type separately from the start.
Sail sea service for the sailing endorsement
The sailing endorsement requires documented sea service specifically on sail-propelled vessels. Racing time on a club keelboat counts if the vessel is documented or registered and the time is vouched for by the skipper. Log sailing days separately from power days. The NMC publishes current sail sea-service requirements at dco.uscg.mil/nmc. Do not wait until application time to reconstruct your records.
General information, not legal or licensing advice. Check current rules with the cited sources.
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