Form CG-719K is the application you submit to the National Maritime Center (NMC) to receive the medical certificate the Coast Guard requires alongside a Merchant Mariner Credential. There is no fee. You complete four sections yourself, a licensed medical practitioner completes the exam sections, and the finished packet goes to the NMC as a single PDF through the Medical Information Upload portal. Submit at least 90 days before you need the certificate or before your current one expires.
Pick the Right Version First
The Coast Guard publishes two versions of the form. Most mariners use the full CG-719K. The shorter CG-719K/E is only for entry-level applicants who meet all three of these conditions: they serve on a vessel not subject to the STCW Convention, they are requesting a medical certificate that satisfies the Maritime Labor Convention, and they want to qualify for lookout duties. Applicants who qualify can skip Sections III (Medical Conditions), IV (Medications), and V (Physical Examination), and the resulting certificate is restricted to entry-level endorsements.1United States Coast Guard. Application for Medical Certificate Form CG-719K
Anyone seeking or renewing officer endorsements (masters, mates, engineers), qualified members of the engine department, mariners pursuing STCW endorsements for international service, and holders of national-only endorsements with responsibilities beyond entry level all use the full CG-719K. If you are not sure which one applies, use the full version. Submitting the longer form when the shorter would have sufficed causes no problem; submitting the shorter form when the full one was required gets the application returned.2National Maritime Center. Medical Certificate
Always download the current version directly from the NMC website. Using an outdated form is one of the fastest ways to get kicked back.
What You Fill Out Before the Appointment
Four sections belong to you.
Section I: Applicant Information
Full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, contact information, and the endorsement you hold or are seeking. Everything must match your other identification documents exactly. If you need food handler certification, check the food handler box here so the practitioner completes Section II on your behalf.1United States Coast Guard. Application for Medical Certificate Form CG-719K
Section III(a): Medical Conditions
Every item on the list needs a Yes or No. Leaving anything blank is one of the most common errors flagged by the NMC. For each Yes, the practitioner has to explain the condition’s current status, date of onset, treatment, and any limitations in Section III(b). Pull together records for past surgeries, hospitalizations, and chronic conditions before the appointment so the practitioner has what they need to fill in III(b) accurately.
Section IV: Medications
List all prescription and nonprescription medications, dietary supplements, and vitamins you filled, refilled, or took within 30 days of signing the form, or that you used for 30 or more days within the last 90 days. Include dosage and the condition each one treats. The practitioner reviews the list and adds comments on duration of use and side effects.3Maine Maritime Academy. Instructions For Filling Out CG-719K Medical Form
Sections X and XI: Certification and Consent
Section X is your signature certifying that everything you provided is true and correct. A missing signature here stops the application cold. Section XI is optional and authorizes the Coast Guard to release information to a third party you designate, such as a spouse, employer, union representative, or school, or authorizes that party to act on your behalf. It does not grant blanket access to your outside medical records.1United States Coast Guard. Application for Medical Certificate Form CG-719K
What the Medical Practitioner Completes
A licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner performs the exam and fills in the remaining sections. Bring the partially completed form and a valid photo ID; the practitioner has to verify your identity in Section IX.
Physical Examination (Section V)
Height, weight, pulse, and blood pressure, then a Normal or Abnormal mark for every body system. Under 46 CFR 10.304, the exam has to be thorough enough to rule out any condition posing a significant risk of sudden incapacitation or debilitating complication, and to document any medication that impairs cognitive ability, judgment, or reaction time.4eCFR. 46 CFR 10.301 – General Requirements
Vision (Section VI)
Standards depend on the endorsement. Deck officers need correctable vision of at least 20/40 in one eye with uncorrected vision of at least 20/200 in the same eye. Engineering, radio officer, tank vessel, and MODU endorsements require correctable vision of at least 20/50 in one eye with the same 20/200 uncorrected minimum. Both groups take a color vision test, and color-sensing lenses are not allowed during it. If you fail the standard color screening, the practitioner should add a handwritten note stating whether you can still distinguish red, green, blue, and yellow, and identify the method used.5eCFR. 46 CFR 10.305 – Vision Requirements Uncorrected vision and field of vision both have to be tested; skipping either is a common error.
Hearing (Section VII)
Two parts. An audiometer checks thresholds at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 Hz; the results for each ear are averaged, and you must show an unaided threshold of 30 decibels or less in at least one ear. A separate functional speech discrimination test is given at 65 decibels. First-time applicants need at least 90 percent discrimination; renewal or raise-of-grade applicants need at least 80 percent.6eCFR. 46 CFR 10.306 – Hearing Requirements
Physical Ability (Section VIII)
The practitioner confirms you can perform essential shipboard tasks: maintaining balance, climbing vertical ladders and stairways without assistance, stepping over a coaming at least 24 inches high, moving through a 24-by-24-inch opening, and operating mechanical devices like watertight doors (which can weigh up to 55 pounds) and valve wheels.7United States Coast Guard. Application for Medical Certificate for Entry Level Ratings CG-719K/E
Summary and Recommendation (Section IX)
The practitioner confirms proof of identity and checks one of three boxes: Recommended, Not Recommended, or Needs Further Review. They also assess your risk of sudden incapacitation and whether any entry-level medical condition could be aggravated by service at sea. Signature, date, and license number are all required, and missing any one of them is among the most frequently flagged errors.
Common Errors That Delay Processing
Before you leave the doctor’s office, flip through every page. The NMC’s most-cited errors:
- Section II: no response to food handler certification.
- Section III(a): Yes or No not marked for every listed condition.
- Section III(b): incomplete details for a flagged condition (missing date of onset, treatment, or limitations).
- Section IV: medications section blank or incomplete.
- Section V: missing height, weight, pulse, or blood pressure; Normal or Abnormal not marked for every system.
- Section VI(a): uncorrected vision not recorded, uncorrected vision tested while wearing corrective lenses, or field of vision missing.
- Section VI(b): wrong color vision test method, number of errors omitted, or pass/fail not indicated.
- Section VII: hearing not marked as normal, abnormal, or hearing aid required.
- Section VIII: physical ability results missing.
- Section IX: proof of identity not checked, certification recommendation not selected, incapacitation risk not assessed, or practitioner signature, date, or license number missing.
- Section X: applicant signature missing.
Submitting the Completed Form
The NMC accepts applications through its online Medical Information Upload portal. That is a dedicated portal for medical certificate submissions; the separate MMC Document Upload portal will not process them.2National Maritime Center. Medical Certificate
- Review the common errors list and the Medical Certificate FAQ on the NMC site.
- Save the completed CG-719K as a single, legible PDF.
- Upload through the Medical Information Upload application at the NMC site.
If the NMC later sends an Awaiting Information letter, there is a separate upload portal for supplemental documents. Combine everything into one PDF before uploading.
How Long the Certificate Lasts
Validity depends on your endorsements. Mariners serving on vessels subject to STCW receive a certificate valid for two years, or one year if under 18. Mariners with national-only endorsements receive one valid for up to five years. If you already hold a current certificate and are adding endorsements to your credential, you do not need a new physical as long as your existing certificate meets the medical requirements for the new endorsement.8eCFR. 46 CFR 10.301 – General Requirements Renewal applications should go in at least 90 days before expiration.9National Maritime Center. Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate FAQ
If You Don’t Meet a Standard
Failing a vision, hearing, or general physical standard does not automatically end the process. The Coast Guard may grant a medical waiver when extenuating circumstances warrant special consideration. Waivers are generally approved when objective medical evidence shows the condition is well controlled and any medication does not pose a significant risk to maritime or public safety.10eCFR. 46 CFR 10.303 – Medical Waivers, Limitations, and Restrictions Letters from your employer or from a federal agency operating government vessels on your behalf can strengthen the request.
The NMC may also issue the certificate with limitations or restrictions instead of denying it. A limited certificate still lets you work, within boundaries drawn from your medical profile.
If the application is denied, you have 30 days from the denial letter to submit a written request for reconsideration. Explain why you believe the decision was incorrect, include supporting medical documentation, and attach a copy of the denial letter. If reconsideration is also denied, you have a legal right to a formal appeal under 46 CFR 1.03-40. The appeal submission has to include the reconsideration denial letter and any additional supporting documentation. That is the last administrative step before the decision becomes final.11National Maritime Center. Appeal / Reconsideration
Drug Testing Is Handled Separately
The CG-719K does not cover drug testing. Drug screening runs on a separate form, CG-719P, and is required for most merchant mariner credential transactions. You can satisfy it by providing results from a DOT 5-panel test conducted within 185 days of your application (processed by a SAMHSA-accredited lab and signed by a certified Medical Review Officer), a letter confirming your participation in a random drug testing program, or a letter confirming pre-employment testing. Exceptions exist for documents of continuity, scope increases, duplicates, and certain international endorsements.12National Maritime Center. Drug Testing