You will need to be at least 18 years old to obtain an OUPV/Six-pack captain’s license and at least 19 years old to obtain a 25/50/100-Ton Master captain’s license. To obtain a captain’s license you will need to be legal to work in the US or a US citizen.
However, you can start documenting boating experience from the time you are 16 years of age. Taking it a step further, you can start your course at 16 years old and stretch the process for up to 2 years.
Year One
Once you activate your Mariners Learning System online, you will have 12 months to complete our course and pass our exam. You would need to test after your 17th birthday.
After you successfully pass the online exam, MLS will issue you a certificate of completion that fulfills all written requirements per the USCG.
Year Two
The certificate is valid for 1 year, within that year you will need to submit a completed application packet to the Coast Guard for review.
* Keep in mind you cannot submit an application packet to the Coast Guard until you are 18 years of age for the OUPV and 19 years old for the Masters.
Do not worry, you are never too old to learn something new. Most of our students’ age range between 30-50 years old. MLS has had 80-year old boaters take the course and exceed their own expectations. We understand that many of our students have not been in a classroom setting in 20+ years. For that reason we provide:
- Hands on support in the means of talking to a licensing specialist
- Speaking with a licensed instructor regarding any course material questions
- 24/7 live technical support for any tech questions/issues/concerns
Check out this “senior” student’s review: Click here!
Some students feel that they would prefer an in-person course vs. an online course. Let’s be honest, most of our lives we have taken in-person classes all through school, so even I felt the same way. However, the majority found they preferred the online course over the in-person because of the cons to the in-person course, just to name a few:
- No time to take off work for a 1–2 week course
- Too many uncontrollables; you miss a class; get sick; catch a flat tire, what happens?
- Pay for travel; expenses; gas; food; fees etc.
- Availability of the classes; when; where; how often
With Mariners Learning System’s online course there is no pressure to cram all the information in a week or worry about missing a class. The online course is self-paced and can be taken Anytime, Anywhere, Any Device, according to your own schedule. If there is a need for an instructor, you can always call up and speak to one of our licensed captains!
Since 2001, MLS has graduated over 100,000 students with the highest success rate in the industry, a whopping 98.7%. With currently 10,000 students enrolled in the program you will not be alone.
The numbers don’t lie and the students speak for themselves...click here.
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