PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Graduating from a nautical school program can count in place of the sea time normally needed for licensure. Finishing another training program that the Secretary approves can replace up to half of the required sea time. One classroom training day counts as 2 sea days, a lab/practical day counts as 4, a full-mission simulator day counts as 6, and an approved at-sea training day counts as 1.5 sea days if the training is approved, fully completed, and the vessel’s tonnage fits the endorsement sought. A training day must be at least 7 hours long.

Title 46, §7315

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(a)Nautical School Program.—

Graduation from a nautical school program may be substituted for the sea service requirements under sections 7307 through 7311a and 7313 of this title.

(b)Other Approved Training Programs.—

The satisfactory completion of a training program approved by the Secretary may be substituted for not more than one-half of the sea service requirements under sections 7307 through 7311a and 7313 of this title in accordance with subsection (c).

(c)Training Days.—

For purposes of subsection (b), training days undertaken in connection with training programs approved by the Secretary may be substituted for days of required sea service under sections 7307 through 7311a and 7313 of this title as follows:

(1)Each shore-based training day in the form of classroom lectures may be substituted for 2 days of sea service requirements.

(2)Each training day of laboratory training, practical demonstrations, and other similar training, may be substituted for 4 days of sea service requirements.

(3)Each training day of full mission simulator training may be substituted for 6 days of sea service requirements.

(4)Each training day underway on a vessel while enrolled in an approved training program may be substituted for 1½ days of sea service requirements, as long as—

(A)the structured training provided while underway on a vessel is—

(i)acceptable to the Secretary as part of the approved training program; and

(ii)fully completed by the individual; and

(B)the tonnage of such vessel is appropriate to the endorsement being sought.

(d)Definition.—

In this section, the term “training day” means a day that consists of not less than 7 hours of training.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 731546:672(c) section 7315 specifies the training or course work that may be substituted for service requirements for an endorsement as an able seaman or a qualified member of the engine department.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(a) Graduation from a nautical school vessel approved under law and regulation may be substituted for the service requirements under section 7307 or 7314 of this title. “(b) The satisfactory completion of other courses of instruction approved by the Secretary may be substituted for not more than one-third of the required service on deck at sea under section 7307–7311 of this title. “(c) The satisfactory completion of other courses of instruction approved by the Secretary may be substituted for not more than one-half of the required service at sea under section 7314 of this title.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Implementation of 2025 Amendment Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(e)(2), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1755, provided that: “The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall implement the requirements of section 7315 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this subsection, without regard to chapters 5 and 6 of title 5, United States Code, and Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 (5 U.S.C. 601 note) and 14094 (88 Fed. Reg. 21879) [former 5 U.S.C. 601 note].”

§7315 Training