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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110

§7509 Medical Certification by Trusted Agents

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents › CHAPTER 75 — GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, AND DOCUMENTATION › § 7509

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Under rules the Secretary makes, a trusted agent may give a medical certificate to someone who needs it to get a mariner’s license, certificate, document, or endorsement, if the agent finds the person’s sight, hearing, and physical condition are good enough. The Secretary must make a final rule that lets the Secretary issue certificates to mariners who apply and lets trusted agents defer the decision to the Secretary. A trusted agent is a medical practitioner the Secretary approves to do these exams.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §7509

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(a)In General.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary, a trusted agent may issue a medical certificate to an individual who—
(1)must hold such certificate to qualify for a license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document, or endorsement thereto under this part; and
(2)is qualified as to sight, hearing, and physical condition to perform the duties of such license, certificate, document, or endorsement, as determined by the trusted agent.
(b)Process for Issuance of Certificates by Secretary.—
A final rule implementing this section shall include a process for— (1)
(2)a trusted agent to defer to the Secretary the issuance of a medical certificate.
(c)Trusted Agent Defined.—
In this section the term “trusted agent” means a medical practitioner certified by the Secretary to perform physical examinations of an individual for purposes of a license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document under this part.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Implementation Deadline Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 309(b), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 57, provided that: “Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 2016], the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue a final rule implementing section 7509 of title 46, United States Code, as added by this section.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 7509

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110