What do I need to do?

To revalidate your certificate, you need to:

Provide evidence of sea service

Complete sea service performing functions for your current certificate for one of the following:

• At least 12 months in total during the preceding 5 years before application
• 3 months in total during the preceding 6 months prior to revalidating.

For revalidation of a certificate of safety training only AMSA will accept service on facilities operating in a marine environment. Examples include oil rigs, barges, non-propelled accommodation barges, accommodation barges berthed in a port. The applicant must provide evidence that they attended regular drills and emergency exercises.

Complete training courses

All certificates and training must comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and be with an organisation we have approved.

If you are revalidating your certificate and you are an overseas permanent resident, the Personal survival techniques and Fire prevention and fire fighting STCW short courses may be completed in a country we have an agreement with.

With required sea service

If you already have the required sea service, you will need to:

• Obtain a letter(s) from your employer(s) confirming:
  • sea service
  • your participation in the mandatory abandon ship and fire drills required by SOLAS
  • your participation in scheduled drills required by the on board safety management system (see sample template).
• Complete Security Awareness Training—this training only needs to be completed once and does not need to be repeated.
• Keep the original of this letter and send us a copy with your application.
• Complete continued competence training for the STCW short courses in Basic fire fighting and Personal survival techniques in the previous 5 years.

These continued competence training courses are valid for up to 5 years.

It is a requirement of the STCW Code that seafarers, every five years, provide evidence of having maintained the required standards of competence in fire fighting and sea survival at the appropriate level, as well as fast rescue boats. Currently AMSA considers this requirement as one of the criteria for issue or revalidation of an Australian seafarer certificate issued under the Navigation Act, as specified in the Marine Order 70 series. In the case of revalidation, this is considered every five years. An Australian seafarer certificate will not lapse or expire if, during the five year period of the certificate’s validity, STCW training has not been maintained by the seafarer. 

However, AMSA nonetheless strongly recommends seafarers maintain the currency of their STCW Code training over the life of their Australian seafarer certificate, as this is often enforced by foreign Administrations and companies operating foreign flagged vessels.This simply means that seafarers need to be conscious of the period that has elapsed since they last completed STCW Code training requirements and ensure they renew their training five years from this date, even if the five year period does not coincide with the renewal date of their Australian seafarer certificate. 

Without required sea service

If you do not have the required sea service, you will need to:

• Complete the full STCW short course in fire prevention and fire fighting (basic fire fighting).
• Complete the full STCW short course in personal survival techniques.
• Complete security awareness training—this training only needs to be completed once and does not need to be repeated.

Read more about approved training organisations and revalidating your current certificate.

How to apply

You will need to lodge a formal application using the Seafarer form 419.

Lodging from within Australia

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents and lodge it at a participating Australia Post retail outlet. 

You will need to pay the fees for your application at the post office at the time of lodgement. The fee will include the cost of the colour passport photograph.

Lodging from overseas

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents including a colour passport-style photograph and send the paperwork to us by email to STCW.applications@amsa.gov.au When we receive your email we will let you know how to pay the fee for your application via AMSA online portal.