To apply for renewal, you will need to:

Meet medical and eyesight requirements

Download the:  

1. Certificate of medical fitness for a near coastal certificate  

The Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850 lets us know that you are medically fit for working at sea.  

If you are colour blind, you will be restricted to working in daylight hours only.  

2. Standards for the medical assessment of domestic seafarers  

Provide a medical practitioner with the Standards for the medical assessment of domestic seafarers and have them fill out the Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850.  

If you have a current AMSA medical (Certificate of medical fitness form 303) you can use this instead.  

You must submit your completed medical form with your Certificate of competency application form 426.  

We can only accept medical certificates completed on AMSA forms.  

Provide evidence of sea service

You need to show you have experience working at sea as officer of the watch or undertaking engineering tasks. 

You must have completed: 

• 120 days on commercial vessels within the past 5 years. 

You need to submit at least one of the following as proof of qualifying sea service:  

• Record of sea service form 771  
• a letter from the vessel operator, owner, master or chief engineer detailing your sea service  
• a declaration acceptable to AMSA.  
• an approved sea service log book  

If you do not have the required sea service you must provide evidence of one of the following:  

• completed an approved final assessment (you can request this option in your application)  
• at least 60 days sea service in the last 6 months  
• for a seasonal fisher, you must have worked in a seasonal fishery for at least 120 days in the 5 years before the application  
• other approved industry experience (e.g. state or territory marine safety agency assessor, fleet manager, shore-side servicing, maritime studies teacher at a registered training organisation, marine surveyor)  
• a task book completed since obtaining or renewing your certificate of competency.  

If you want a task book  

You can get a task book from us or from some registered training organisations. To order a task book directly from us, use the AMSA chargeable publications order form.  

Read more about task books.  

Additional requirements

You must also hold a:  

• valid HLTAID011 Provide First Aid Certificate, or equivalent.   
• If you are unable to return to Australia you may need to complete Elementary First Aid. (STCW Reg VI/1 Code A–VI/1 Table A–VI/1–3) 

Lodge from overseas

You will need to scan your signed and dated application form and all required documents, then send the paperwork to us by email to AMSAConnect@amsa.gov.au Your email should be titled with your name and ‘Renewal of certificate from overseas’. 

You will need to submit all of the following: 

• Completed Certificate of competency application form 426: 
• Passport style photograph against a white background to be printed onto your certificate. This photograph should be no more than 3 months old. 
• Certified copy of your proof of identity. 
• First aid certificate 
• Copies of your original certificate, both front and back 
• Completed Certificate of medical fitness 
• Sea service documents 
• We will let you know how to pay using our online payment portal once we have received your application.  

We recommend you pay an optional $80 fee to have your certificate sent to you by courier, as this is the safest and fastest option. Please let us know in your email if you want to have your certificate sent to you by courier.