Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
This certificate will allow you to work as:
To be eligible for a Master (Inland waters) certificate you must:
For more information, select what you need to apply for below.
This web page provides summary information only. We make decisions about seafarer certificates under Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency — national law) 2022. Please refer to this document for full details of eligibility and other requirements for certificate applications.
Change your name on your certificate of competency
Replace your lost, stolen or damaged certificate of competency
To obtain this certificate you will need to:
Download the:
The Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850 lets us know that you are medically fit for working at sea and includes the eyesight requirements to let us know that you are not colour blind.
If you are colour blind, you will be restricted to working in daylight hours only.
Provide a medical practitioner with the Standards for the medical assessment of domestic seafarers and have them complete 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 form as part of your certificate of competency application.
You can reduce the amount of sea service you need by completing an AMSA task book.
With a completed AMSA task book you will need:
Without a completed AMSA task book you will need:
If you have completed a task book you must attach a copy of the seafarer details page to your application.
You need to submit at least one of the following as proof of qualifying sea service:
Read more about qualifying sea service.
You can get a Master inland waters 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.
Complete a master inland waters course at a registered training organisation.
You will need to submit your course completion certificate or your interim certificate of competency with your Certificate of competency application.
You must also hold a valid HLTAID011 Provide first aid certificate, or equivalent.
If you do not hold this certificate contact your registered training organisation.
Before being issued your certificate of competency you are required to complete an AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment (AMPA) conducted by a registered training organisation approved by us as a final assessor.
Refer to the syllabus document to find out what may be included in your final assessment.
After passing the final assessment the registered training organisation may give you an interim certificate of competency that will allow you to start working immediately. To be eligible for the interim certificate of competency you must have completed your Certificate of competency application form 426 including signing the declaration.
You must submit the cover page of your completed AMPA as part of your Certificate of competency application.
To apply, complete and submit the Certificate of competency application form 426.
Read more about completing and submitting your application for a domestic certificate.
A Master (Inland waters) certificate of competency is generally valid for five years. To keep working using your certificate you need to renew it every five years.
To renew this certificate you will need to:
You must complete a declaration of medical fitness on the Certificate of competency application form 426. This lets us know that you are medically fit, and that your eyesight meets the necessary standard, to work at sea.
If you are colour blind, you will be restricted to working in daylight hours only.
You do not need sea service to renew a Master (Inland waters) certificate of competency.
You must submit a copy of your:
To apply, complete and submit the Certificate of competency application form 426.
Read more about completing and submitting your application for a domestic certificate.
You may apply for the following endorsement to your certificate:
If you want to get this endorsement at the same time as your certificate, you can add this to your application for a new certificate. You will need to include the sea service laid out below with your application.
If you are adding this endorsement to a current certificate you will need to:
Within the Certificate of competency application form 426 there is a declaration of medical fitness that you must complete. This lets us know that you are medically fit, and that your eyesight meets the necessary standard, to work at sea.
If you are colour blind, you will be restricted to working in daylight hours only.
You need to show you have sea service on a ferry in chains.
You need to submit at least one of the following as proof of qualifying sea service:
Read more about qualifying sea service.
You must submit a copy of your:
To apply, complete and submit the Certificate of competency application form 426.
Read more about completing and submitting your application for a domestic certificate.
If you have this restriction on your certificate you may apply to have the restriction removed.
To remove this restriction, you will need to:
Download the:
The Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850 proves that you are medically fit for working at sea and includes the eyesight requirements to let us know you are not colour blind.
If you are colour blind, we will not be able to remove your daylight hours restriction.
Provide a medical practitioner with the Standards for the medical assessment of domestic seafarers and have them complete the Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850.
If you do not meet the colour vision requirements of the eyesight test, you must also get the practitioner to provide a certificate or statement stating that you do not suffer any greater abnormality in colour vision than could be tested by the Ishihara Test.
If you have a current AMSA medical (Certificate of medical fitness form 303) you can use this in place of the Certificate of medical fitness for a near coastal certificate.
Submit your completed forms as part of your Certificate of competency application form 426.
You must submit a copy of your:
To apply, complete and submit the Certificate of competency application form 426.
Read more about completing and submitting your application for a domestic certificate.
If you hold a State or Territory perpetual Master Class 5 (restricted to inland waters), or perpetual Master Class 4 (restricted to inland waters), we invite you to apply for a Master (Inland waters) allowing you to command a commercial vessel up to 45 metres long in inland waters.
If your existing certificate is restricted to operating within daylight hours only, your Master (Inland waters) certificate of competency will be subject to the same restriction.
To get a Master (Inland waters) you will need to:
Download the:
The Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850 lets us know that you are medically fit for working at sea and includes the eyesight requirements to let us know that you are not colour blind.
If you are colour blind, you will be restricted to working in daylight hours only.
Provide a medical practitioner with the Standards for the medical assessment of domestic seafarers and have them complete 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 form as part of your certificate of competency application.
As part of your application for an equivalent certificate you must submit a copy of your:
To apply, complete and submit the Certificate of competency application form 426.
Read more about completing and submitting your application for a domestic certificate.