Coast Guard Offers 120-Day Relief for Mariners Caught in Credentialing Backlog

The U.S. Coast Guard is offering temporary relief to some merchant mariners whose credentials expired while their renewal applications were caught in a processing backlog at the National Maritime Center.

Under the new policy, qualifying mariners may receive a temporary 120-day authorization allowing them to continue sailing under the national endorsements of an expired Merchant Mariner Credential while the NMC completes its evaluation.

The targeted relief comes as broader temporary credential extensions put in place earlier this year are set to expire August 31. The Coast Guard said those measures will not be extended.

Instead, the NMC is focusing the new relief on mariners who submitted renewal applications before their credentials expired but were unable to complete the process because of extended evaluation timelines.

To qualify, a mariner must have an MMC with national endorsements that expired between January 1 and July 31, 2026; have submitted a renewal application before the credential expired and no later than August 25; and have an application for which the NMC determines additional information or testing is required.

For eligible applications, the NMC will issue an authorization letter allowing the expired credential to remain valid for up to 120 days. Mariners sailing under the authorization will need to carry both the expired MMC and the letter.

The authorization will be sent along with the NMC’s request for additional information or approval-to-test letter. Importantly, the 120-day period does not change any deadlines for submitting requested information, completing testing or meeting other requirements associated with the application.

The relief also applies only to national endorsements. It does not extend Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) endorsements or medical certificates.

The Coast Guard said no additional extensions or targeted relief will be granted after the 120-day authorization expires.

The measure is the latest effort to limit the impact of a credentialing backlog that developed during the 2026 federal funding lapse, when normal NMC operations were suspended and more than 19,000 applications accumulated.

When normal operations resumed in May, the Coast Guard initially warned mariners to expect processing times of eight to 12 months. The estimated wait was reduced to eight months in June and then to four months in July as the NMC added overtime and surge processing, improved workflows and shifted personnel and resources toward reducing the backlog.

Application volumes remain elevated, although the Coast Guard has said processing trends continue to improve.

The NMC said applications will continue to be handled on a first-in, first-out basis and urged mariners to submit renewal applications well ahead of expiration to leave time to resolve any additional requirements.

“Mariners should carefully review any correspondence received from the NMC and promptly provide all requested information or complete required testing, as applicable,” the NMC said.

Failure to complete the requirements of a pending renewal application will not result in another temporary authorization.

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