One action decides this: convert the completed CG-719K into a single PDF under 75 MB and upload it to the NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App. The United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center, known as the NMC, requires a valid medical certificate for anyone applying for a Merchant Mariner Credential or renewing one. For mariners in Ireland you must also meet Irish rules under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examinations) Regulations 2014 and the 2020 regulations for fishers, and Seafarers Ireland lists Approved Doctors who can perform the exams. The next concrete step is to obtain the current Coast Guard medical form, complete the examination, convert the signed form to a single PDF using the filename convention shown below, and upload it to NMC-ASAP.

1. Who needs a USCG medical certificate

Here is the one line you need. If you are applying for a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), or if you hold an MMC and are applying for a licence renewal, you need a valid USCG medical certificate. The Coast Guard won't issue or renew an MMC without confirming medical fitness.

That rule comes from the United States Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center procedures on medical certificates. The medical certificate is a standard part of MMC issuance and renewals because the Coast Guard must confirm a mariner’s fitness for duty before issuing or renewing credentials.

Worked example. You are an Irish officer applying for an initial MMC. You must hold a USCG medical certificate to complete the MMC application. And you must also hold an Irish national medical fitness certificate under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examinations) Regulations 2014. These are separate credentials that don't replace each other.

2. Arrange and complete a Coast Guard medical examination

First, arrange the medical without delay. You must complete a medical examination that supplies the information required on the Coast Guard form.

Practical guides used by mariners advise prompt scheduling so the medical clearance is on file when you apply for an MMC or when the NMC reviews a renewal or upgrade.

For mariners based in Ireland there's an additional statutory step. Seafarers Ireland publishes a list of Approved Doctors who can carry out medical examinations and issue Irish national medical fitness certificates. Under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examinations) Regulations 2014 and the 2020 regulations for fishers, seafarers and fishers must hold an Irish medical fitness certificate.

Who pays. Seafarers Ireland states that the cost of an Irish examination should be met by the seafarer or by the seafarer’s employer. That's the official allocation of the examination cost in the Irish regime.

Worked example. You book a medical with an Approved Doctor listed by Seafarers Ireland. The doctor completes the Irish fitness certificate and performs the checks required for the USCG form. Keep a copy of both results. The Irish certificate doesn't replace the USCG medical certificate.

3. Complete the CG-719K form and check every page

The Coast Guard paperwork you submit to the NMC is the CG-719K, or the current Coast Guard medical form identified by the NMC. Practical guidance used by mariners emphasises three checks before upload.

First, Include all pages of the form. The practitioner guidance cited specifies ten pages in the form set. Keep every page together. Second, Ensure the mariner’s signature is present where required. The guidance highlights the signature on page 9 as mandatory. Third, Retain the original completed document for your records. Keep the signed paper form safe.

If you already have an MMC reference number, supply it where the form requests it. If this is your first submission, the NMC will issue a Merchant Mariner Reference number tied to your record after processing. Use that reference for later submissions.

Honestly, worked example. You complete the CG-719K at the medical. You check there are ten pages, sign page 9, and keep the original. And you write your existing MMC reference number where asked. That prevents an avoidable administrative follow-up.

Mastheads

4. Convert to a single PDF and name the file correctly

This is the decisive administrative step. Convert the full, signed CG-719K into a single PDF file. The NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App will only accept a single PDF that contains every page of the form.

File-size rule. Keep the file under 75 MB. That size limit comes from the practical instructions mariners use when preparing uploads for the NMC-ASAP portal. If your file exceeds 75 MB, the upload may fail or be rejected.

Filename convention. Use a clear filename so the NMC can match the upload to your record. Two examples used in practitioner guidance are:

First, LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_ORIGINAL. Second, LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_MMCREFERENCENUMBER.

Worked example. You scan or export the ten-page CG-719K into a single PDF called OCONNOR_JAMES_123456789.pdf. The file is 4.8 MB. That single file is ready for upload to the NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App.

Use the NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App. The NMC-ASAP portal is the official upload point the Coast Guard uses for medical certificate submissions. On the NMC-ASAP portal, follow the Medical Certificate submissions path to deliver your PDF to the NMC.

The upload triggers the administrative step that ties the medical certificate to your MMC record. A correct upload routes medical information to the NMC for review. For first-time applicants the NMC issues a Merchant Mariner Reference number that you will use thereafter in licensing and medical submissions.

The NMC maintains additional pages about medical certificates. Those pages include procedures for duplicate medical certificate requests and for other administrative medical matters. Consult the NMC medical certificate page for any further forms or steps the NMC identifies.

Worked example. You upload OCONNOR_JAMES_123456789.pdf through NMC-ASAP. The NMC receives the PDF, links it to your MMC record, and continues processing. If you didn't have a Merchant Mariner Reference number, the NMC issues one during processing and you will use it in future submissions.

Costs break into three parts. First, the medical-exam fee for an Irish national medical fitness certificate is payable by the seafarer or by the seafarer’s employer, according to Seafarers Ireland. Second, government processing fees for USCG/NMC transactions exist and are handled through pay.gov. The NMC materials and the NMC-ASAP portal indicate the government fees are processed through standard channels, but the cited official pages don't list amounts.

Third, private vendors sometimes offer application assistance. Those vendor charges are optional. One commercial service listed an optional application-assistance fee of USD 249 plus any government pay.gov fees. Treat such vendor fees as separate from the medical-exam fee and from official government fees.

Timing and behaviour. Practitioner guidance recommends you submit the completed medical form without delay after the examination. Keep the signed original paper form and retain a clean PDF copy. If you need another copy of a previously issued medical certificate, the USCG NMC medical certificate page documents how to request duplicates.

Worked example. You pay your Irish examination fee to the Approved Doctor. You then choose either to upload the CG-719K yourself through NMC-ASAP or to hire a service. If you hire a vendor, you may pay USD 249 plus any pay.gov fees. The NMC processes the documentation regardless of who submits it, provided the CG-719K is complete and uploaded correctly.

Most rejections are avoidable. The common errors are omitted pages, missing signature on page 9, oversized or split PDF files, and unclear filenames that prevent an easy match to the NMC record. Follow the official forms and the NMC-ASAP upload rules, and use the practitioner checklists to avoid avoidable rejections.

First, Include all pages of the CG-719K. The guidance identifies ten pages. Second, Sign page 9 and any other signature fields required. Third, Convert to a single PDF under 75 MB. Fourth, Name the file using LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_ORIGINAL or LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_MMCREFERENCENUMBER. Fifth, Keep the original paper form and a clean PDF copy for your records.

Worked example. Before upload, run a final quality check. Open the PDF, scroll through all ten pages, confirm signatures, verify the file size is under 75 MB, and ensure the filename includes your name and, if you have one, your MMC reference number. That short routine prevents the common administrative follow-up that delays MMC processing.

TL;DR checklist

First, Get the current Coast Guard medical form, CG-719K. Second, Have an Approved Doctor complete the exam. For Irish seafarers check Seafarers Ireland’s list. Third, Ensure all pages are present and page 9 is signed. Fourth, Convert all pages to one PDF under 75 MB and name it LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_(OPTIONAL MMCREF). Fifth, Upload via the NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App.

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Concrete next step: obtain and complete the current Coast Guard medical form (CG-719K or the form posted on the NMC medical certificate page), have a qualified practitioner complete the examination, convert the fully completed and signed form to a single PDF under 75 MB using the filename convention LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_(OPTIONAL MMCREF), and upload it to the NMC-ASAP Medical Information Upload App so the NMC can tie your medical certificate to your MMC record.

This article was created with AI assistance.