From application to oral, step by step.

Step 1: Which form do I use to apply?

MSF 4343 for yacht deck officers; MSF 4274 for merchant deck officers. The form sets out the fee and the documents to send with it.

Step 2: What do I send to get an NOE?

For a yacht CoC: the fee; an ENG1 or accepted equivalent; an attested copy of your passport; the photos the form asks for; and proof of your yacht and watchkeeping service. For a first UK CoC, add your four STCW basic safety certificates and — for OOW (Yachts <3000 GT) — a completed Training Record Book.

Your ENG1 may have expired by the time you apply for the NOE, but it must be valid when the CoC is issued. If you're going for Master (Yachts <3000 GT) without holding Master (Yachts <500 GT), every MCA professional exam except Celestial Navigation must be passed before the NOE is issued.

Do I post my Training Record Book?

If you're required to submit it, MIN 690 says the full physical book goes to the Seafarer Services Branch. Keep scanned copies of the overview signature pages — you may be asked for them during the oral. An e-TRB is submitted once all the necessary checks are complete.

Step 3: How do I receive my NOE?

By email. The MCA no longer sends a PDF. The NOE is your offer of an oral exam and is valid for 5 years from its issue date.

Step 4: When do I sit Part A?

Only OOW Unlimited and Master (Code <200 GT) / OOW (Yachts <500 GT) candidates sit a Part A. The link, username and password are in your NOE email, and you can take it at any time. It is proctored, lasts at most 40 minutes, and the result is emailed within five working days. Don't share the login: the MCA can cancel the exam without refund if it is passed to a third party.

Step 5: How do I book the oral?

For most orals, the booking details come in your NOE email. For the two Part A exams, the Part B booking instructions are emailed once you pass Part A — and Part B must be completed within 12 months of that pass. Use the same email address throughout: changing it cancels the booking.

Can I cancel or reschedule my MCA oral?

Under the Code of Practice in MIN 690 Amendment 6, you can cancel or reschedule through the online booking system more than 21 calendar days before the exam. Inside 21 days, cancelling forfeits the exam and its booking fee unless it is for exceptional circumstances, which the MCA reviews on evidence.

Step 6: What do I need on the day?

A laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera and a reliable connection (10 Mbps recommended) running Microsoft Teams — not a phone. A quiet room on your own. Your current passport, with visa if applicable. For OOW (Yachts <3000 GT), your Training Record Book available on request. Log in at least 10 minutes early; camera and microphone stay on, no headphones, no background effects. Be ready to point the camera at any written work.

Step 7: I passed. What happens next?

Your oral pass is valid for 3 years and must be in date when the CoC is issued. Send the MCA any documentary evidence still outstanding, and submit your GMDSS certificate with your NOE pass so its STCW endorsement can be synchronised with your CoC. The CoC is valid for 5 years, and your ENG1 must be valid on the day it is issued.

MSN 1858 tells you to check you meet the current requirements both when you first apply and again when you submit your NOE pass — the rules can change in between, as they did on 18 May 2026.

What if I fail?

Apply for a new NOE and pay the resit fee. The minimum gaps are 2 weeks before a second attempt, 6 weeks before a third and 3 months before later ones, with extra documentary and sea service requirements from the third attempt. The MCA oral exam guide covers resits and appeals in full.