Renewal of

STCW certificates
and tanker
certificates/
endorsements
This guideline is for applicants renewing
STCW certificates of competency and certificates
of proficiency or endorsements for tankers

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals

Renewal of STCW
certificates and
tanker certificates/
endorsements
Last updated: July 2019
This document is uncontrolled if printed. Please refer to the Maritime New Zealand website for the latest version.

In this guide
1. Overview 2

2. Requirements 4
2.1 Sea service 4

2.2 Alternatives to sea service 7

2.3 Ancillary certificates 10

2.4 Fit and proper person 14

2.5 Medical examination and eyesight tests 15

3. When and how to apply 16

3.1 Copies of supporting documents 16

3.2 Fees 17

3.3 Application process 18

3.4 Checklist 20

3.5 Where to send your application 22

4. Contact us for help 23

5. Forms 24

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 1 of 24

1. Overview
Renewal of STCW certificates and tanker certificates/endorsements
This guideline is for seafarers wanting to renew (revalidate) their New Zealand STCW
(International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for
Seafarers) certificate of competency or tanker certificate of proficiency or endorsement.
There is a separate guideline about renewing other certificates of proficiency.

The information in this guideline applies to the following New Zealand STCW certificates and tanker
certificates of proficiency or endorsements:

Watchkeeper Deck <500GT Near-Coastal Master Yacht

Watchkeeper Deck Electro-technical Officer (ETO)

Chief Mate <3000GT Marine Engineer Class 3 (MEC 3)

Chief Mate Marine Engineer Class 2 (MEC 2)

Master <500GT Near-Coastal Marine Engineer Class 2 endorsed as chief

engineer (MEC 2 ECE)

Master <500GT Master Marine Engineer Class 1 (MEC 1)

Master <3000GT Global Maritime Distress and Safety System radio

operator (GMDSS)

Master Basic tanker endorsement or certificate of

proficiency for oil and chemical tankers

Chief Mate Yacht Basic tanker endorsement or certificate of

proficiency for liquefied gas tankers

Master Yacht <500GT Advanced tanker endorsement or certificate of

proficiency for oil, chemical and liquefied gas
tankers

Your STCW certificate or tanker certificate/endorsement can be renewed for up to five years. A new
(replacement) certificate will be issued every 10 years.

This guideline covers training, sea service and other requirements for your renewal, how to apply and pay
for your renewal, and where to find more information.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 2 of 24

1. Overview (continued)

If you have an old STCW certificate or endorsement that has been deemed as a new certificate under
Maritime Rule Part 32, refer to the transition information on the Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) website to
identify what it is equivalent to under SeaCert.

For more information about equivalent certificates under SeaCert and renewing other certificates of
proficiency, refer to the guideline on MNZ’s website:

maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers

Disclaimer:
These guidelines provide information and explanations about the requirements set out in the
maritime rules, but are not a substitute for the rules themselves, which are the law. These
guidelines refer to provisions in the Maritime Rules Part 32, Seafarer Certification. The Director of
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) will grant a certificate only when satisfied that all requirements have
been met. In this guideline, any references to ‘we’ or Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) relating to a
decision about the issue or renewal of any seafarer certificate are references to the Director or a
person acting under the Director’s delegated authority.

maritimenz.govt.nz/rules

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 3 of 24

2. Requirements
To renew your STCW certificate or endorsement, you need to prove that you meet all of the
requirements for the certificate or endorsement. We recommend you check that you can
meet the medical fitness and eyesight standards (including for colour vision), and that you
understand the fit and proper person requirements.

In summary, you need to:

• be medically fit and have good eyesight

• be of good character and a fit and proper person

• have a current STCW certificate of competency or endorsement

• prove you have the minimum sea service requirements for the certificate or endorsement

• have the required ancillary certificates and demonstrate ongoing competence in these
proficiencies, where required.

Each of these requirements and how to prove that you meet them is explained below.

The Director must also be satisfied that you continue to meet the overall training and competency
standards for the certificate, taking into account your sea service and any bridging, refresher or updating
training you have done.

2.1 Sea service

To renew an STCW certificate of competency or endorsement, you must demonstrate continued
professional competency by providing evidence of your approved sea service, performing functions
appropriate to the certificate or endorsement you hold.

Sea service requirements

Your sea service must have been served on a relevant vessel, as set out in the table below.

Type of certificate/endorsement Required sea service

Masters and deck officers serving as At least 12 months in total during the preceding five years
watchkeeper deck on vessels of Or three months in total during the six months immediately
relevant gross tonnage before renewal
MEC 1 serving as engineer on vessels
over 3000kW
MEC 2 or MEC 3 serving as engineer
on ships over 750kW

GMDSS radio operator 12 months’ radio service in a seagoing ship fully fitted with
GMDSS during the five years preceding renewal
Or three months’ radio service in a seagoing ship fully fitted with
GMDSS during the six months immediately before renewal

Basic and advanced tanker certificates At least three months’ sea service during the previous five
of proficiency or endorsements years, performing duties appropriate to the tanker endorsement
on the type of tanker the endorsement applies to

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 4 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Proving your sea service

You are responsible for making sure your sea service is documented and verified by your ship’s master or
company.

To support your sea service, you must provide at least one of the following documents for each vessel you
have served on:

• certificate of sea service (available on MNZ’s website)

• completed seafarer record book
• discharge certificate or discharge book (ensuring that any section on watchkeeping is appropriately
signed off).
The documents you provide must contain all of the following details for each vessel you have served on:

• your employer’s name and contact details

• the name, tonnage and type of vessel (for example, cargo vessel, tanker, bulk carrier)

• vessel length overall (for deck certificates)

• the type of cargo carried and area of operation

• the engine type, make, model and output power (for engineering certificates)

• the dates you were employed and the sea time completed between those dates

• your duties, including watchkeeping where relevant to your certificate.

Any statutory declarations you have made are not acceptable as proof of your sea service.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 5 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Calculating sea service for voyages of 24 hours or more

Relevant qualifying sea service is expected to be on voyages of 24 hours or more, calculated as follows:

• from the sign-on date of starting work on the ship to the sign-off date of discharge (both dates are
inclusive)

• by counting each whole calendar month during this period as one month

• for multiple voyages, by adding together extra days that do not fall within a calendar month, with
each addition of 30 days to be calculated as one month.

Extended time in port is generally not counted as sea service, and nor is time on leave.

Note:
Voyage means a voyage between a port or place of departure and a ship’s final port or place of
arrival. It includes any period of 24 hours (or more) where you are signed on or employed on the
vessel and you remain on board.

For example: If your service record shows your sign-on date as 3 March and sign-off date as 14
April, your sea service would be calculated as one month (3 March to 2 April) and 12 days (from 3
to 14 April inclusive).

Calculating sea service for voyages of less than 24 hours

This sea service applies only to certificates/endorsements where service in excess of 12 months may be
on voyages of less than 24 hours, provided all of the conditions of sea service are met.

Sea service on voyages of less than 24 hours (for example, day work) is calculated by counting the number
of months made up of days, as follows:

• counting each period of eight (or more) hours worked within each period of 24 hours as one day’s
service

• counting periods of more than eight hours at a rate of more than one day (may be expressed in
decimal points), at the Director’s discretion, if the Director is satisfied there are suitable policies
and processes in place to manage fatigue

• counting each additional 20 days (or more) in a 30-day period as one month’s sea service. (A
month is calculated as 160 or more hours worked over 20 or more days in a 30-day period.)

Where insufficient hours are accrued in a period of 30 days, additional hours or days may be accrued as
described above until 20 days have been reached. This can then be counted as one month’s sea service.

You cannot claim for more days of sea service than you actually served. You also cannot claim for time
spent on leave or extended periods in port.

For more information about calculating your sea service, refer to the MNZ website:

maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 6 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

2.2 Alternatives to sea service

If insufficient sea service has been gained during the five-year period, an STCW certificate may be renewed
as set out in the table below:

Certificate/endorsement Required sea service

Deck and engineer certificates Passing an approved test

Or successfully completing and passing an approved training course
or courses
Or completing approved seagoing service and performing functions
appropriate to the certificate held for at least three months, either in
a supernumerary capacity or at a lower officer rank than the
certificate is valid for, immediately before taking the rank for which it
is valid

GMDSS radio operator Passing an approved test

Or successfully completing and passing a GMDSS renewal course
that is acceptable to the Director, within 12 months of renewal

Basic and advanced tanker Successfully completing and passing an approved training course or
endorsement courses

Equivalent renewal experience

STCW allows for professional competence for sea service to be established by having performed functions
ashore that are considered equivalent to the above sea service.

The Director may renew an STCW certificate or endorsement (other than a GMDSS certificate) if a holder
has completed at least 2.5 years of non-seagoing experience in the previous five years, in a position
considered by the Director to be equivalent to seagoing service. These positions may include:

• harbour or coastal pilots

• harbourmasters

• marine college lecturers

• technical, engineering and marine superintendents or ship repair managers

• surveyors with the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

The Director may renew a GMDSS certificate if the holder can provide evidence of having performed
functions that are considered to be at least equivalent to the seagoing service required. Holders may
include:

• radio technicians involved in the use, installation and testing of the full suite of GMDSS equipment

• GMDSS lecturers at MNZ training providers

• dedicated radio operators in fully GMDSS-equipped stations other than ships.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 7 of 24

 2. Requirements (continued)

Documenting sea service or equivalent experience

To renew your certificate, you must provide evidence of recent sea service or equivalent experience. In
most cases relevant sea service will be sufficient, but the Director may consider that other types of
experience satisfy in full or part the requirements for relevant experience equivalent to sea service.

The following table sets out the types of experience that may be considered and the documents you would
need to provide with your renewal application. Acceptable forms of assessment, examination or (refresher)
training will be notified on MNZ’s website or by training providers as these are determined.

Type of experience Document you must provide

Completing sea service in the role to be Evidence of sea service containing information and of a
renewed (check the certificate requirements) type acceptable to the Director, as indicated in the
relevant certificate guideline (eg certificate, testimonial or
discharge book)

Completing and passing relevant bridging, Documentation from a training provider indicating the
refresher or updating training acceptable to (as name of the person trained, the specific training standard
specified by) the Director provided, the date and a statement that the person
successfully demonstrated competency at the required
level

Passing an assessment of a type specified by Documentation from an approved assessor indicating

the Director the name of the person examined, the specific nature of
the assessment, the date and a statement that the
person successfully demonstrated competency at the
required level

Passing an examination that uses a framework Documentation from an approved examiner indicating
set by the Director the name of the person examined, the specific nature of
the examination, the date and a statement that the
person successfully demonstrated competency at the
required level

Spending at least 30 months in the preceding Letter from an employer stating the position, functions
five years: and duties, period of employment (or performing the
relevant functions) and how the employment (or
• employed in a relevant shore-based role
performance of functions) is considered relevant to the
• or engaged in performing relevant functions certificate being renewed

Performing on-board functions appropriate to Company letter confirming completion of on-board

the certificate for at least three months training and experience as a supernumerary
immediately prior to application:
Or evidence of not less than three months of sea service
• in a supernumerary capacity containing information and of a type acceptable to the
Director, as indicated in the relevant certificate guideline
• or in a lower officer rank than the certificate
to be renewed is valid for.
Note: If the certificate has expired, you must
obtain a dispensation to sail from MNZ before
proceeding to sea, unless you hold another valid
certificate.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 8 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Notes:
Examples of acceptable documentation are a signed and dated letter, certificate or assessment
record containing the required information.
Training providers, examiners or assessors are those approved either under the New Zealand
Education Act or by the Director of Maritime New Zealand, or acceptable to the Director.

New STCW (Manila) requirements

ECDIS training
Deck officers working on board ships fitted with an electronic chart display information system (ECDIS)
must undergo specific education and training.

When a New Zealand certificate of competency issued in compliance with STCW Regulations II/1, II/2 and
II/3 is renewed, the seafarer needs to comply with the new STCW requirements if they wish to work on
ships fitted with ECDIS after 31 December 2016.

Information about the introduction of ECDIS installations and training requirements is available on the
website for Admiralty Nautical Products & Services (admiralty.co.uk).

Deck officers not meeting this requirement will have the following limitation placed on their certificate of
competency: From 1 January 2017 this certificate is not valid for service on ships fitted with ECDIS.

Deck officers may ask for this limitation to be removed when they have provided documentary evidence of
having completed MNZ-approved ECDIS training.

High-voltage requirements
The STCW (Manila) amendments introduce a requirement for engineer officers to undergo education and
training in high voltage (HV) systems at both operational and management levels. This requirement applies
to all engineer officers starting training after 1 July 2013. All engineer officers who work on ships with HV
systems will need to comply from 1 January 2017.

An HV system involves voltage generated and distributed at high voltage (over 1000V) or transformed to
and distributed at high voltage. It does not include systems where high voltage is utilised locally (such as
for ignition systems, radio transmission, radar or other navigational equipment).

For new candidates seeking engineer officer certificates, HV training requirements will be incorporated into
future training programmes.

Existing engineer officers renewing their certificates after 1 January 2012 do not have to take any further
action, even if they are currently working with or intend to work with HV systems. However, they will have
the following limitation placed on their certificate of competency: From 1 January 2017 this certificate is not
valid for service on ships fitted with high voltage (over 1000V) systems.

A similar limitation will apply to new certificates issued in the future, if the applicant’s training has not
included HV systems.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 9 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Certificate holders may ask for this limitation to be removed when they have provided documentary
evidence of having completed MNZ-approved HV training.

2.3 Ancillary certificates

From 1 January 2017, seafarers who are required under STCW to hold the following ancillary certificates
must continue to provide evidence every five years that they have maintained the required standards of
competence to undertake the required tasks, duties and responsibilities:

• basic training (personal survival techniques, and fire prevention and fire fighting)

• proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats

• proficiency in fast rescue boats

• advanced fire fighting.

Seafarers renewing their STCW certificate after 1 January 2017 must submit documentary evidence of
having completed MNZ-approved updating or refresher training where required. (This requirement does not
apply to seafarers applying for a STCW certificate renewal before 1 January 2017.)

The following certificates do not need to be renewed:

• personal safety and responsibility and elementary first aid components of basic training

• medical first aid on board ship

• medical care on board ship

• ship security officer.

• security awareness training.

Although not an STCW requirement, we encourage you to maintain the currency of any first aid or medical
aid/care certificate in accordance with the requirements of the issuing organisation.

Evidence of on-board training and experience

MNZ may accept on-board training and experience as maintaining the required standard for some
competencies. These are defined for each ancillary certificate in the appropriate tables in chapter VI of the
STCW Code. Records should be kept of this on-board training and experience.

The remaining competencies need to be demonstrated by completing an approved training or refresher

course. Your training provider will also assess your on-board training records and will issue a new
certificate for the ancillary proficiency on satisfactory completion of the refresher course.

Further information about the refresher training requirements can be found in the ancillary guidelines on
MNZ’s website: maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 10 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Ancillary refresher course requirements for renewal

Table 1: Renewal requirements for personal survival techniques

Competence On-board training/experience Training course

Survive at sea in Don a lifejacket Don and use an immersion suit

the event of ship
Board a survival craft from the ship Safely jump from a height into the
abandonment
while wearing a lifejacket water
Take initial actions on boarding a Right an inverted liferaft while wearing
lifeboat to enhance chance of survival a lifejacket
Stream a lifeboat drogue or sea- Swim while wearing a lifejacket
anchor
Keep afloat without a lifejacket
Operate survival craft equipment
Operate location devices, including
radio equipment

Table 2: Renewal requirements for fire prevention and fire fighting

Competence On-board training/experience Training course

Fight and Use self-contained breathing Use various types of portable fire
extinguish fires apparatus extinguishers
Effect a rescue in a smoke-filled Extinguish smaller fires, such as
space, using an approved smoke- electrical, oil or propane fires
generating device aboard, while
Extinguish extensive fires with water,
wearing a breathing apparatus
using jet and spray nozzles
Extinguish fires with foam, powder or
any other suitable chemical agent
Enter and pass through, with lifeline
but without breathing apparatus, a
compartment into which high-
expansion foam has been injected
Fight fire in smoke-filled enclosed
spaces wearing self-contained
breathing apparatus
Extinguish fire with water fog or any
other suitable fire-fighting agent in an
accommodation room or simulated
engine-room fire and heavy smoke
Extinguish oil fire with fog applicator
and spray nozzles, dry chemical
powder or foam applicators

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 11 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

Table 3: Renewal requirements for proficiency in small craft other than fast
rescue boats

Competence On-board training/experience Training course

Take charge of a Interpret from the markings on survival Right an inverted life raft while wearing
survival craft or craft the number of persons they are a lifejacket
rescue boat during intended to carry
and after launch
Give correct commands for launching
and boarding survival craft, clearing
the ship, and handling and
disembarking persons from survival
craft
Prepare and safely launch survival craft
and clear the ship’s side quickly
Safely recover survival craft and rescue
boats
Use portable radio equipment for
survival craft

Manage survivors Row and steer a boat and steer by

and survival craft compass
after abandoning
Use individual items of equipment of
ship
survival crafts, except for pyrotechnics
Rig devices to aid location

Use locating Use portable radio equipment for

devices, including survival craft
communication
and signaling
apparatus

Apply first aid to

survivors

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 12 of 24

 2. Requirements (continued)

Table 4 Renewal requirements for proficiency in fast rescue boats

Competence On-board training/experience Training course

Take charge of a Control safe launching and recovery of Right a capsized fast rescue boat
fast rescue boat a fast rescue boat
Recover a casualty from the water and
during and after
Handle a fast rescue boat in prevailing transfer to a rescue helicopter or to a
launch
weather and sea conditions ship or place of safety
Use communications and signaling
equipment between the fast rescue
boat and a helicopter and a ship
Carry out search patterns, taking
account of environmental factors

Table 5 Renewal requirements for proficiency in advanced fire fighting

Competence On-board training/experience Training course

Control fire-fighting Fire-fighting procedures at sea and in Use of water for fire extinguishing, the
operations aboard port, with particular emphasis on effect on ship stability, precautions and
ships organisation, tactics and command corrective procedures
Communication and coordination Fire fighting involving dangerous goods
during fire-fighting operations
Ventilation control, including smoke
extraction
Control of fuel and electrical systems
Fire-fighting process hazards (dry
distillation, chemical reactions, boiler
uptake)
Fire precautions and hazards
associated with the storage and
handling of materials
Management and control of injured
persons
Procedures for coordination with
shore-based fire fighters

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 13 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

2.4 Fit and proper person

To renew your certificate or endorsement, we need to confirm that you are of good
character. To help us do this, there are several forms we need from you. These are outlined
below.

Requirement Document(s) you must provide

Be of good character • A completed fit and proper person form, which

must have been signed and dated no more than
three months before we receive your application
• A police clearance report for any country or
countries outside New Zealand that you have lived
in for 12 months or longer in the past five years
(covering the entire period you lived in that country
or countries)

Refer to 5. Forms for all of the forms that you will need to complete your application.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 14 of 24

2. Requirements (continued)

2.5 Medical examination and eyesight tests

You need to prove that your medical fitness and eyesight meet the required standard.

Requirement Document(s) you must provide

Be medically fit A certificate of medical fitness for seafarers that is valid at the time we renew
your certificate or endorsement.

• This is a special medical certificate that complies with STCW regulation

I/9. You must get this from an approved medical practitioner, or from a
medical practitioner approved for issuing seafarer medicals in another
country that is party to STCW.

• You may use an existing medical certificate if it will be valid (usually less
than two years old) when your certificate or endorsement is renewed.

Have good eyesight Eye test results showing you have met the required standards for visual acuity
(including a letter eyesight test). Your letter eyesight test results, assessed as
part of the seafarer’s certificate of medical fitness, must still be valid at the time
we renew your certificate or endorsement.
If there is any doubt about you passing the eyesight test, your medical
practitioner will refer you to a registered optometrist.

For more information about the medical and eyesight requirements for your certificate or
endorsement, refer to the guidelines on MNZ’s website:

maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 15 of 24

3. When and how to apply
If an application for renewal of an STCW certificate or endorsement is made within six
months of its expiry date, the certificate or endorsement will be renewed until the five-year
anniversary of the expiry date.

Certificates or endorsements renewed more than six months before their expiry date will be
renewed for five years from the date of renewal.

If your certificate or endorsement has expired, you may be required to provide additional
evidence of competence. This may involve refresher training, practical assessments and
examinations.

Apply when you have completed all of the renewal requirements for your certificate or
endorsement. Once we have received all of the information we need from you, it may take us
up to 20 working days to process your application, so send it in as soon as possible.

Make sure you include all of the documents we have asked for. Refer to 3.4 Checklist to make sure you
have everything you need for your renewal application. .

Note:
If your application is incomplete, it will not be processed and we will return your application and
other documents to you.

3.1 Copies of supporting documents

We only need copies of your supporting documents, not the original versions.

The exceptions are:

• supporting documents for the Fit and proper person form – these need to be sighted and signed
copies of the ID documents specified on the form

We do not need to see any of the documents you have already sent to us for other applications – just
make a note about these documents in your application. However, if any of these documents have expired
or will expire before we issue your certificate, we need to see a copy of the new or renewed document.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 16 of 24

3. When and how to apply (continued)

3.2 Fees
There is a fee for your application. Refer to the Maritime NZ website for information about fees.

maritimenz.govt.nz/fees
You will be invoiced once we have formally received your application. A reference number and instructions
explaining how to pay will be sent with the invoice.

You can pay:

• online using a credit card or debit card, or

• by internet banking or bank deposit.

Refer to the MNZ website for more information about how to pay your fees:

maritimenz.govt.nz/howtopay

As well as the application fee, you will have other fees and expenses to pay. For example, you may need to
pay for your eyesight tests, medical examination and any refresher training courses.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 17 of 24

3. When and how to apply (continued)

3.3 Application process

This is the application process for renewal of an STCW certificate of competency or tanker
proficiency or endorsement. Complete each step before you move on to the next one.

1 Do you meet all the requirements?

You need to check that you meet all of the requirements for this certificate.

2 Do you have the documents we need?

You need to prove that you meet the requirements. Include all of the documents we have
asked for with your application form. Use the checklist to help you (see 3.4. Checklist).

Remember we need copies, not the originals.

3 Send us your application by courier or email

There are two options for you to send your application:

1. Send your application by email, attaching the scanned documents.

The application form has information about the requirements for electronic copies.

2. Use a courier to send us your completed application forms and supporting documents.

The addresses are on the application form.

4 Confirmation and/or request sent

We will send you an email or letter to confirm that we have received your application and
advise you of any documents we need from you before we can assess your application.

We must receive your payment before we can finalise your application.

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3. When and how to apply (continued)

5 Assessment and payment of application fee

Once you have sent us all the documents we need, we will assess your application and make
a decision. This will usually take 20 working days (about a month) from the time we let you
know that we have received your application.

We will send you an invoice with your reference number and information on how to pay the
application fee once we begin the assessment. Please note we cannot release your
certificate unless payment has been received.

6 Issue certificate
We will send you:
• your certificate, if your application has been successful, or
• a letter or email explaining why your application was unsuccessful.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 19 of 24

3. When and how to apply (continued)

3.4 Checklist
Use this checklist to make sure that you have everything you need for your application.

Check that your documents are complete and have been signed, dated and sighted as required.

We need to see all of the documents listed below to confirm that you have met each requirement. The only
exceptions to this are documents that you have already sent to us for other applications (just note this in
your application). However, if a document has expired or will expire before we renew your certificate or
endorsement, we need to see a copy of that new or renewed document.

About you

Your current STCW certificate or STCW endorsement (original version)

Seafarer certificate application form

Fit and proper person form - including sighted and signed copies of the ID documents specified
on the form

Police clearance for other countries (if applicable)

Copy of certificate of medical fitness for seafarers

Your sea service and ongoing competence

Evidence of sea service

Evidence of meeting ongoing competency requirements for ancillary certificates

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 20 of 24

3. When and how to apply (continued)

Remember:

Send your application to us by courier or email (for an emailed application, you will need to send
your certificate or endorsement by courier)

Send your application for renewal to us well before your certificate or endorsement is due to
expire

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 21 of 24

3. When and how to apply (continued)

3.5 Where to send your renewal application

To provide extra security, we recommend that you courier your application forms and
documents to us.

Alternatively, you can scan and email your application and supporting documents. (Refer to
the application form for information about how to send your documents electronically. You
will need to separately courier the original of your certificate or endorsement to us.)

Courier your application to:

Seafarer Certification
Maritime New Zealand
1 Grey Street
WELLINGTON 6011

Or

Email your application to:

[email protected]

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 22 of 24

4. Contact us for help
If you need more information about the requirements for your renewal application, visit the
Seafarer Certification section of our website:

maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers
If you can’t find the information you need, send us an email:

[email protected]

Tell us what you need help with and remember to include your contact details (email address and phone
numbers).

We need your completed application before we can assess whether you meet the requirements to renew
your certificate or endorsement.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 23 of 24

5. Forms
To renew an STCW certificate of competency or tanker certificate of proficiency or
endorsement, there are several forms that you must provide and others that you may need
to provide.

Everyone applying to renew an STCW certificate of competency or tanker certificate/endorsement must

complete and send us all of the following forms:

• Seafarer certificate application form

• Fit and proper person form.

Other forms you may need to use:

• Certificate of sea service

• Summary of seagoing service form

Each of these forms is available on the MNZ website:

maritimenz.govt.nz/seafarers

Note:
You must complete these forms correctly for your application to be valid. Carefully read any notes
before you start.

STCW certificates / endorsements – Guidance for renewals Page 24 of 24