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STCW certificate checker

Set your department, target rank, and vessel type. We'll list the STCW certificates most flag states expect for that role, plus the 5-year refreshers under the 2010 Manila Amendments. The output is general STCW guidance — the issuing flag administration and your employer set the final list.

Your role
Required: 14 · Optional / role-specific: 2

Typically required

  • PST — Personal Survival Techniques (A-VI/1-1, refresher every 5 yrs)
  • FPFF — Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (A-VI/1-2, refresher every 5 yrs)
  • EFA — Elementary First Aid (A-VI/1-3)
  • PSSR — Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (A-VI/1-4)
  • SAT — Security Awareness Training (A-VI/6-1)
  • BHT — Bullying & harassment prevention training (STCW 2024 amendments, in force 1 Jan 2026) (A-VI/1 + new module)
    Mandatory under 2024 STCW amendments from 1 January 2026.
  • PSCRB — Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (A-VI/2-1, refresher every 5 yrs)
  • AFF — Advanced Fire Fighting (A-VI/3, refresher every 5 yrs)
  • MFA — Medical First Aid (A-VI/4-1)
  • OOW-NCV-II/1 — Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (CoC II/1) (A-II/1)
  • GMDSS-GOC — GMDSS General Operator Certificate (A-IV/2)
  • ECDIS — ECDIS — generic + type-specific for fitted equipment (A-II/1, A-II/2)
  • BRM — Bridge Resource Management (A-II/1, A-II/2)
  • ARPA — Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA) (A-II/1, refresher every 5 yrs)

Optional / role-specific

  • DSD — Designated Security Duties (where assigned) (A-VI/6-2)
  • FRB — Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats (A-VI/2-2)

5-year refreshers (2010 Manila Amendments)

  • PST — Personal Survival Techniques
  • FPFF — Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting
  • PSCRB — Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats
  • FRB — Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats
  • AFF — Advanced Fire Fighting
  • ARPA — Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA)

Verify with your flag-state administration and employer. See /stcw for full reference, including the 2024 + 2026 amendments.

When to use this tool

Planning your STCW certificate schedule for the next 5 years — BST refresher, PSCRB revalidation, AFF renewal, medical revalidation, ship security refresh. Before a rank promotion (e.g. 2nd Officer → Chief Officer) to verify the additional endorsements required. Before switching vessel type (deck → tanker CoC endorsement).

Regulatory basis

STCW Convention 1978 as amended by the 2010 Manila Amendments + subsequent MEPC updates. STCW Code Parts A + B. IMO Model Courses (see /imo-model-courses) provide the training-course syllabus for each certificate.

See also