Certificate of competency

​​A certificate of competency is issued by the Danish Maritime Authority on the basis of your qualifications and experience.

 Apply for your certificates online

You must apply for your certificates online. This is the case for the first issue, an upgrade, a renewal, a re-acquisition or if your certificate has gone lost.

Before you apply, you must record and document you seagoing service, in self-servise og app.

When you apply, you must have your NemID and your credit card at hand. We request a fee of DKK 855 for the issue of a certificate. 

Apply for certificate

You must attach a digital photo against a  uniform background, which meets the rules of passport photos.
In our app, My Maritime, you can take a picture of yourself and upload to your profile. This makes it easy for you to apply for a certificate with photo requirements.

 

Before applyind for a certificate with a requirement for seagoing service, you maus record and document your seagoing service in our self-service or via our app.

Both places you can also request a digital seagoing service declaration (fartstidserklæring).

Go to self-service

Accepted documentation is also a picture/copy of your discharge book.
In our app, My Maritime, you can quickly take a picture of your discharge book and uploade it, when you complete your record.

The digital seagoing service declaration is the easiest and fastest way to collect a declaration from your employer.

You can find videoguide both in self-service and the app.

Here you can read more about seagoing service and find guides to how to record your seagoing service.

When you have passed your exam from one of our approved education and training institutions,
you must apply for a certificate here.

Here you can see which training programme is required for a specific certificate of competency and which certificate the training programme eventually can lead to.
Furthermore you can see the highest degree of the certificate, which can be obtained based on the completed training programme.

The first certificate of competency must be issued no later than 5 years after the diploma is issued, otherwise there might be additional requirements, i.e. validation of the exam. 

Exam

Certificate of Competency

​​​Highest grade of Certificate of Competency

​Junior officer exam as a ship's officer

Watchkeeping engineer officer and watchkeeping mate

​Watchkeeping engineer officer and watchkeeping mate

​Senior officer exam (Master)

​Mate 2nd class, and watchkeeping engineer officer

Master and watchkeeping engineer officer

​Senior officer exam (Chief engineer)

Watchkeeping engineer officer and watchkeeping mate

​Chief engineer and watchkeeping mate

​Senior officer exam (Dual purpose)

​Watchkeeping engineer officer and mate, 2nd class

Master and Chief engineer

​Master exam (bachelor of profession)

​Mate, 2nd class

​Master

Master exam

​Mate, 2nd class

Master

​Master (restricted) exam

Mate, 3rd class​

​​Master (restricted)

​Master (home trade) exam

​Mate, 4th class

​Master (home trade)

​Skipper exam, 1st class

Mate, 1st class, on fishing vessels

Skipper, 1st class, on fishing vessels

​​​Skipper exam, 3rd class

Mate, 3rd class, on fishing vessels

Skipper, 3rd class, on fishing vessels​

Training programme for mates (fishermen and ship's assistants)

​Watchkeeping mate

​​Watchkeeping mate

​​Training programme for mates (fishermen and ship's assistants)

Mate, 1st class, on fishing vessels​

Mate, 1st class, on fishing vessels​

​​Engineer officer exam with maritime optional subjects

Watchkeeping engineer officer​

Chief engineer​

Mechanist exam

Watchkeeping engineer officer/Mechanist, 2nd class

Mechanist, 1st class

Radio training programme

Radio operator (GOC, ROC or LRC)

Radio operator (GOC, ROC or LRC)

Training programme for ship's cook

Ship's cook

Ship's cook

 

​Before a certificate of competency can be issued, the STCW Refresher requirements must be met. 

You will also be able to read about other refresher requirements.

You can have your certificate of competency renewed if you have completed at least 12 months' seagoing service during the last five years or three months' seagoing service during the last six months. It must, however, have been in a position where you can maintain your certificate.

When you need to have your certificate of competency renewed, you must be able to document completion of refresher course in basic maritime safety and fire-fighting with the STCW designations A-VI/1-1 and A-VI/1-2.

Seagoing service is required to have your certificate upgraded. The requirements for seagoing service vary according to the type of certificate.

The requirement for seagoing service is stipulated in the order on certificates of competency.

When you need to have your certificate of competency upgraded, you must be able to document completion of refresher course in basic maritime safety and fire-fighting with the STCW designations A-VI/1-1 and A-VI/1-2.

Seafarers with dual exam can obtain a certificate of competency as a dual ship officer.
 
To renew or upgrade this, seagoing service must be obtained in a dual position onboard.
If you do not obtain seagoing service in a dual position, the seagoing service is obtained as a navigator or engineer, and the required amount of seagoing service thus follows the general requirements for navigator and engineer certificates.
 
If you have certificate as dual, but do not serve as dual, or obtain sufficient seagoing service as a navigator or engineer, you will not be able to maintain the dual certificate.
 
If you serve exclusively as a navigator, you will be able to maintain the lowest level as an engineer, watchkeeping engineer, in your dual certificate.

If you serve exclusively as an engineer, you will not be able to maintain the navigator part of your dual certificate.

You must hold a valid GMDSS radio certificate in order to be issued with a certificate of competency as a navigating officer in merchant ships. 

Read more about radio certificates here.

A seafarer canacquire a certificate of competency as a ship's cook when he/she has completed training as a gastronome, cook specialization, and either

  • have completed training as a ship's cook or
  • meet the requirements for a basic course in maritime safety, etc. on personal life-saving techniques, basic first aid, personal safety and care for human lives and the environment AND have completed 12 months' seagoing service in the galley.

Furthermore it is required to hold a health certificate for seafarers and fishermen valid for service as a ship's cook.

A certificate of competency as ship's cook does not have an expiry date.

You must apply for a certificate of competency as a yachtsman, 1st class or 3rd class, or for a certificate of proficiency in sailing for yachtsmen. Certificates of competency are applicable for recreational crafts with a hull length between 15 and 24 metres.

In order to apply, you must have passed a yacht master exam or a test for a certificate of proficiency for yachtsmen.

In addition, you must be subject to a sight and hearing test for yachtsmen with a maritime doctor or an eye specialist. You yourself must pay for the examination.

Sight and hearing test certificate for yachtsmen

If you want a license as a powerboat or personal watercraft operator in the form of a plastic card, applicable for recreational crafts with a hull length below 15 metres, please read more on the issue of certificates  page.

In order to be issued with a certificate of competency, you must hold a valid health certificate, declaring that you are fit for ship service.

Navigating officers must be fit for lookout duty.

Medical certificates are accepted from countries that has implemented the STCW convention and ratified the MLC.

If you do not meet the requirements to renew or if your certificate has expired, you must re-acquisition your certificate.​

The Danish Maritime Authority does not keep copies of diplomas.

If you have lost your diploma, you must start by contacting the school/institution where you took your education.

Often the school/institution itself stores material regarding exam and can help you.

However, most maritime diplomas before 2004 are stored at the National Archives.

See the following guide on the National Archives' website to recreate your diploma if it has been lost:

Rigsarkivet: Order copy of diploma

Our average case processing time is currently 5 working days, however, you should always apply well in advance.

After applying, you will receive an e-mail with a receipt for your payment and a separate e-mail with confirmation of receipt of your application and your case number.

If you have any questions or need to forward additional documentation, you can reply to the e-mail you have received stating your case number.

At any time, you can follow the status of your application in self-service or app. 

Contact

Certificates
Seafarers, Certification and Social Affairs