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What drug testing letter from my consortium is needed for my USCG license?

Learn the specific drug testing letter you'll need from your consortium to successfully apply for a USCG license.

2 mins read・Oct 10, 2023
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Only consortium letters with this exact phrase will be accepted by the USCG for your USCG license: APPLICANT’S NAME / SSN has been subject to a random testing program meeting the criteria of Title 46 CFR 16.230 for at least 60 days during the previous 185 days and has not failed nor refused to participate in a chemical test for dangerous drugs.

No other documentation from your maritime drug testing consortium will be accepted by the USCG for any part of your USCG license application.

Sportfishing boats cruising ocean.

If you have any other type of documentation from your consortium that will work for other parts of your charter business and compliance but it will not be accepted by the USCG for any part of your USCG license application.

Contact your maritime drug testing consortium

Every maritime drug testing consortium is very used to creating this drug test letter for USCG license applications.

All you need to do is reach out to them and ask for:
"a drug testing letter for my USCG License application."

When you get it emailed back to you double check it has the following three things:

  1. The letter is on consortium letterhead.
  2. The letter is signed by a consortium representative.
  3. The letter from the consortium that says verbatim:APPLICANT’S NAME / SSN has been subject to a random testing program meeting the criteria of Title 46 CFR 16.230 for at least 60 days during the previous 185 days and has not failed nor refused to participate in a chemical test for dangerous drugs.

If it does meet all three of these conditions it will not be accepted by the USCG.

You are meeting Option Two of USCG Drug Testing Guidance


Option Two:
Provide a letter on marine employer stationary or on command letterhead attesting to participation in random drug testing program. You must include the exact text from the Overview of Drug Test Requirements Option Two on the USCG website (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/drug_testing/) in your letter.
Drug testing letters from a Union will not be accepted by the NMC.

USCG license renewal assistance interface.

We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!

MM-SEAS is free to use on your own and if you need some more personalized help you can upgrade to MM-SEAS Pro inside of the site.

No matter what, when you are ready to submit your application, you can choose to have the MM-SEAS staff create a perfect application, handle the USCG application fees and work with the USCG on your behalf to resolve any issues for a flat fee of $349 or you can choose to submit on your own.

Pro MM-SEAS members get access to unlimited live 1 on 1 calls with one of our USCG Licensing Specialists. We've found that answering questions live with screen sharing in a video call makes both of our lives easier. Pro MM-SEAS members can access these features inside of MM-SEAS under License Guidance.

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About the author

Nate Gilman
Nate Gilman
Captain
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Nate has over 15 years of professional maritime experience and has hawsepiped his way to a 3rd Mate Unlimited Endorsement with full STCW compliance. He is proud veteran of the NOAA Commissioned Corps.

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