10.217—Merchant mariner credential application and examination locations.
(a)
Applicants may apply to any of the Regional Examination Centers. Applicants may contact the National Maritime Center at 100 Forbes Drive, Martinsburg, WV 25404, or by telephone 1-888-427-5662 or 304-433-3400. A list of Regional Examination Center locations is available through the Coast Guard Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/stcw.
(b) Coast Guard-designated facilities.
The Coast Guard may designate additional locations to provide services to applicants for MMCs.
(c) Exam Locations Abroad.
(1)
Coast Guard Merchant Marine Details abroad may conduct exams for ratings at locations other than the RECs, but are not prepared to conduct the physical examination where required. Merchant Marine Details may not issue regular rating endorsements, but temporary permits in lieu thereof. Merchant Marine Details will instruct the recipient of each temporary permit to present it to the OCMI, upon arrival in the first port in the United States in order to exchange it for a permanent credential.
(2)
The temporary permit must be accepted by the OCMI as proof that the bearer has complied with the rules and regulations governing the issuance of credentials, except as noted in the body of the temporary permit. The requirements noted in the exceptions will be complied with as in the case of other applicants.
(3)
The written examinations are forwarded to the National Maritime Center by Merchant Marine Details. When an applicant with a temporary permit appears before an OCMI, that OCMI may request and obtain the examination from the National Maritime Center. Any OCMI who doubts the propriety of issuing a permanent credential instead of a temporary permit which has been issued by an overseas Merchant Marine Detail must inform the National Maritime Center fully as to the circumstances.