How to obtain a Canadian marine medical certificate

From: Transport Canada

A marine medical certificate is a document that proves that a seafarer meets the required medical and physical standards required by Canadian law. Seafarers must hold either a Marine Medical Certificate or Provisional Medical Certificate and show it when asked.

To get a certificate you must be at least 16 when you apply and must:

  • meet the marine medical standards related to vision and hearing
  • meet the general physical and mental fitness requirements including:
    • being able to lift and carry 22 kg,
    • wearing breathing apparatus and personal life-saving equipment while climbing ladders,
    • being able to fight fires and abandon a vessel in an emergency,
    • working in tight spaces and moving through openings that are 600 mm by 600 mm or less, and
  • meet the specific physical and mental fitness requirements for a position that you want on a vessel.

You can confirm the authenticity and validity of a marine medical certificate online.

On this page:

Before you apply

A person who is at least 16 years of age at the time of examination may apply. 

If you’ve been denied a Marine Medical Certificate in the past and your restrictive medical condition has changed, you can reapply for a medical assessment. You must tell the Marine Medical Examiner of any previous limitations and give them any medical certificates and/or health information that you may have.

Get a Candidate Document Number

A Candidate Document Number is a unique number that groups your information in our database.

You must have a Candidate Document Number before applying for a Marine Medical Certificate. Without one, Transport Canada can’t process your application.

To get a Candidate Document Number in person:

  1. Download a copy of the Candidate Document Number Application form
  2. Complete the application
  3. Find 2 pieces of valid I.D. from this list:
    • Passport
    • Seafarer's Identity Document
    • Canadian Maritime Document
    • Permanent Resident Card
    • Certificate of Indian Status
    • Firearms Licence
    • Old Age Security card
    • Federal, provincial or municipal employee identification card
    • Driver's Licence
    • Provincial health care card
    • Birth Certificate
    • Work, Student, Visitor or Temporary Resident permits issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  4. Bring your completed application and 2 pieces of I.D. to the nearest Transport Canada Marine Safety Office.

If you live in a remote area and can’t visit a Marine Safety Office, you can mail your completed application and a copy of both pieces of I.D. to the nearest Marine Safety Office.

The copies of your I.D. must be certified by a Commissioner of Oaths.

Cannabis, alcohol, and drugs/medication

Under Canada’s Criminal Code, you can’t operate a vessel if you’re impaired. Under subsection 253(1) of the Criminal Code, you may not operate, assist in the operation of, or have the care or control of a vessel while impaired. This applies whether the vessel’s moving or not and whether you’re drunk, high, or both. The usage of cannabis and its derivatives or of any potentially performance-impairing substance or drug is not permitted within 48 hours prior to the performance of ship-board duties.

Your use of any substance (legal or not, and while at work or not) could affect your ability to work, your safety at work and the safety of those around you. Your use of cannabis is just one of many factors that we will consider before deciding whether to issue a certificate.

You must be honest and open about your current use, and history of using, alcohol, cannabis and any other legal or illegal drugs/substances during your medical examination.

Your employer will probably have their own rules that you will also need to follow.

More information on using cannabis and operating a vessel

Cost

Transport Canada doesn’t charge a fee for issuing a Marine Medical Certificate, but your Marine Medical Examiner will charge for their exam. This cost varies between providers. 

Validity

In most cases, if you’re deemed “Fit” without any geographic/duty limitations or without health risk factors, you can be issued a Marine Medical Certificate that is valid for:

  • 2 years for international voyages (vessels subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers)
  • up to 5 years for Canadian domestic voyages

If you’re deemed “Fit” with limitations due to health issues that could affect your ability to work at sea, you could be issued a Marine Medical Certificate that:

  • is valid for a shorter term
  • has geographic limits
  • has duty limits, or
  • any combination these terms

A person under 18 years of age will only be issued a medical certificate with a maximum validity of 1 year.

Apply for a Marine Medical Certificate

To apply for a Marine Medical Certificate:

  1. Contact a Marine Medical Examiner and make an appointment for a marine medical exam.  To find a Marine Medical Examiner in your area, please follow the Marine Medical Examiner Search.
  2. Attend the exam
  3. During the exam, the examiner will decide whether you’re “Fit”, “Fit with limitations”
    1. If you’re deemed as “Fit” or “Fit with limitations” the examiner will give you a provisional medical certificate after the exam that’s valid for up to 6 months after your exam
    2. If you’re deemed “Unfit”, the examiner will explain their decision in writing. In some cases, you can challenge this decision.

At this point, the examiners office will forward a copy of your provisional certificate and examination report to Transport Canada’s Marine Medical Unit. The unit will receive and review these documents and decide whether to issue you a Marine Medical Certificate.

If there is no MME within 200 km of the area you live in or of the vessel on which you will be working, a non-designated physician or a registered nurse may conduct a medical assessment and issue a provisional marine medical certificate. 

After you apply

Provisional certificates

You will receive a Provisional Medical Certificate following your medical exam. With this certificate you can serve on board a vessel that’s on an international voyage.

If your provisional certificate expires soon and you haven’t heard from Transport Canada, you can ask for an update on the status of your certificate by emailing the Marine Medical Unit: TC.Marinemedicine-Medecinemaritime.TC@tc.gc.ca.

Make sure to include your full name, Candidate Document Number (CDN) and your Provisional Medical Certificate’s expiry date in the Subject line of your email.

Challenge a decision

If you’re deemed “fit with limitations” or “unfit” please don’t arrange a second medical examination.

Regardless of the results of the second exam, you still need to submit all supplemental health information related to your first Provisional Medical Certificate or “unfit” determination. 

Transport Canada can suspend, cancel, refuse to issue or renew any marine medical certificate (including provisional ones) if you don’t tell your examiner that you’ve been previously deemed “unfit”. We can also take these actions if we believe that your Provisional Medical Certificate was issued based on incomplete or incorrect information, either with or without intent.

If you’ve received a Provisional Medical Certificate that declares you’re “fit with limitations” or a letter refusing to issue a provisional certificate you can ask Transport Canada to reconsider these decisions. Once you receive one of these documents you have 30 days to submit a request to Transport Canada for a reconsideration.

If Transport Canada reviews the decision and it doesn’t change, you can ask the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada to review the decision.

Renew your certificate

To renew a Marine Medical Certificate:

  1. Contact a Marine Medical Examiner and make an appointment for a marine medical exam. This exam should be 4-6 months before your current certificate expires
  2. Attend the exam
  3. During the exam, the examiner will decide whether you’re “Fit”, “Fit with limitations”, or “Unfit”
    1. If you’re deemed as “Fit” or “Fit with limitations” the examiner will give you a provisional medical certificate after the exam that’s valid for up to 6 months after your exam
    2. If you’re deemed “Unfit”, the examiner will explain their decision in writing. In some cases, you can challenge this decision.

Replace your certificate

To replace a certificate:

  1. Contact your nearest Transport Canada Regional Office
  2. Ask for the office to complete a Replacement Form.
  3. The Regional Office will send the request to the Marine Medical Unit.
  4. Your Marine Medical Certificate will be mailed to you.

Update your mailing address

If you move, you must update your mailing address with Transport Canada. To update your address, please contact the nearest Transport Canada Regional Office.

Need help?

Email: TC.Marinemedicine-Medecinemaritime.TC@tc.gc.ca

Mail:
Marine Medical Unit
Transport Canada
Mailstop: AMS
Place de Ville, Tower C
330 Sparks St
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0N8

Related links

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